Shearing, shearing again, and a little less chaos
Shearing began in April with a quick test to see how the Icelandics fleeces came off. Olafur's came off really well and made a beautiful rug, another came off in bits! Planning to get the boys sheared twice a year if Proper Shepherd has time to dust off his shears. Their fleeces have already grown so much since they were done a few months. And if it's terribly cold I'll give them back their fleeces in the form of a rug!
I love the whole process of shearing. Not that I help in any way! You feel like spare part at the beginning whilst PS sets up his kit and most importantly chooses the playlist! Seeing all of the sheep with their colourful fleeces, tucked up next to each other waiting patiently in the pen to be picked out for their trim up. He chooses one, pops it out of the gate into position, the buzz of the shears begins and the sheep sink into a zen-like trance (most of the time!). It's over in about a minute at which point the sheep does a slightly slippery tap dance and wanders off to join the rest of the naked flock.
Louisa came and took some really lovely photos and then we got the giggles.
I took some time off work to get some rugs made up. It didn't go quite to plan as the fleeces I'd bought in took weeks to arrive, but they're here now and will be on the bench soon. I had my lovely friend Ella join me for a pegloom tutorial which mostly involved Ella and me trying to stop the dogs and HP getting tangled up in wool and a brief interlude for feeding. I'd love to teach people how to make the things I make more often, it's a super chilled process where you can just switch off and drink tea! Must make more time for this!
Ella & HP
During that week I did a day rolling fleeces on a farm near Westbury with PS and another shearer called Matt. Shit it was hot! My legs didn't work the following day and I was knackered but loved it. 200 fleeces rolled and stuffed in bags. Legs brown with lanolin and muck. Huge respect to the guys and girls who do this day in, day out. There's something infinitely satisfying about being physically tired compared to being mentally drained which is sometimes how I feel when I've been in the office!
Actually left Wiltshire (!) the other day to take Mum to the Gillingham & Shaftesbury Show. Masses of smart looking sheep and this beautiful trio. Heaven.
Gillingham & Shaftesbury Show
Before the heatwave Ted was underway with training. Apparently he has potential, unlike me and my sheep! When Collie Boss works him on his own sheep he looks like a pro but on mine he splits them in two or sticks them to the fence line and I can't get them off it. I so want to work him, I've never done this before (can ya tell?!), but watching him work makes my heart melt a bit!
My step-dad decided to give Ted some commands whilst we were eating in the garden one evening. Ted took this to mean he had to go to work. Next thing I noticed was a black and white 'sheep' rounding up not my bloody sheep but my neighbours. My heart was in my mouth which probably stifled the swearing a bit! Scout then jumped the fence because she thought she was missing out, not anymore ideal than having one of them in the field! Mum and step-dad seemed quite impressed but definitely not our finest hour. Step-dad now banned from coming for supper ever again!
Not my sheep!
We got back to it this week and he did well apart from wasting a lot of time getting him back on the lead when it's time to come home. I get nervous and feel like a complete idiot in front of Collie Boss which I need to get over! Tomorrow the sheep will be split up into fibre and non-fibre and Ted can have the non-fibre to work with. Advice from the Collie Boss says less sheep will help so fingers crossed we'll get off the fence and make it somewhere near the middle of the field by the end of the week!
The fleeces are piling up which is exactly what I wanted so I have enough stock for the winter. Shelving is on order so by mid-Autumn there may be some sort of order instead of what looks like a wool bomb has gone off in the shed.
Fingers crossed for some rain soon too...
