First real fleece washing

It doesn't look like much - laid out like this. These pictures do not convey the dark charcoal and yummy softness of this fleece.

Purchased from Sam and Nancy Ortman in Montana - this is 3.5 lbs of American raised Polworth.

I purchased a washed Polworth fleece last year at SOAR from the folks at Rovings.com and it has been a wonder to work with. I believe their Polworth is imported from Australia, but I have to check to be sure.

Anyway - I am not one to wash dirty wool - it just seems like life is too short to mess with that. I have lots of sources for washed and sometimes already dyed wool but the polworth from SOAR really got me hooked and I had to find some more.

This has quite a bit of veg in the tips, but underneath is very clean and there does not seem to be the amount of Lanolin that you find in the other fine wools like Merino.
The staple length of this is close to 4" and there appear to be few if any second cuts.
I washed up a little sample at first and then combed in on my Alvin Ramer combs. Here is the little bit of top.

I'll post a picture of the spun yarn a little later.

I think I may try for the longest thread competition with this, I may be able to spin it finer than the merino I tried with the first time.