Spring is time to take the winter coat off!

We recently had our woolie sheep sheared, a time the sheep and lambs celebrate when spring comes. They are ready to party when they are rid of their wool in time for warm weather. Border Leicester sheep can be sheared twice a year, which results in locks about 3 to 4 inches long, but we choose to shear only once, in the spring. The locks on our adult sheep are about 6 inches long in the parts of the fleece that are longest. Wool on legs, stomach, and chest are shorter.

The shearing process is done by a professional who shears sheep up and down the East coast. We have to schedule his visit months in advance, because he is so busy. The goal is to do one continuous cut, producing a single large fleece. The shearer is professional and kind to the sheep, which makes things much easier on the animals. The fleece average weight is about 7 to 8 pounds from our adult sheep, after the fleece has been skirted to remove hay, manure, and the wool from areas that cannot be used due to length.

We’re proud to show our fleece at various shows. Last year we had the champion white fleece at the Tennessee Valley Fair. We also had fleeces take 1st, 2nd, and 3rd in the long wool division at the Southeast Animal Fiber Fair in Asheville, North Carolina, along with the overall judges’ choice. We send some of our fleece to be processed into roving ready to spin. Please contact us if you would like to purchase a fleece or roving. We usually have a selection for sale.