We didn't exactly hit the ground running at dawn, though. Unless "dawn" is at 8 a.m. and it counts that we hit the ground and ran down to the kitchen to eat blueberry pancakes and drink our coffee by the woodstove. So let's say we moseyed out the door well after the sun came up and hauled all the trash to the dump. Then we went to the feed store to get corn. When we got home, A. powered up the chainsaw and cut up a bunch of tree limbs that have been sitting around blocking paths for the whole winter. Then we hauled them to the burn pile. And then we commenced The Shearing.
Shearing is not one of my favorite chores. Not that I DO a lot other than hold the sheep and clean up afterwards. A. does most of the work. And it's a LOT of work, because he uses non-electric hand shears. But the awkward, hunched positions we're in for the hour or so it takes to shear one sheep leave both of us tired and sore, him more so than me. Those people that shear whole flocks of sheep in mere days must be a race of superhumans.
BUT ANYWAY.
We last sheared the sheep in late April, so it's been almost a year. A. decided not to do it in the fall again, as we normally would, but to wait until just before lambing. This way the ewes are cleaned up and everything is more, um, accessible for him if he needs to help them, and for the lambs when they're nursing. We're expecting the lambs at the beginning of April, so we figured right about now is a good time to shear, before the ewes get too pregnant and while it's still cold, so the ground is frozen and not muddy.
Because it's still cold, he didn't worry much about getting the wool very short. Last weekend, we sheared Bonnie the Sheep. (And I didn't tell you about it--I KNOW. How could I keep such a thing from you?) Yesterday it was her sister Coco's turn. These are the two Cotswold ewes. Their wool is very long and very hard to cut. It was particularly long this time, because it's been so long since the last shearing.
Even though I was supposed to be holding the sheep, I ran off to get the camera, leaving A. swearing and struggling with an agitated sheep that thought that since I had run off, she should get to run off, too. Whoops. But I got the photos. For you.
The bright blue tarp is our shearing platform. Professional.
And a close-up of the wool:
That bright white patch there is the bald spot that's been sheared so far.
Coco had a lot of good, clean wool on her. We ended up with a kitchen garbage bag stuffed full, which will be washed and eventually brought to the woolen mill to be carded and then spun into yarn for knitting.
We only did the one sheep yesterday, because there was another chore waiting. And that brings me to the teaser for tomorrow's post . . .
Tomorrow on Going Country: A roll in the hay with Kristin. Stay tuned!
How much yarn do you get from one sheep? Is it enough for this mill place to do just one bag? Or do you save up all the wool and bring in lots of bags? Do you get your fleece back or is it mixed with other fleece?
ReplyDeleteElectric clippers would be sooo much easier. Maybe a late Valentine's Day present to the hubster would be in order? Or is his birthday coming up? It sounds like he needs a little help taking the initiative on a foray into the modern world's conveniences. And when you're talking about such hard work, I'm not sure the word "convenience" applies. It's more of a "necessity" in some people's minds.
ReplyDeleteSo what do you do with all that wool. Do you sit by the fire spinning it into yarn all winter and knit lovely goodies for your family?
ReplyDeleteUmm...wow. I think it ma be time to embrace modern things like electricity.
ReplyDeleteAnd how much wool do you get? And what do you do with it. I'm very intrigued.
I third the notion - why no electric clippers? Good God, I wouldn't even shear my schnoodle by hand!
ReplyDeleteA roll in the hay with Kristin? Woo-hoo! I can't wait! I know, take a number.
ReplyDeleteAs a spinner I'm going to beg you to get electric clippers. You'll save your backs and the sheep won't be so annoyed. Not to mention the better fleece you'll get due to the lack of second cuts. Shearing is kind of like taking off a bandage from a hairy area. Quick and fast is better than long and lingering.
ReplyDeleteYou've heard of Rhinebeck, haven't you? :) (Just trying to help enable my spinning siblings on the East Coast)
But of course you had to get a picture!
ReplyDelete