Shearing

We sheared on February 15, 2001.  We found a great shearer, Jack Van Sickle.  He was wonderful with the sheep and sheared with very few second cuts.  This first year, the sheep were not coated in the year prior to shearing, requiring heavy skirting and picking.

Once you locate a good shearer, treat him/her very very well!!  Having coffee, sandwiches, and cookies on hand can't hurt either!  They are not the  easiest commodities to come by.  

Keep your sheep dry prior to shearing day and provide a clean, open area for the shearer to work.  Mr. Van Sickle has been working with sheep for years and, in addition to shearing, is a great source of knowledge.   

This first year, we were not prepared for how big each fleece was going to be.  The containers I had on hand were much too small and the fleeces were mounded up above the rims.  Large cardboard boxes work well.  You need something that is not airtight since there will be at least some body moisture and manure tags on the newly shorn fleece.  So, until you can skirt the fleece and dry it completely, stay away from plastic.  Plastic bags are used for storage when showing fleeces, but for my personal use, I still prefer the cardboard.

No fleeces were available for sale this year, but check our Fleeces page for updates and to get on the notification list