Shearing for fiber and well-being
I started shearing in 2009. It is a challenging sport that requires you to be skilled with shears and sheep. What intrigues me most about shearing is learning to read sheep and developing a relationship with them. Working with sheep has taught me a lot about non verbal communication. They seem to read my anxieties pretty easily, and I'm learning to pick up on their stress as well. Every aspect of shearing can be frustrating, but it can also be awesome. I feel shearing works my body and my patience in a way that will make me a stronger person, and maybe even one that is more capable of dealing with adversity! Who knows?
For the most part, I shear sheep and goats for people who want their fiber. Wool and mohair - in this region especially - are used by artisans to make high quality, hand-made products. Sometimes the artisans are the farmers, other times the farmers sell whole, unwashed fleeces at fiber festivals to artisans who will then process and craft with the fiber themselves. I will admit, I have sheared in exchange for the fleece before. I just loved the color and texture of the wool and the temperament of the sheep. I brought the fleece home, washed it, carded it and spun it into yarn. I think I made at least three hats out of it and had extra to blend with some llama fiber. Other farms hire me to shear their sheep or goats simply to clean them up. This wool might not be as high quality as the wool sought by handspinners, but still has value. these farmers might sell their wool to a processor or at a wool pool. The general rule is that a sheep or goat (mainly just angora goats) are sheared at least once a year. This is typically done in the spring when their fleeces have kept them warm through the winter and should be shed before the weather gets hot and humid. Full fleeces through a summer can be uncomfortable and even life-threatening for the animals because they can become fantastic homes for lice or maggots.
EQUIPMENT: In the pictures above, I'm using a small, hand held shearing machine. I use this for smaller flocks, which is generally 10 or fewer sheep or goats. For larger jobs, I use a larger machine that has a motor I hang from a beam or post at about 7 or 8 feet high. From the motor, I attach a flexible shaft arm and hand-piece. The arm holds some of the weight of the hand-piece and allows for me to shear with less arm fatigue than the hand-held machine. Besides my machine, I bring hoof trimmers and a shearing board, though a lot of farms provide their own board because it reduces the amount of contaminants I may pick up from other farms and bring to their farm. I use clean combs and cutters at each job and disinfect my hoof trimmers.
AVAILABILITY: I have a growing client base in Vermont and New York and am always looking for new jobs. I try to group jobs in the same area together, so contacting me early as possible is helpful. I shear sheep and goats.
Contact me directly with shearing inquiries.
[email protected], (802) 338-2250
Photo © 2019 Meg Juenker
For the most part, I shear sheep and goats for people who want their fiber. Wool and mohair - in this region especially - are used by artisans to make high quality, hand-made products. Sometimes the artisans are the farmers, other times the farmers sell whole, unwashed fleeces at fiber festivals to artisans who will then process and craft with the fiber themselves. I will admit, I have sheared in exchange for the fleece before. I just loved the color and texture of the wool and the temperament of the sheep. I brought the fleece home, washed it, carded it and spun it into yarn. I think I made at least three hats out of it and had extra to blend with some llama fiber. Other farms hire me to shear their sheep or goats simply to clean them up. This wool might not be as high quality as the wool sought by handspinners, but still has value. these farmers might sell their wool to a processor or at a wool pool. The general rule is that a sheep or goat (mainly just angora goats) are sheared at least once a year. This is typically done in the spring when their fleeces have kept them warm through the winter and should be shed before the weather gets hot and humid. Full fleeces through a summer can be uncomfortable and even life-threatening for the animals because they can become fantastic homes for lice or maggots.
EQUIPMENT: In the pictures above, I'm using a small, hand held shearing machine. I use this for smaller flocks, which is generally 10 or fewer sheep or goats. For larger jobs, I use a larger machine that has a motor I hang from a beam or post at about 7 or 8 feet high. From the motor, I attach a flexible shaft arm and hand-piece. The arm holds some of the weight of the hand-piece and allows for me to shear with less arm fatigue than the hand-held machine. Besides my machine, I bring hoof trimmers and a shearing board, though a lot of farms provide their own board because it reduces the amount of contaminants I may pick up from other farms and bring to their farm. I use clean combs and cutters at each job and disinfect my hoof trimmers.
AVAILABILITY: I have a growing client base in Vermont and New York and am always looking for new jobs. I try to group jobs in the same area together, so contacting me early as possible is helpful. I shear sheep and goats.
Contact me directly with shearing inquiries.
[email protected], (802) 338-2250
Photo © 2019 Meg Juenker
