Happy Good Friday, everybody!
This year I found the number that I thought I had lost to the sheep shearer. I called him and at the time he was in another county on a shearing job. He said he'd call when he got back.
He called me this morning. Originally I was planning on having him come next week, when I wouldn't have the baby, but it turns out her mom had taken the day off and they were going to be spending the weekend in the Sacramento area. So I asked if he could come today and he said yes.
Daniel, the shearer, got here a little early and began setting up. I asked if he would mind me taking photos and he said "Not at all, just let me comb my hair first!" I like a guy with a sense of humor.
I was able to take a few photos and here they are. The rest of the time I was catching the next ewe and cleaning the shorn wool up. Normally I throw it out, but I asked if he wanted it (sometimes they do). Daniel said he'd give it to his boss who eventually brings it to a wool processing place.
This year I found the number that I thought I had lost to the sheep shearer. I called him and at the time he was in another county on a shearing job. He said he'd call when he got back.
He called me this morning. Originally I was planning on having him come next week, when I wouldn't have the baby, but it turns out her mom had taken the day off and they were going to be spending the weekend in the Sacramento area. So I asked if he could come today and he said yes.
Daniel, the shearer, got here a little early and began setting up. I asked if he would mind me taking photos and he said "Not at all, just let me comb my hair first!" I like a guy with a sense of humor.
I was able to take a few photos and here they are. The rest of the time I was catching the next ewe and cleaning the shorn wool up. Normally I throw it out, but I asked if he wanted it (sometimes they do). Daniel said he'd give it to his boss who eventually brings it to a wool processing place.
The pictures aren't in any particular order, except for the very last one, which shows all the shorn ewes and their babies enjoying a nibble on the grass weeds.
As a last word I'd like to say if there is anybody out there in need of a good shearer I can highly recommend Daniel. He's been shearing sheep (the huge flocks of 100's at a time) for 35 years. He's very reasonable and a really nice guy. E-mail me and I'll get you his number. I'm not sure how far he'll travel but you can always call and check (I'll bet the bigger the flock the further he'll go from our southern San Joaquin Valley, CA location).
4 comments:
Didn't you use to keep the wool? Or at least sell it? It looked so beautiful and white on the inside.
Watching Ladysmith's baby coming into this world was just amazing, how scary it must be to watch so helpless, I would have to put my helmet on and padding and go help!! Perhaps thats why I am a city girl!!
I hope my little girl finds LOTS of Easter Eggs on Sunday.
Love,
Patti
So sorry your comments bounced...I'll have to try to figure out why! Looks like you have a beautiful baby dexter and some very happy "nekkid" sheep! Thanks so much for not forgetting about me! I'm getting things cranking back somewhat, only slowly :)
:) Robbyn
Did the sheep just lay there quietly or did they fuss? They look so relaxed!
mt
Patti, I don't keep the wool anymore. It's too much trouble for me to keep it because it needs to be washed and carded and it really is dirty. Otherwise it can go to one of the larger processing plants and they do all that with big machines. Maybe one of these days I'll save one fleece and try to spin it again--it's been so long since I tried.
Robbyn, the calf really is a cutie! And the baby sheep are so cute this year too.
mt, the sheep do fuss a bit. The shearer knows how and where to put his legs as he's doing certain parts of the body to control them. Also the sheep usually don't struggle when they are set on their butts, kind of like a twitch on a horse. One or two of them did give a bit of a struggle as they lay on their sides but for the most part they just give in.
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