Wool enriches soil and plant health

Derived from 100% raw wool, eco-friendly Wool Pellets from Croydon, Utah-based Wild Valley Farms lessen soil compaction, aid in water retention and leach nutrients into the soil as they decompose over about six months.

For more than 150 years, Wild Valley Farms raised livestock until discovering the benefits of the fiber in fertilizing soil and conserving water. “We tried pelletizing some of our sheep’s wool initially because we had found research which showed wool repelled snails,” the company’s website explains. The material’s nitrogen and nutrient content make it a time-release fertilizer, and its moisture retention lessens crop irrigation needs.

Among its other products, Wild Valley Farms has a 2.5-quart plant pot in several colors and frost guards in two sizes. Its premium compost also contains some wool and is even offered in a special golf course blend. The pellets are sold to gardeners in bags or by the truckload to farming operations. 

The company also pelletizes its customers’ wool, charging by the pound. The farm and ranch runs 200 head of cattle and 2,600 sheep.