Siples Fiber Farms
Welcome to the home of Siples Fiber Farms. We are a member of ARBA & specialize in raising pedigreed French Angoras for fiber and breeding stock. Our home grown fibers include the following; Angora, Silk, Cotton, and Flax. We also offer a wide variety of other fibers. We are dedicated to producing and selling the finest fiber available. We are a small family owned business. We take pride that none of our animals are harmed in the harvesting of their fiber. We are located in the Lakeway area of East Tennessee, right down the road from Panther Creek State Park.
French Angoras
The French Angora is one of the larger breeds of Angora. On the average they
weigh between 7.5 to 10lbs. They possess clean faces and feet with an easier to
maintain fleece than other angora breeds. Rabbits are unique in that they don't
have the same allergy causing qualities as many other animals.
They are bred specifically for their fluffy soft wool. A little Angora goes a long way, since it is typically blended with other fiber to increase memory and strength. It has been stated to be up to 8x's warmer than sheep's wool. In Europe it has actually been
prescribe to aid in circulatory issues due to its high insulating properties.
Angoras are calm docile animals with tons of personality! They can become nervous and must be handled with care. They are extremely cute and fluffly. They enjoy attention, and remind some of a well mannered cat. They love having toys or something to chew on to occupy their time. They are the ideal animal for handspinners and those looking to bred for the purpose of selling the fiber.
weigh between 7.5 to 10lbs. They possess clean faces and feet with an easier to
maintain fleece than other angora breeds. Rabbits are unique in that they don't
have the same allergy causing qualities as many other animals.
They are bred specifically for their fluffy soft wool. A little Angora goes a long way, since it is typically blended with other fiber to increase memory and strength. It has been stated to be up to 8x's warmer than sheep's wool. In Europe it has actually been
prescribe to aid in circulatory issues due to its high insulating properties.
Angoras are calm docile animals with tons of personality! They can become nervous and must be handled with care. They are extremely cute and fluffly. They enjoy attention, and remind some of a well mannered cat. They love having toys or something to chew on to occupy their time. They are the ideal animal for handspinners and those looking to bred for the purpose of selling the fiber.
Bombyx Mori Silkworms
The discovery of silk is shrouded in mystery and begins with a closely guarded Chinese legend. The story begins with a Chinese princess sipping tea beneath a Mulberry tree. As she held her cup tight enjoying the breezy spring day a single cocoon plopped down into her steaming hot tea. Amused at its choice of landing, she sat down her cup and watched it for a moment. She swished the cocoon around with the tip of her index finger and noticed it started to unravel. She found the end and began to twist it around her finger. Around and around it went. She did this for quite sometime until her whole index finger was cover in layers of a fine shiny single long thread. Caught up in her discovery she didn't notice the crowd of royal servants gathered around her in amazment. It was so beautiful! She ran to the king and exclaimed that she had to have a fine dress made from this material.
"Where did you get such a fine thread!?", the king exclaimed. He listened in disbelief as she told him her story of its origins. He paced back and forth in excitment as he mused her discovery over for a moment.
"Something so fine from something so common. This must be kept a secret!", the king demanded. He set all the royal staff about the kingdom to collect all the silkworm cocoons they could find. It was a full time job harvesting all that silk. The king hired the most talented weavers he could find. Then set them to work on new clothes for the entire royal family. He threatened them with death if they revealed the origins of this delicate new material.
As royals from different countries would visit his family would wear their beautiful smooth shimmering clothes. The other countries quized the king, "Where did you get such a fine material?" He refused to tell guarding his secret with his nation's pride.
China grew in wealth from exporting this fine new material. Envious other countries sent in spies to learn the secret origins of silk. Hundreds of years and unsuccessful attempts later, the secret was eventually stolen by two monks who smuggled some eggs out in their walking sticks. The monks sold their smuggled goods to the highest bidder and went on their way rich men. The mystery of silk, an ancient Chinese secret had been stolen. Their royal heritage, finding beauty in nature where one would least expect it had been exploited. Although, its secret was stolen China still remains the one of the finest silk providers in the world.
The Bombyx Mori Silkworm has been domesticated for so long it no longer exists in the wild. It has been breed, developed and catered to in the quest for the finest silk. The lifecycle of the silkworm begin with eggs that have been cold storage. Once they have been exposed to regular temperature of 70-80 degrees the eggs will hatch in about 6-20 days. The caterpiller will need to constantly eat for about a month before spinning its cocoon. It takes 3 days for the silkworm to complete its cocoon. The silk pupa
will remain in its cocoon for about 21 days. After that an adult moth will emerge to breed and lay eggs. Shortly after breeding and laying eggs the adult moth will die completing its lifecycle.
The harvesting of silk is very labor intensive. It takes over 2000 cocoons to make a single silk dress. The silk road is a historic reminder of the importance of silk. Whole trade routes were developed to import this prized material into their country. Silk is an indulgence to the sensations; the tactile cool smoothness of silk against the skin, the way it shimmers in the light. Silk is the essence of spring. If one has ever had the pleasure to touch pure silk one can understand why it was such a closely guarded secret.
"Where did you get such a fine thread!?", the king exclaimed. He listened in disbelief as she told him her story of its origins. He paced back and forth in excitment as he mused her discovery over for a moment.
"Something so fine from something so common. This must be kept a secret!", the king demanded. He set all the royal staff about the kingdom to collect all the silkworm cocoons they could find. It was a full time job harvesting all that silk. The king hired the most talented weavers he could find. Then set them to work on new clothes for the entire royal family. He threatened them with death if they revealed the origins of this delicate new material.
As royals from different countries would visit his family would wear their beautiful smooth shimmering clothes. The other countries quized the king, "Where did you get such a fine material?" He refused to tell guarding his secret with his nation's pride.
China grew in wealth from exporting this fine new material. Envious other countries sent in spies to learn the secret origins of silk. Hundreds of years and unsuccessful attempts later, the secret was eventually stolen by two monks who smuggled some eggs out in their walking sticks. The monks sold their smuggled goods to the highest bidder and went on their way rich men. The mystery of silk, an ancient Chinese secret had been stolen. Their royal heritage, finding beauty in nature where one would least expect it had been exploited. Although, its secret was stolen China still remains the one of the finest silk providers in the world.
The Bombyx Mori Silkworm has been domesticated for so long it no longer exists in the wild. It has been breed, developed and catered to in the quest for the finest silk. The lifecycle of the silkworm begin with eggs that have been cold storage. Once they have been exposed to regular temperature of 70-80 degrees the eggs will hatch in about 6-20 days. The caterpiller will need to constantly eat for about a month before spinning its cocoon. It takes 3 days for the silkworm to complete its cocoon. The silk pupa
will remain in its cocoon for about 21 days. After that an adult moth will emerge to breed and lay eggs. Shortly after breeding and laying eggs the adult moth will die completing its lifecycle.
The harvesting of silk is very labor intensive. It takes over 2000 cocoons to make a single silk dress. The silk road is a historic reminder of the importance of silk. Whole trade routes were developed to import this prized material into their country. Silk is an indulgence to the sensations; the tactile cool smoothness of silk against the skin, the way it shimmers in the light. Silk is the essence of spring. If one has ever had the pleasure to touch pure silk one can understand why it was such a closely guarded secret.
