Established in 2007 in Buffalo, Wyoming at the base of the Big Horn Mountains, this family-owned and operated full-service wool mill produces over 1000 pounds of wool from local Wyoming ranchers each year. Visit their website here and watch a video on how their mill was started.
The environmentally-friendly facility is fully sustainable utilizing bio-degradable cleaning products, recyclable wastewater and they repurposes everything(watch this video how they do it). With an ID number from the bale wool, each natural quality product produced can be traced back to the ranch it came from.
We took a self-guided tour of the facility and purchased the Mountain Meadow’s famous “Hoodies” from the gift shop. The hoodies we purchased were made from two different ranches: the Geis Ranch and the Pheasant 9 Mile Ranch. A tag on the inside shows which ranch the wool came from. Made from Merino wool, these hoodies are unbelievable: wool moisture-wicking, natural elasticity, odor resistance, fire resistance and anti-microbial.
FREE Self-guided anytime our retail store is open!
Hours: Mon-Sat at 9 am – 5pm
*For large parties of 10 or more, please call ahead.
Ranchers:
Camino & Sons Ranch: Established in 1908 in Buffalo, Wyoming, the Camino Family has been raising sheep for over five generations. Also referred to as the Camino “KID” Ranch, their Rambouillet lambs are raised in the wide-open spaces on lush pastures and clean water. Their dedication to ranch operations produces some of the purest fiber in the world. See their video here.
The Geis Cattle & Sheep Ranch: A fourth-generation ranch located in Gillette, Wyoming raises approximately 2,000 sheep along with cattle located on approximately 30,000 owned and leased acres.
Pheasant Ranch: Located in Kaycee, Wyoming just 50 miles south of Buffalo, Wyoming, this is a third-generation ranch established in the early 1900s and is sometimes referred to as “9 Mile Ranch”. The Pheasant 9 Mile Ranch raised Rambouillet in the past but now branched into Cormo(known for its softness and length) and California Red breed. See their video here.
The Little Ranch Co: Homestead in 1914 just east of Buffalo, Wyoming, The Little Family started their Rambouillet and Suffolk sheep herds in 1960. See their video here.
Sheeps Breeds:
Rambouillet Breed: The Rambouillet is a breed of sheep also known as the Rambouillet Merino or the French Merino. The breed originated in 1786 in Spain with King Charles III and later to France with Louis XVI on his Castle at Rambouillet. In 1889, the Rambouillet Association was established in the United States, and today it is estimated 50% of the sheep on the US western ranges are of Rambouillet blood.
Suffolk Breed: Originating in the late 1800th century in the area of Bury St. Edmonds in Suffolk, England, this breed is a hardy, polled (no horns), black-faced breed – primarily raised for its meat. They were a result of cross-breeding Southdown rams and Norfork Horn Ewes (now rare).
Cormo Breed: Developed in Tasmania, Australia in the early 1960s, this breed was a result of crossing Corriedale rams with Saxon Merino. Cormo is derived from the names of two of the parent breeds: Corriedale and Merino.
California Red Breed: Developed in Davis, California in the 1970s, this breed was a result of a cross between the Tunis and Barbados Blackberry sheep. The lambs are born all red and keep the color in their faces and limbs until adult stage.
Make sure you put the self-guided Mountain Meadows Mill tours on your list to see and support this local company next time you are in Buffalo, Wyoming. They also have an online store on their website .
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