He Counts On Sheep For A Great Night's Sleep

He Counts On Sheep For A Great Night's Sleep LIVESTOCK Sheep/Goats 27-2-30 Lloyd Peterson depends on sheep for a good night's sleep, but he doesn't count them. He sleeps on them. For the past two years, the Harmony, Minnesota entrepreneur has been stuffing mattresses and pillows with virgin wool and selling them direct to customers at bargain prices. Peterson first discovered the benefits of all-wool mattresses 40 years ago. "I was helping an elderly neighbor prepare her things for an auction, and she pointed out a wool mattress that was 100 years old," recalls Peterson. "I bought it for 25 cents and took it home. We liked it so much we had the wool cleaned and recarded and we still use it today." Peterson claims that sleeping on a wool mattress is like nothing else. The all-natural fiber wicks away moisture in the summer, but insulates in the winter. The curative claims for wool, which include relief for osteoporosis, fibromyalgia, degenerative disc diseases, and increased circulation, are a personal issue with Peterson as well. His wife was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis 20 years ago, and the doctor predicted she would soon be in a wheel chair. She gives her wool mattress credit for still being on her feet and active in the family business, including helping make the company's new all-wool mattresses and pillows. Local public health agencies have been among High Point's best customers. "I had one lady buy a mattress and call me a month later," explains Peterson. "She said she hadn't had a good night's sleep in 20 years until she bought our mattress. Once people sleep on wool, they won't sleep on anything else." High Point buys wool from Minnesota and Wisconsin sheep producers, ships it to either Poland or Scotland for processing and then back to southeastern Minnesota. There, the long rolls called rovings are laid down inside a mattress cover in a tight pattern, one layer at a time. Each of the seven layers are laid down perpendicular to the previous layer, with the final two layers extending out and over the ends of the previous five layers. Once the mattress cover is zipped up, the mattress is slid onto a frame where yarn is threaded through the cover and its seven layers to secure the mattress in its final form. Covers are made from 100% cotton ticking, or an optional water resistant covering. Peterson's son Larry realized that by shrink wrapping and vacuuming out the air in a mattress or pillow, shipping costs could be cut significantly. Once mattresses are delivered and released from the packaging, they quickly regain their 5-in. thick original shape. High Point mattresses range from $268.60 for a single to $425.00 for a king-size, a fraction of the $2,300 or more that other all-wool mattresses sell for. Pillows sell for $34.95 each. The Peterson's take custom orders and make small travel mattresses for campers, truckers and others who want to sleep on wool wherever they go. They also make leg wrappings for people with poor circulation, as well as pads for recliners. Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Lloyd Peterson, High Pointe Coverings, Inc., 235 2nd Ave. NW, Box 476, Harmony, Minn. 55939 (ph 888 886-7696; Website: www.natureswool.com).

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