Barometz (bahr-oh-mehts)

Barometz

Barometz were literally live sheep that grew out of a tall green stalk. Technically they were never classified as animals because they didn’t eat food and had no discernible sex. The life cycle of a barometz began with seeds about the size of a baseball. These seeds would naturally work their way into the rich soil where a beanstalk like plant would sprout in the spring. The stalk would keep growing until a fully formed sheep appeared at the tip. The plant would eventually die, leaving the sheep to wander their immediate region for about an hour or two before they exploded with a POP! Spreading new seeds everywhere. Stalks were about ten feet tall at maximum height. Barometz were commonly bred in farms so their wool coats could be used for clothing. It wasn’t unheard of for fashion designers to have their own garden full of barometz for their professional use.