Wooly Day

I think it was a perfect day for shearing - cool enough so nobody sweats and warm enough so the sheep can go outside and graze after having their coats lifted.  Darryl and Kim made the pilgrimage to the farm from Kingston, Ontario, to help out.  Loren Wildenstein, former student, was also on board.  Matt was newly returned from his week at the energy conference at the Hilton in Baltimore.  He fought the good fight for most of the day but had to retreat to his bed due to illness of some sort and did not come out until late at night. Big Jim Baldwin sheared 18 sheep and 16 goats.  Matt and Loren caught the animals, Darryl was the gate keeper, Jim sheared them and passed them off to Loren who held them while Maggie did hooves, shots and worming.  Kim was platform sweeper and fleece skirter.  You can't have too many hands at shearing time.  I was thrilled to get so much mohair and lovely Bluefaced Leicester and Bluefaced Leicester/Merino wool to play with, along with some very fine mohair.  All the goats got the new copper bolus pills given to me by Libby Llop.  Goats need copper but sheep do not, which presents some problems when feeding both species together.   My mohair should be greatly improved with the copper in their diet.  Jim turned on his shears at 9:30 and we worked until 3.  I confess that hanging upside down for several hours clipping hooves is a bit tough on the back, but I held up better than anticipated.  We had a short visit from my sheep friend, Mother Katharine, from the Holy Myrhhbearers Monastery in Otego.  She was in the neighborhood visiting Mindy Laymon's farm just over the hill.  I was happy to show her my farm and have her meet the flock.  She was especially interested in my Swedish Blue ducks.  She told me that her LGD, livestock guardian dog, is from the same place that my  Thor, Finn and Knut come from - Joseph Schmucker in Clyde, New York.  Good dogs!