It's a process..

Over the last 4 years, I have really come to appreciate what all goes into caring for sheep and harvesting their product. (isn't wool amazing?)

My goal is to offer exceptional raw fleeces. The first couple of years, the challenge was vm and cleaning the pastures. Oh, and shearing.. yes, that was a big challenge. (not only for the first year..lol) Even though we've continued to expand the pastures, the vm this year was not a big issue. The shearing was much easier this year - teetering on the "i enjoyed it" stage.

I feel better about getting the fleece off with minimum stress on the sheep and myself. Still need a little improving on the second cuts, but that's getting better with practice. We had some really nice fleeces this fall, and a couple of fleeces that seemed to have lived in the holler'. I can't quite figure how one sheep can get matted and filthy while the sheep that lays next to them stays as clean as a show sheep! I had one fleece (from our moorit ewe Sierra) that her belly wool looked and felt like the wool off of a lambs back - I didn't separate her belly wool because it was just too soft and beautiful to toss aside.

But this next picture is the delima for some of our fleeces this year - gummy tips. I've only noticed it on a couple of the fleeces, and I'm looking for advice if anyone has some "gum free tips" for me! I sheared the ewes after they lambed this year and as their fleeces started growing, I noticed these gummy tips. I am thinking that maybe i sheared too early? Possibly before their seasonal wool-break? (however, it didn't seem to early to be shearing.. May?)

So.. I spent a few hours picking the tips off of Alice's fleece.. and by the time I did that, I was invested! I was looking forward to washing and carding and spinning her fleece myself... I still have a lot of wool to skirt, and I'm hoping that i don't get attached to all of them!

A few naked ladies...

No doubt, if this post comes up as a result of an on-line search for 'naked ladies' the viewer will be somewhat disappointed.



I had been asked what Lambie looks like without her wool, so here she is. She thought this angle made her look a little pudgy,



so we tried for a better angle--



Much better Lambie. I noticed she wasn't as quick to pose without her wool.. and her stance was much different. I'm thinking she's still a little self conscious about the new look. ?





And this is Carlie.. a drastic change from "the mushroom sheep" !

and pretty Josie. I tried to get more pics, but these were the only ones that weren't being harassed by the ram yesterday.. the others were on the run. Not exactly a day to write on the calendar yet, but maybe in a few days we'll have lambing dates to look forward to.

Wool Drying

In anticipation of getting a drum carder soon, I have been washing a lot of wool!

This particular little bundle of wool is from "lambie" who was hand shorn with the old fashioned blades last month. (as I sat on the ground or on a bucket next to her.. next April.. shearing school!)

I enjoy hand shearing, and it seems that the sheep sort of enjoy the special attention as well, but hopefully next year i'll be able to set them on their rumps and shear a little faster! Considering it took 2 days to shear all of Lambie, it wouldn't be hard to break that record! (there is still a ewe running around out there 2/3's sheared.. )

Not more fleece pictures...

Yes. it is. Sorry, I'm starting to become a fiber junkie.


Her wool is more cream colored - but this picture looks like it's bright white.. must have been the way the sun was shining.

So the shearing has begun... Has anyone seen Lambie? There's not much left of her after all this came off! (I'd show a picture of her if I had only finished shearing her - lol) Being 7-1/2 months pregnant, (at least that's the excuse i'll use) I couldn't reach her back side and didn't get under her belly! (oh what will we do?) Anyways, it's the wrong way to go about shearing... I'll finish shearing her tomorrow. hey- don't most people shear in 3 minutes or something? (youtube -search 'speed shearing' .. seems like the record is 18 or 28 seconds! It's amazing and a 'must see for slow do-it-yourself shearers like myself)

a lambie lock. I'll try to get a post together this week on spinning icelandic from the lock. (thanks Deb for the suggestion!)

Hope everyone is having a great week!