Out Shearing

Well, its been a while since I last posted, and the reason is... there is still a lot of fiber that needs to come off! I just returned from doing a bit of a work tour in the areas not to far from Stockton, CA. day before yesterday. I got to meet some fascinating people along the way, try some new foods, and shear some different types of critters this go around! The first place I got to was a wonderful family up in the hill country, with a large flock of Angora goats(around 200). If you don't know what Angoras are, than you are really missing out! They are the beautiful little goats that produce the fiber called Mohair. Angoras are shorn 2x per year, and produce about a 6in. staple in that short time frame! Shearing goats is interesting to say the least, but a very enjoyable experience! Here are some pictures of the bucks, and a little shorn wether.

 

The rest of the stops where sheep, one small flock of close to twenty including hoof trims, and drenching, a flock of 60, and an even smaller flock of one. The last stop was a bit more of a challenge... 100 head, over 80 of which where double fleeced. A double fleece is a fleece that is two years growth. The owner hadn't been able to find a shearer the previous year, and was quite happy when I gave him a call. Have you ever wondered what a sheep with two years of wool looks like? Well, quite frankly...Huge!

They are now much smaller, lighter, and happier! By the way, the sheep in the photo above is absolutely fine! I just couldn't resist laying her directly on her back for a photo... with all that wool she wasn't going anywhere.While I was at it I went ahead and purchased two ewes from the same flock. One bred black yearling, now named BB, and one white lamb that was probably born sometime around December, that I have named Ella! Both have beautiful wool, and BB's fleece is already sold for this year. If anyone is interested in next years, it will be coated, and georgeous. This year it was a rich black, faded to chocolaty brown on the tips, with the back being a pleasant shade of dark grey. It has a nice hand, and resembles black rambouillet. These photos just don't do justice, but they do somewhat show the nice crimp/ lock structure on this sample. The coloration is darker than portrayed in the photo.

Tomorro I'll try to get the garden updates up!