Shearing

We were very fortunate to time our trip over the shearing weekend. Two men shear while one throws the fresh wool over the table, one grades the wool, and another skirts the wool (takes the dirty bits off the outside). The wool is sold to Italian woolen mills and probably ends up in mens suits. They work for 2 hour stretches, with a half hour smoke-o in the morning and afternoon (although nobody seems to smoke), and an hour for lunch.

Shearing the sheep


All this from one animal!


The animals are slid down the chute after they are done.


Mid-morning on the second of three days.