Shady Oaks Sheep Sheering

11:30am-1:30pm (2hrs)

I asked if I could come out to visit th11:30-1:30 (2hrs)11:30-1:30 (2hrs)11:30-1:30 (2hrs)e farm, and the next thing I knew, I was heading out to Shady Oaks farm to help with the sheep sheering. Other shepherdesses and neighbor women came out for the event, as well as one hired sheep sheering man from New Zealand. The group was spending the day going from farm to farm to get all the sheep sheered. When I arrived, the farm was busy preparing. The sheerer set up lights, a platform, the special sheers on a stand, and a swing to lean over while sheering. I helped the owner of the farm heard all the sheep into a small pen while other women prepared a mesh table and bags for the fleeces. The sheering began with a sheep that was being kept separate from the others as she was sick and rather pregnant. The women tried using a harness with the intention of being as stress free as possible, but in the end simply put their hands on her neck and gently lead her out. I swept the sheering platform (a piece of plywood), and the sheerer took control of the ewe. Using his legs, he held and turned the animal while sheering, starting with the belly and legs and working his way around the body. The first bit of fleece from the belly and legs, I swept away and threw in the garbage. Once the sheering was complete, the animal was lead back to her pen, getting hooves trimmed and antibiotics applied before being returned. On a clip board, her name was checked off, along with notes made about how many babies it looks like she was carrying and her due date. Meanwhile, the other women came in and carefully rolled up the fleece, took it to the mesh table to spread out and pick out the worst bits, then rolled again and put in a plastic bag with the name of the sheep. I quickly swept up the area as the next sheep was handed over to be sheered. The naked sheep seemed happy to be released into a bigger pen, free of their bulky coats. I was particularly amazed by how calm (most of) the sheep were throughout the whole process and how one man was able to control and hold them while sheering.