Shearing Day

With holiday and family gatherings just around the corner, many people have been preparing with a visit to the cosmetologist. Jeff waited for his own haircut for an hour and a half on Friday.

Our sheep also have been getting ready for the holidays. Yesterday was our annual Shearing Day.

While I have shorn our sheep in the past, this year, we decided to hire a shearer to make things easier. And it was the perfect day for shearing: sunny and warm. The shearer brought a Bluetooth speaker and played the music of Red Clay Strays, Corb Lund, and other similar artists.

I staged the sheep so a ewe or ram was constantly ready for shearing, and Jeff gathered the wool as it came off the animal and packed it into individual bags, keeping the fleece clean.

We had great conversations, too. I asked him about a statement I’d heard at the Indiana Shearing School one year about a sheep’s skin thickness doubling in 15 minutes after shearing.

“I don’t know about 15 minutes,” he said, “but out in Montana, we sheared outside when it was 0 degrees, and they said the sheep’s skin doubles in 24 hours and triples in 48. Then, the wool that’s left interlocks and creates even more warmth for the sheep.”

At the end of the shearing, everyone returned to their own pens. They looked like they were feeling lighter after having several pounds of wool removed, and they dug right into the hay I threw into the paddocks.

Now, everyone is ready for the holidays!

Thanks for Reading!

And I hope you feel refreshed and rejuvenated for the week ahead with this moment preserved in picture and prose. Consider:

• What’s an annual event that you look forward to?

Share your answer and this newsletter with someone who also enjoys this event.

If Sylvan Sundays was forwarded to you, welcome! To learn more about our farmers, check out “A New Year’s Introduction,” and to learn more about our name, visit “Being Sylvan.” Also, make sure to check out “This Week on the Farm” and “Farm Shop” below!

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This Week on the Farm

Winter brings some of the most beautiful sunsets. Last night, the western sky glowed deep pink and blue. A few days earlier, I fed sheep under rose-colored clouds.

Farm Shop

Over the next few days, I’ll be sorting and taking photos of our Shetland and Shropshire fleeces. We have several colors available, including black, brown, gray, and white. Respond to this email or reach out via Facebook or Instagram if you’d like to reserve a fleece!