Shearing Day

This weekend my parents, Jan and Spence, came all the way from NC to help shear the sheep and do a bit of yard work. Today Mom and I got five sheep sheared while Dad did a bunch of odd-jobs on the farm. I’m so fortunate to have parents willing to spend their “vacation” time getting their hands dirty on the farm. Their help is always appreciated, but even more so this year since Chris has been spending all his free time studying for his Boards and I’ve been trying not to distract him with farm work.

First Elizabeth’s twin wether lambs- Leonid and Larry.

Leonid

Larry

Larry

Then Kaylee’s lamb Logan – the first second generation lamb we’ve shorn (the other one, Liisu, will be shorn later).

Logan

We ended the day with the first two lambs born on our farm, now 2 years old, Kelly and Kaylee.

Kelly

Kaylee

I know it looks like we only sheared two sheep today- a white on and a brown one- but I promise there were five, just in matching sets!

In addition to having their wool shorn, everyone got an oral dose of dewormer, a vaccination injection and a hoof trimming.

I’m REALLY pleased with all the lamb fleeces but especially with Logan’s which was incredibly soft and crimpy. Since he is the first 2nd generation Square Peg Farm sheep we’ve shorn I’m really excited that his fleece is so nice. It is an indication that my breeding program is headed in the right direction. While he isn’t technically part of the breeding program (he is neutered) it gives me hope that next year we can breed his mother and her twin sister and – hopefully- end up with at least one ewe with a lovely fleece like his who can then continue to pass on those traits.

Tomorrow we hope to get the last three sheep on the farm shorn. That will still leave two members of the flock to be shorn, though, since Liisu and Leeloo are living at my parents’ farm in NC right now. They will be shorn next weekend along with my parents’ llamas.

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