Shepherd's Harvest 2013

Another fun-fillled year at Shepherd's Harvest.  Despite the cooler temps and sleeting on Saturday, there was a very nice turnout, and Sunday was just nice enough to bring more people to the festival.
Rooing demos were heavily attended again, and I lost track of how many times I had to give a description of what we were doing to folks that had no idea that all sheep didn't have to be sheared.  I found the biggest misconception about the process was that we were somehow hurting the sheep.  To put this concern to rest, we simply had spectators step forward and give the wool a tug, and then the aha moment hit them.  Most of them exclaimed, "Oh!!! That came right off".  After some soft chuckles and a few more people wanting to give it a go,  everyone could see that we were not hurting the sheep at all.  Some of the victims rooing candidates would even wag their tail through the entire process.  Quite amusing to see them truly enjoy having their fleece removed.

Definition of rooing: Rooing is the process of removing the fleece from the sheep by hand plucking the wool.  Many Shetland sheep retain a complete or partial tendency to shed the current year’s fleece growth in late spring or early summer. At the point where the fibre diameter becomes thinner and weaker, the fleece breaks quite easily.  It does not hurt the sheep when the weakened fibres are plucked or rooed by hand.
 

Kim, Erica and I rooing Shania

Kim and Erica being observed by a mom and her little boy.

Ladies in waiting.

Display again

We had the Inspection video going all weekend.

Crowd just starting to gather around Kim and I

Garrett on crowd watch

Little kids loved the friendly yearling ewes