Shearing Sheep.... the ins and outs

Your's Truly - Two Years Ago
This is how I usually spend my birthday!

Ramon Packing Wool!

The Ewes Before They are Shorn

See Any Babies?

The Shearing Lane and Shearing 'Trailer'

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I neglected to take photos of our shearing operation yesterday! All the photos above are from 2 years ago... When it was sunny and gorgeous.. And, shearing landed on my birthday!



The shearing crew showed up Tuesday night (yep, birthday night - so no party) ... We've been waiting for the crew for 2 weeks but the rain keeps them away... and now that we are lambing, it's a real 'bummer' (sorry for the pun) because some of the ewes are having their babies in the lane, or right after they are shorn! Poor mommies!!!!

So, since we are short on hired hands, we kept the kids home to 'work' sheep. I'm sure the school just loves me right now... We are one of the few ranch families left with young kids at our rural school..Which to me, is sad...

Shearing is a 2-day job. We have 250 ewes.

The kids and my husband did not get home until 6:30 pm last night, and it took another hour before everyone settled in (change dirty clothes, collect eggs, etc). They worked a super long day (they come home for lunch but have to turn around and go back out)...

So, for their long day efforts I had a tasty dinner waiting, and snacks! OH.. and I did most of the chores (feed lambs, feed chickens, chicks and ducks)...

Isn't it amazing how food cures most aches and pains? Our meal was mashed potatoes, veggies slathered in garlic and butter (those baby cabbages that I can never remember their name!), and BBQ chicken drumsticks.. Chicken is a rarity on a beef and sheep place! Well, except for the 70 plus hens running around!!!!

So, today we were prepared for another day of shearing...

But... it rained last night, which means wet wool...

We aren't sure if we will shear or not... but we kept the kids home again. Either way, today will be better than yesterday! EVERYONE came home sore yesterday!

So, I'll drive the kids down to the headquarters in 15 minutes and we will see how it all goes...

I'll take photos this time, I promise!