Farmer Phils Big Winter Vacation.

For those who don’t know, we raise Icelandic sheep on our farm. The sheep were actually the first animals we got on the farm along with Mama the goat. Most sheep need to be sheared (get a hair cut) at least once a year. We shear twice, in the spring and in the fall, as the fleece quality is much better the more you cut it. It also makes lambing easier and the summer a little more bearable for the sheep.

 

Previously we have hired a professional shearer to come and do this for us. Not many people would look at the process and determine that it is easy. It takes a lot of strength, flexability and patience as you finagle a 175 lb. animal around with really sharp clippers that can cut both of you. All the while, they are attempting to get away not realizing the impending danger they are in. Despite this, I have been watching it for a number of years now and really wanted to learn how to do it myself. Enter my big vacation to the Cornell University shearing school this past weekend.

The shearing school was a two day course at the Cornell sheep farm in Dryden, NY. It teaches the basics of shearing while giving you a hands on experience handling all types of sheep. (No major injuries to report to student or sheep).  Shearing has been fine tuned over the centuries to a standardized pattern of cuts that are used across all breeds of sheep. The process we were being taught was perfected in New Zealand in the 50’s . It breaks down the shearing in simple, easy to follow steps, which as with most things, look great on paper.

 

 

He doesn't appear to be in pain or yelling expletives and that sheep is holding still - based on recent experiences, I am calling Shenanigans...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 After getting a few demonstrations, we began shearing. We would then get some more demonstration and shear some more sheep. It really was a hands on learning process because no sheep will react the same way and each step takes a few times to feel comfortable with. By the end of the day on Sunday I can claim that I sheared 11 sheep. I will probably be practicing on our lambs as a refresher for when we do the full flock. I'll try and go a little further into the process then.  As one instructor put it best “ sometimes whatever gets it done is the best method”and I think that sums it up. All in all a great class, where I got to meet some great people and learn something new-all the elements of a good trip in my book.

I did attempt to have a guest blogger tell the story of how our horse earned the name of Houdini while I was gone but she was still traumatized from the event, but I am sure we can get her to tell the tale soon.