OK, so it went really, really well, but I was SO nervous beforehand! I am new in town, and don’t have any experience with shearing sheep, so I had a tough time figuring out how to get the girls shorn, before lambing, and when it’s not 14 degrees (or colder) outside. You know, in that teensy window during the winter to spring transition. Oh, and you can’t shear wet sheep. And they really shouldn’t get wet for a few days following being shorn. What’s so hard about that?
Luckily, when the veterinarian came out last week to check on the girls I asked him for a referral. I called Drew Mackey over the weekend, and to my surprise, the guy that shears 70+ animals per day, was able to come out on Monday, the third of three sunny days. Turns out I got him just at the beginning of his busy season. Drew sheared the girls in no time flat, even with all of us crowded around asking questions. He showed us his tools and explained what he was doing every step of the way.
Even with no power in our 1/4 sided barn, we managed. We keep our generator in the barn, and used it to power the lights and the clippers. We used our 2 sheep/goat panels (cut down into 6, 5/6-foot lengths), hooked together with zip ties, and created a chute and shearing area. I was pretty proud of our ingenuity and we didn’t lose a sheep! Overall, it was a great day to be a farmer!
Amazing photos and so neat you found someone in the nick of time. How do the sheep keep so still? Drugs?
No drugs! They are naturally calm when sitting on their rumps!
Wow! That’s impressive. Happy spinning!
Great post! What’s next for the fleeces?
Well.. We’re not exactly sure yet. I could sell the fleeces raw but the kids and I want to clean them up, spin them up, and make something fun out of them! I just bought my first spinning wheel from a dear friend and have surrounded myself with people who know what they’re doing… I think I’m on the right path. {OvO}
Well… I’m still trying to figure out if we should sell them raw, or start working with them and see what we can come up with. More $$ for value-added products, but what if I mess them up!??!? I will definitely keep you posted!