the Wool Bed Company in the Press!

It's almost hard to believe a business located in the town of Ashippun could go global, but Susan McCourt has achieved that mark. "We're shipping an order to France next week," the owner of Kerry Hills Farm said Thursday! "That's really exciting."

McCourt raises sheep and uses their wool to help people sleep. Products include Soothe Ewe underquilts, Comfort Ewe comforters, Hug Ewe pillows, Snuggle Ewe quilt and pillow sets and Support Ewe neck rolls. McCourt also sells Wool to crafters, who use the fur for dolls and nick-knacks.

"I don't have a retail shop here," McCourt said. "But visitors are always welcome on the farm." All sales are made through her Website, www.kerryhillsfarm.com, which makes the business international. "We've had people from almost every country visit our Web site," McCourt said. Each Item is made by McCourt once she takes the order.

"We have people come to visit the farm, like you would come in and visit and see what we have," she said. "Then they place their order on the Internet. The local people can save shipping (costs) by picking it up."

The business had humble beginnings McCourt and her husband, Arthur purchased the Dodge County farm SIX years ago. The business grew from the land - or, to be more

Precise, the need to care for the land. "We came out here from the city (New Berlin)," McCourt said "We moved in February. As the summer progressed, the pastures were getting very long." "My cousin (Ralph Smith) made a crate and gave me two lambs to bring home to keep the pastures down," McCourt said. "And that's what started it." Not only did the lambs keep the pasture grasses mowed, but they also captured McCourt's heart "I liked having them so I bought some more," she said. "I was off and running."

The first snag came when the lambs needed shearing. A local business trimmed their long coats, and McCourt found her hands full of wool. "I had to do something with the wool. so I took spinning lessons and I learned to wash and card the wool," she said. McCourt confessed a distaste for knitting, so she looked for other options. "I don't care to sit and knit. I like doing more active things, she said "So I came up with this line of products. “With more than 50 ewes and 12 lambs born so far this season McCourt is working eight to 10 hours a day. But the work is worth it, she says, as sales more than compensate far the animals' care. "It supports my business right now," she said. "I will probably have to increase my flock as my business grows."

Four horses and two llamas also reside in the barn The llamas' purpose, She said, is to protect the sheep from coyotes and other predators when they are grazing out on the hill. Every step has been a learning experience for the former city girl who had not really planned on farming at this time life. "I learned everything the hard way," she said. "I just keep plugging along. But the more I moved in that direction, the more the thing fell into place." Her Web site has played a role in getting her products in the the public eye, McCourt said "As soon as we got it running. I started getting orders," she said. The business was not a thing McCourt said she planned when she moved to the farm years go "As far as sitting down and mapping this all out, I did not do that," she said, "Anything that could happen happened."

To schedule a visit to Kerry Hills Farms, call Susan at 888.966.5233 we have a showroom now!