Sheep Shearing Adventure

This last weekend Deyton, Farmer Ross and I went to  the Bless Ewe Sheep Company farm to learn all about shearing sheep. This was my second time watching the sheep get hair cuts and Ross and Deytons first. Last year Belinda and I went for our first ever sheep shearing adventure and we had a great time meeting Stewie the famous lamb and learning all about sheep and their fleece.  Sheep shearing day is the equivalent of harvest day for farmers. It is the culmination of all the hard work they put in throughout the year and because the fleece is sold, it is also pay day! Despite the very rainy and windy weather, everyone was in great spirits and ready to lend a hand when needed.

The shearing took place in the Small Blessings Farm‘s old white barn which is one of my most favorite barns in the area. The shearer was a man named Pierre, a modern day shepherd, who shears sheep professionally and runs a herd of his own sheep in Concrete, Washington. He is amazing to watch as he isn’t a very big guy, yet he easily moves the sheep and works quickly to ensure the best experience for the animals.

We learned a lot about the process of shearing sheep and how to properly care for the fleece. The shearing is typically done twice a year, six months apart. Most of these sheep were pregnant and due to lamb very soon. Shearing before lambing helps keep the lambing process as clean as possible. We also give our goats a kidding clip right before they are due to kid so that kidding and milking is cleaner. It’s a before baby mama makeover farm style! Below are pictures from our adventure.  Belinda and I have signed up for a barn duty shift during the lambing season so next we will learn all about lambing and there will undoubtedly be  lots of adorable lamb pictures to share so make sure you are following us!