Meet The Farmer Saving Our Orphaned Lambs!

Marie just wanted to help save a few freezing lambs but her appeal was answered by 60,000 knitters!

- Dan Proudman

It’s the heart of winter at the foot of the Warrumbungle Ranges in NSW and it’s worse than freezing. The sun’s not even up, but big-hearted farmer Marie Knight is already at work.

She’s not the only one rugged up against the cold, though – following her around are the lost and the rejected – a ragtag bunch of “poddy” or orphan lambs that, without the help of the kind sheep grazier, would no doubt be dead from cold.

The lambs are being kept nice and warm with jumpers but not made from their own wool! The colourful sweaters are made from love, by thousands of knitters from around Australia and the rest of the world.

PLEASE HELP!

A single request on Facebook last year changed the life of Marie and countless lambs. Keen knitter Marie, 55, threw a shout-out to anyone who needed jumpers for their lambs for those freezing winter nights. She also wondered whether others may have the time to pull the knitting needles out and make some themselves.

The feedback was extraordinary, including from hundreds of caring Woman’s Day readers, who answered her call, and sent more than 60,000 warm jumpers.

Marie’s last trip to the nearby Coonabarabran post office turned into two trips for her one-tonne ute. The sheer amount of jumpers sent was too much for just one load.