Shearing Days At Grace Valley Farms

Shearing days at the farm went very well this year. Since the number of our sheep has increased, shearing occurred over two days.We ended up shearing 91 sheep over two days! The fleeces are beautiful this year and there are many exceptional lamb fleeces.  In general, the sheep have produced more wool and of higher quality!

We started by shearing the white sheep on day #1. 

Here are some of the white ewes waiting their turn.

Caramel being shorn.  Robert and Doug look on.

Pat and Christina worked on recoating the sheep after they were shorn. This is Fiesta getting a new coat. Each sheep will normally drop between 2-4 coat sizes after shearing. 

The sheep wardrobe!  Emily and Christina did a nice job keeping them organized.

Our shearer, Karsten Kramer, once again did a fabulous shearing job!

The Skirting Team takes a break to watch one of the girls get shorn.  Some of our helpers came from as far away as Arkansas for the event.

After each sheep was shorn, he/she went to the other part of the barn to munch on tasty hay.

Diana waits her turn to be shorn. 

On shearing day #2, we sheared the colored sheep. There were almost 60 of them.

We had numerous, large colored ewes to shear!   

Mark and Ben worked hard to uncoat each sheep and guide them into the chute.

Fawn being shorn.  Eager hands stand by to help her up / get her new coat on and gather up the fleece to take it to the Skirting Team.

Robert tried on a stylish wool toupee. 

 

During one lunch break, our friend, Judy, showed the group her hand-knit sweater made from Dixie's fleece.  The sweater is beautiful and soft.  Lisa also demonstrated numerous handsome products made from Grace Valley Farms wool.

We enjoyed good food and fellowship during the "breaks in the action". 

One evening we celebrated Doug's birthday.

A big "thank you" to all our friends and farm workers who came from near and far to help us. We all worked together like a team and the process went smoothly. It is such a joy to have friends who take as good of care of our sheep as they would if they owned our flock.  Our customers will appreciate the fruits of their labor.

Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks, and look well to thy herds. The lambs are for thy clothing, and the goats are the price of the field. (Proverbs 27: 23,26)