From Sheep to Fleece – Shearing Day at Green Apple Alpacas
Are you curious about what happens on shearing day at a small local farm? Come with me to Green Apple Alpacas and find out!
As a fiber artist, I love to work with various animal fibers. I love to spin, knit, crochet, sew, and wear them. When I was lucky enough to be invited to shearing day at Green Apple Alpaca farm by my spinning guild friend, Kandi, (who happens to be the owner of this farm) I jumped at the invitation!
I have always had a (not so secret) dream to have my own fiber farm, so getting to see one in action was a chance I couldn’t pass up. Seeing the shearing process first hand was an added bonus.
Why Sheep Need to be Sheared
You might be wondering why sheep need to be sheared at all. Wouldn’t they be happier in their own cozy sweaters?
The truth is sheep need to be sheared to keep them healthy and happy. Most breeds of sheep no longer can shed their wool, so it will keep growing, and growing, and growing until it is cut. This overgrowth of wool can cause all kinds of problems, from not being able to see, to infestations of lice, maggots, or other unpleasant critters.
If you are curious about what happens to a sheep who avoids getting sheared for years, check out the story of Shrek the sheep. By the time he was shorn, he was more wool than sheep!
My Trip to the Farm
Green Apple Alpaca farm is about an hour from my house. It was a pleasant drive out to the property, and I made it in time for the shearing.
The first thing I saw when pulling into the driveway was a fenced pasture area with a small herd of alpaca and llamas. I parked next to this and a few animals immediately came over to say, “Hi!”
From the parking lot was a small path further onto the property that led to the farm store and the barn where Kandi and her husband were getting set up for the shearing.
We had a bit of time before getting started, so Kandi showed me around. We went into the farm store, and for me, the trip would have been worth it just to shop there!
There was yarn and fiber, and cute knick-knacks. Of course, I had to buy some wool from one of their Gotland sheep, Timmy, that I can’t wait to spin.
After that we took a look at the workshop where they hold different classes like wool felting and soap making. It’s a very versatile space that they utilize frequently.
Then we made our way over to the back of the barn where the shearing was about to start.
Shearing Sheep
First up to be sheared were Millie and CeCe, a mother and daughter pair of (mostly) Icelandic sheep. The shearer took one out of their pen and started the process of wrestling the sheep into the proper position to be able to shave off their excess wool.
This first step is not an easy task. Sheep are not small animals. It takes a lot of strength and care to position them into a sort of sitting position to begin shearing.
The sheep seemed a bit confused while they were being positioned, but not stressed. Everyone’s goal during shearing is to keep the animals and the people safe while performing the necessary task of removing their fleece. There were several extra people on standby, ready to assist if needed.
Once the sheep is properly secured, the clippers turn on and the real work begins. Shearing is a balancing act of trying to get precision cuts close to the skin to produce a nice fleece for yarn, as fast as possible, without causing injury to the shearer or the animal, all while wrestling a 150 pound sheep. This is no easy task!
After the shearing is complete, the sheep’s hooves are trimmed. It’s a full hair and nails spa day!
The shearing of both sheep took less than an hour, and when they were done, the sheep were back to prancing about, and a few pounds of fleece lighter. The fiber that came off of these ladies was so beautiful, and I can’t wait to see it spun up into yarn.
Shearing Alpacas
Getting a fleece off of an alpaca is a little bit of a different process than shearing sheep. Because of their size and temperament, alpacas are tied down to keep the animals and humans safe during the shearing.
It can look a bit scary to see an animal tied down like this. In fact, Kandi warned me before the shearing started, so I wouldn’t be surprised. But I am a mother of two small kiddos. I know that sometimes you have to briefly put them in an uncomfortable position for a short period of time to do something important for their well-being. It’s a lot like holding your child’s arms down so they can get medical treatment.
Like all creatures, individual alpacas have different personalities. Some are perfectly fine with the process, while others aren’t as trusting. Puff had no problem laying down for shearing and even took a little nap!
At the end of the day, the people who take care of fiber animals want the best for them, and everyone involved with the shearing process are working with the animal’s best interest at heart.
Once the shearing is over, it’s like looking at a different animal. Alpacas particularly look silly after they’ve been sheared, all bobble head and lanky legs!
Industrial vs. Small Farms
I know some people are uncomfortable with the entire idea of using animals for any sort of production. You may have even seen horrific photos or videos of animals who have been mistreated. If you fall into this category, I am not here to change your mind or your lifestyle, but I would encourage you to think of the difference between a small family farm like this one, and a more industrial farm.
At Green Apple Alpacas, each animal has a name and the owners know each one and their personalities. They are more like pets than livestock, and they are cared for and loved.
On an industrial scale farm, this is not likely to be the case. The animals are there for profit, and the bottom line is more important than the welfare of individual animals. This means corners can be cut and animals can be mistreated.
To me, this doesn’t mean I swear off animal fibers altogether (especially with the environmental impact of synthetic fibers). It makes me more conscientious of where I get my yarn and fiber from, and I try to buy my fibers from from small businesses and farms. There is something so magical about working with wool when you know the name of the sheep it came from!
I encourage every fiber artist to look into local farms to visit and support.
Go Visit Green Apple Alpacas!
If you find yourself near Auburn, WA, I highly recommend visiting Green Apple Alpacas! You can shop for fiber, yarn, or other farm goods. There are a variety of classes to sign up for if you want to learn something new. You can even rent a camping spot and stay onsite!
I am even more excited to work with this amazing fibers after getting a small glimpse into all the care it takes for them to be ready to be used.
If you want to learn more about using animal fibers, click here.
Is animal shearing what you expected? Let me know in the comments below!