Shearing day at Hedgerow Willows!
Today was all about getting the flock shorn, and I was reminded once again just how valuable professional sheep shearers are, especially for those of us raising fiber flocks.
A huge thank you to Pony of Sugar Field Farm for bringing professional shearing skills to the farm! Good shearers are worth their weight in gold. They work efficiently, handle sheep with skill, and help make shearing day safer and smoother for both the sheep and the shepherd.
When you're raising sheep for their wool, shearing is about so much more than getting a fleece off. It's an important part of herd health. Shearing gives us a chance to assess body condition, inspect skin, identify potential health concerns, and make sure our sheep are comfortable. For fiber flocks, skilled shearing also helps preserve fleece quality and minimize second cuts, giving us the best possible starting point for beautiful wool and yarn.
And speaking of shearing skills, Kaisha is working to fund her way to shearing school in April 2027! This is about bringing another valuable skill to the farmstead, expanding what Hedgerow Willows can offer, and becoming better equipped to care for our own flock and potentially help shepherds along the way.
Kaisha Shearing at Buckland Farms in Selah, Wa.
Professional shearers are essential, and I have so much respect for the skill, strength, and experience this work requires. My goal isn't to replace that expertise, but to learn from it, build my own skills, and bring another piece of the farm-to-fiber puzzle home.
If you'd like to help me reach shearing school, you can support the journey here or purchase some of our amazing flock products! Every contribution brings me closer to learning this important trade.
Sheep farming takes a village, and I'm grateful for the people who help us care for our flock and the fiber they grow.
Every fleece tells a story. I’m full of grateful for every person who becomes a part of it!
