Spinning Success: Brown Sheep Company's Legacy in Western Nebraska

For over 40 years, Brown Sheep Company has been spinning high quality, natural fiber yarn near Mitchell, Nebraska.  The now third-generation business was started by Harlan and Janet Brown. Harlan, a sheep farmer, got the idea to spin his own yarn when his daughter asked for a spinning wheel for Christmas.  At this same time, many textile companies on the east coast were struggling to get by. Harlan jumped on the opportunity and purchased used equipment to start a business of his own. Just nine months later, he produced his first skein of yarn.   After receiving pushback and being chastised for his decision to produce yarn in western Nebraska, Harlan loaded up his Buick and started selling the old-fashioned way: from his trunk.   These days, Harlan’s grandson, Andrew Wells, is at the helm of Brown Sheep Company, where he works to carry on the family legacy while identifying new market opportunities and production strategies. He says transitioning into a family business can be both rewarding and challenging.   “The romanticized idea in your head of what it is like to join a family business and what it is really like are two different things,” said Wells. “Learning to work with your parents takes a lot of grace and tact in how you present problems. The nice thing about working with family is they’re your family, and they will never leave you. I have always appreciated that.”  Learn more about the legacy of Brown Sheep Company in the latest episode of Building Nebraska, powered by the Engler Agribusiness Entrepreneurship Program at the University of Nebraska – Lincoln.