Thursday, May 19, 2011

Shearing sheep

My in-laws have 5 Jacob's (spotted with 4 horns) Sheep which they have sheared for the wool. They have a friend who took the wool and is going to use it to spin into yarn and make hats and other clothing. Eventually my MIL wants to do this, but doesn't have her spinning wheel set up yet.
Backing the trailer to the barn where the sheep shearing takes place. This was at another farm where they raise some other breed of sheep. We took 5 sheep, but one is a lamb and wasn't sheared.
It's amazing to me how this guy could just grab the sheep and flop them over to start the shaving process.Apparently sheep don't fight too much when they are sitting on their bums.

You can really see all their spots once the big shaggy wool is gone. Tim said he could feel the greasy lanolin on his legs as he held each of them before and after shearing.This guy could shear a whole sheep in about 4-5 minutes. It was very amazing! I watched him shear several other sheep before he got to the 4 we had brought. Doesn't it look like he'd have a terrible back ache after bending over for so long? The shearer raises his own sheep too.

7 comments:

Teri said...

What a fascinating process. I never saw spotted sheep before.

Aunt Krissy said...

Were there lots of ticks in the wool?

crochet lady said...

I don't think I would like that job. I'd be afraid of cutting the lamb, but I suppose you get used to it.

Lynn Cohen said...

It is quite awesome to behold...and I am visualizing all the pretties coming from it into clothing.

Lisa at Greenbow said...

I have seen sheep that don't cooperate so good. This is a good bunch of sheep. I think whoever does this is amazing. What a talent.

Kellie said...

Wow! That would kill my back! Interesing that they just sit there and get shaved.

A Lady's Life said...

This is so much fun Spinning wheels are so expensive.
I sure would like to spin my own thread like that