The Wight family has been raising sheep in Ontario since 1856. In 1984, the Wight Sheep Farm was moved from Southern Ontario to the Temiskaming Claybelt. Since then, the farm has had at least 100 ewes lambing every year.

The farm, like all sheep farms, raises lambs to sell at market which has an excellent market.  Wool, on the other hand, is a by-product that is produced each year.  The Wight family brought wool processing machinery in 1989, which was moved to the farm, the mill was to be called Belle Vallée Wools.

The mill is assembled from small textile production machinery which involved moving and setting up 40,000 lb. of equipment. Although the carding machine will be 100 years old in 2016, it is still capable to produce 30 - 40 pounds of roving per hour which was its original production rate.  The wool is then spun, twisted, and finished into yarn.

 Belle Vallée Wools functions like many woolen mills that operated throughout Ontario at the beginning of the century, providing local service to sheep producers and the surrounding population.  The production of the wool is done in much the same way as it was in the 1920s so Belle Vallee Wools is keeping history alive by presently being the only complete farm-based woolen mill in Eastern Canada.

Belle Vallée Wools products are made from Canadian wool exclusively; Canadian wool is very soft, warm and durable. To preserve these natural properties, the mill avoids additives in the wool processing.

Belle Vallée Wools specialty is blankets which are 100% warm and woolly and woven on a  rapier-power loom. They come in country checks or traditional tartans.

Visitors are welcome to view the woolen mill in operation Monday to Friday 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. and Saturday 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Belle Vallée Wools products are marketed at their mill.   The pure Canadian wool yarns and products are guaranteed to keep you both warm and comfortable in the Canadian cool climate!