Time to Shear Some Sheep

Sheep Shearer shearing Day at Foxfire Fiber

Our Monday looked like this. 

Dolce Shearing Day. Foxfire Fiber

and this . . .

Shorn sheep. shearing day. foxfire fiber

 as we tackle the spring rite of shearing sheep. When my flock was smaller than it is now, we couId accomplish shearing in one day. We now have too many sheep for that! So on Monday we started by shearing the biggest, wooliest sheep on the farm: the mighty rams and wethers. We had time before lunch so we de-fleeced 16 ewes as well. This group included our "grannies". This was Cocoa's 15th shearing!

Next Wednesday we'll shear our bred ewes.

And then on Saturday, April 7th, we'll host our Sheep Shares CSA members Shearing Day Open House. It looks like we have a good-sized group who have r.s.v.p.'d for the day but we could always use more hands. Heads up to all Sheep Shares 2012 members: it's not too late to join the fun. If you'd like to lend a hand, please email me. (Would you like to become a Sheep Shares 2012 member? Click here to learn more.).

After shearing, we'll all be heading up the hill to Davenport's Maple Farm for a pancake lunch. We'll be sure to post pics of the day.

 

Today's photos courtesy of Kat Parks, our new farm assistant!