Shearing!!

The sheep got sheared about a week and a half ago, only I didn't get pictures of the actual shearing this time.  I mean, you've seen one shearing, you've seen them all...right?  But here are some pics of the naked sheep.  

Below are Darla and Dixie.  They're my purebred Southdown girls and a little thin after raising their lambs.  

The black faced ewe below is Barley, and the one behind her is Dixie.  Dixie doesn't look too bad for being a yearling and raising a lamb.  I'm hoping she'll fill out well this summer now that her lamb is weaned.

Here's a picture of Barley, one of my Romney/Southdown ewes (Darla's 3 yo daughter).  I think she looks pretty good after weaning her 2 lambs.   

And here is Bean, Barley's twin sister.  She looks great, to me.  She's in great condition, and that's after carrying triplets and raising twins.  She's a keeper for sure.  These Romney cross girls are easier keepers than the Southdowns.  

Here's a fleece being skirted.  Skirting is when all of the poor quality wool is removed, either because it's too dirty, or too short.  

I got brave and split up half of Barley's fleece and washed it the other day.  I put it in the tub and soaked it.  It was very dirty, and the water from the first soak/rinse was like chocolate milk.  

I think this was the third and final rinse.  

Then I put it out on the deck to dry.  I laid it flat for a little while, to get most of the water out.  

Then I put it in this wire basket off the wood so it could dry further.  Tucker found it pretty quickly and loved his new bed.

Now it's dry and waiting to be used!  I'm going to re-learn how to spin it on my drop spindle and hopefully make something with it!