Upon discovering we have a flock people always ask about shearing sheep and how we do it.
First off, we're happy to pay a crew of experts to do the actual shearing for us. Shearing sheep is tough, back aching labour and doing our whole flock ourselves is not something we relish.
The evening before shearing day, or earlier if rain is imminent, the entire flock is brought into the shearing shed to ensure they stay dry overnight.
On the day of, the shearing crew arrive and set up their gear; hanging their machines, oiling their clippers, and establishing their individual working space. The shearers race (alleyway through which the sheep will move) is set up to join our existing race.
One person with a stock dog will move the sheep from the crowd pen and keep them filing down the race so there is always an animal available for the shearer. This saves the shearer the extra work of having to get his own sheep.
At the shearers end of the race is a section of panels with flip doors and hopefully, sheep standing at the ready. The shearer takes hold of the animal and tips it out of the race at the flip door. Once the animal is securely positioned the shearer clips the wool from the belly and hind end (crutch) area of the sheep first. These bits of wool are called tags and are tossed aside and collected in laundry baskets so they may be kept separate from the body fleece.
Next the shearer expertly clips the fleece from the animal as only a good shearer can do. The body fleece should come off in a uniform, one piece fashion.
When the shearer is finished the animal is released and runs off toward an exit area, feeling no worse for wear but no doubt a little lighter on the feet.
Helpers will collect the body fleece by scooping the side edges in and rolling the wool clip into a loose ball. This ball of fleece is carried to the mechanical wool packer which is being run by another individual. The mechanical wool packer is a long cylindrical unit with a sliding arm and plate which pushes the rolled fleece into a canvas sack set in the cylinder part.
Alternatively, when the fleece is collected off the shearing floor one could set up a screen table and toss the fleeces onto it so they lay spread out. This would allow one to skirt the fleece (remove any unwanted or damaged portions). This requires extra helpers in order to keep up to the shearers. Those producing spinning quality wool will take this extra step to clean their fleece before processing.
When the canvas bag is full of fleeces the bag is hand sewn shut and removed from the packer. A full canvas bag resembles a giant sausage and weighs about 220-250 pounds depending on who's packing! The packing unit is then reloaded with a fresh canvas bag. Meanwhile extra helpers are busy keeping up with collecting the fleeces and ensuring the shearing floor is swept clean of wool bits and tags.
When shearing sheep is all said and done the crew packs up and enjoys a home cooked meal before driving off to their next location. Back at the shearing shed the now naked flock eagerly awaits a chance to eat.
After shearing sheep it is up to the producer to do what he wishes with his wool.
We keep our tags and bellies pieces and use these as mulch around hedges in the yard. Our bags of fleeces will remain stored until collection day where a group of producers will haul their wool to a collection point and load a semi trailer.
The wool will travel east to Ontario where it graded by authorities at the Canadian Cooperative Wool Growers Association. The producer is paid according to the grade of the wool.
For more information on sheep wool, processing and grading click here.
Next the shearer expertly clips the fleece from the animal as only a good shearer can do. The body fleece should come off in a uniform, one piece fashion.
After shearing sheep it is up to the producer to do what he wishes with his wool. 
