These days, the sheep industry is experiencing a scarcity of slaughterhouses and trained shearers, as any experienced shepherd can tell you. So it’s rare, and wonderful, to find a woman like Mary Lake who had the interest and tenacity to learn both trades and make them into her twin careers. Join us for a look
Articles with the Tag shearing
Shearing Day 2018: tips for a good fleece harvest
If you keep sheep or other fiber animals, shearing day is a big deal, even on a small farm like ours. In the video I share a few tips for preparing for this important event. Prepare your shearing area by sweeping up, and make sure your shearer has enough room to work, a well-lit space,
Shearing Day 101: Preparation Makes Things Easier
Shearing Day is an exciting and busy event on the farm. We get to harvest beautiful fiber, and it is an ideal time to check each animal closely and administer health treatments such as vaccines and hoof trimming. This is an also opportunity to take photos for the breed registry and for our own records.
Spring Shearing 2010: Shearing the Pregnant Ewes
With lambing around the corner, its time for spring shearing and we had our shearer out last weekend. Spring is the most common time to shear, for several reasons. The sheep are less likely to suffer from overheating in summer, and for pregnant ewes its convenient to shear them before birth to keep the fleece