Tom Redpath sheared forty-two sheep at the farm last Wednesday.  This was the second shearing this year for the mature Border Leicesters and the first for their lambs.  We shear in the fall to capture the fleeces at their best.  The sheep have enjoyed the summer on clean pastures and have grown ample coats.  The length of the lamb fleeces is such that waiting for next spring would only result in matted, straw laced coats, not useful for anything but compost.  Spring shearing gets rid of lambing- damaged fleece and gives all the animals a fresh start for the summer.

The Blue Faced Leicesters have to be handled differently.  Their fleece does not grow nearly as quickly.  Experience will tell us how to schedule their shearing.  For this season, they are on a spring to spring timetable.

The first fleece from the crossing experiment was sheared.  The locks more resemble the Blue Faced than the Border Leicester but the fleece is heavier.  It is currently drying, and will be sent to Wellington Fibres for assessment.  Superficially, it looks wonderful but the test will be in how it spins.