Newspaper Page Text
SWf, AY. APRIL 22,2012
Communityljving
gants with the Forsyth County Extension Office
We a report each Sunday for "Community Living "
' or ^o™ information, call them at (770) 887-2418
of
A young man catches
the ewe's horn and pulls
her from the holding pen
Her lamb cries and she
digs her feet into the dirt,
bleating. But the little
black-and-white Jacob
Sheep is no match for the
man He compels her
onto the plywinxi plat¬
form, into the hands of
Randy Penson, the shear
er
Spring ts that magical
time of year w hen robins
attack w indow s, opos¬
sums die in the road, and
pets shed clumps of fur.
For fiber animal produe
ers, spring is shearing
time.
Fiber animals include
sheep, alpacas, llamas,
goals and rabbits. These
animals grow fleece w ith
long fiber staples suitable
for spinning into yarn.
Except for rabbits, the
animals don’t shed to
keep cool. Their wool or
fleece must be removed
by a mechanical process
shearing.
Camelids, cashmere
producing goats and most
breeds of sheep are
sheared annually. Angora
goats and long-wool
sheep breeds, such as
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Cotswold and Lincoln,
are sheared twice per
year. Angora rabbits are
“plucked."
"You actually run your
hand over the rabbit and
loose fur comes out," said
Cathy Dobson, co-owner
of Lazy D Farm. "If you
don’t get it off them, they
can develop wool block,
like cats.” Unlike cats,
however, rabbits don’t
vomit lui out; it must
pass through the digestive
tract, where it can get
stuck
As Dobson talks w ith
visitors to the farm’s
annual Sheep to Shaw l
Festival, Jake, an angora
rabbit, flops across her
lap Dobson detaches a
tuft of fur from Jake and
adds it to the yam she's
spinning.
Meanwhile. Penson
gently rolls the ewe back
She reclines against his
legs like he's a
Barealoungcr. Penson
activates the shears and
leans over, carefully
maneuvering around her
lull udder to remove belly
wool. As the shears reveal
her flanks and back, the
sheep melts lower onto
the platform. By the time
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HEATHER KOLICH
Columnist
If you go
• What: Thunder
River Alpaca
Shearing Festival
• When: 10 a.m.-3
p.m., Saturday and
Sunday, May 5-6
• Where: 7830
Thunder River Way
in Cumming
• Cost: Free
• For more Info:
(717) 994-4055 or
http://thunderriveral
pacas.com
the fleece rolls away front
her body, she’s curled at
Penson s feet, ready to
snooze.
"I use the Australian
method for the comfort of
the sheep," Penson said.
He's been shearing pro¬
fessionally since 1995
and travels to several
Southern states during
shearing season.
"I’m not fast. I don’t
want to cut any sheep."
Nicks happen, though, to
sheep and shearer if the
animal Marts or wiggles.
Penson's hands and arms
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to Punjab
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to Ctei»e or
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Photos by Heather Kolich tor the Forsyth County Nows
Ready for shearing, a Jacob Sheep ewe lounges against shearer Randy
Penson's legs. After Penson finishes, the ewe rests at his feet, below.
sport numerous scars.
Shearing is necessary
to keep fiber animals
healthy and cool during
summer, and it’s no more
painful than a haircut.
Removing the entire
fleece in one close cut
requires expertise.
"If you want a smooth
yarn, you don’t want a
second cut," Dobson
explained. "You’ll get
lumps or slugs when
you’re spinning." Shorter
fibers also create weak¬
ness in yarn, making it
prone to breakage.
Alpacas are less coop¬
erative than sheep. Since
it’s hard to shear a mov¬
ing target safely, alpacas
are restrained. This pre¬
caution prevents nicks
and kicks. While the ani¬
mal is tethered, owners
can perform other neces¬
sary health (asks, like
trimming toenails and
filing teeth, which keep
growing throughout the
animal’s life Alpacas
hum to each other for
comfort and support dur¬
ing the process. Once
released, they prance
away for a luxurious roll
in the grass. Particularly
disgruntled subjects may
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farsythnews.com | FORSYTH COUNTY
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stalk back, working
frothy, grass-green foam
into spitballs to hurl at
anything with thumbs.
If you’d like to experi¬
ence shearing fun. Rose
Moffett and Dennis
Watts of Thunder River
Alpacas will hold an
ISC
Alpaca Shearing Festival
and Mini-workshop on
May 5 (jnd 6. The public
is invited, and the event
is free.
Heather Kolich is an
extension assistant agricul¬
ture and natural resources.