July 8, 2012

Hack Job

We sheared sheep today.  It may seem a little late in the season, being that it's July 7th, but we've had a very cool and wet spring.  This weekend summer finally arrive and brought 90 F temperatures with it.  So the girls needed their wool remove.

Our sheep are bread for meat, not wool.  In fact their wool quality is pretty bad and there is nothing you can really do with it.  So we just use handheld shears and go to town.  The results are happy sheep that look pretty silly.  Here are some pictures.

Lilly before we started.  I love the tufts on her head and
her squishy, puffy cheeks.

Me with Lilly, half way done.  Her wool is so weird,
there are patches a color.

Lilly all done.  It's a hack job but she'll be much cooler.

Francis as Jeremy is just starting.  She has thick, thick
wool but the quality is better than Lilly's (easier to cut).

Francis all done.  She doesn't look too bad actually.

5 comments:

Roana Isenholt said...

Do you boil the wool for the lanolin, Mindy? I bet Francis in particular has a good bit in her wool since it's so thick. The lanolin makes an amazing lotion!

Mindy said...

We've never tried that. Do you have a good site/book for directions?

Roana Isenholt said...

The way I've heard to do it is to boil the fleece in a big pot of water and skim the yellow waxy stuff off the top as it floats to the top.

WikiHow offers a bit more information: http://www.wikihow.com/Extract-Lanolin-from-Sheep%27s-Wool

Mindy said...

Thanks! I'll have to try and Let you know how it works.

Roana Isenholt said...

Can't wait to hear how it goes!