Sheep Shearing 2016

Anyone following me on sociak media cannot failed to have noticed we sheared the sheep recently.

It is, by far, my favourite day of the year-even over Christmas Day-even though it is probably the longest day of the year for all of us.

Boo is not much of an animal fan so, when she is around, I have to do the jobs while entertaining her too. This year, because we sheared on a week day, Boo was at school.

You’d think with a 17 month old toddler, it would still be difficult but G is not like other 17 month-olds. It seems farming is in his blood and he enjoyed every minute of it.

Due to his star-like-qualities, it also meant that I could really help out. I usually joke that my usual role is opening and shutting a gate and making lunch.

This year, I helped pull all the muck off the fleeces as soon as the sheep were sheared, fold them and put them in the massive wool bags, ready to be sent to the British Wool Marketing board.

The first few fleeces were not too mucky and, without gloves on, my hands felt so moisturised from all the natural lanolin in the wool.

They started getting quite dirty then (if you think, wool covers all the sheep-including the bottoms so poo can stick to the wool and it was that I was pulling off) so I called for gloves.

There is excitement in the air on sheep shearing day. Some 24 bacon rolls were made, tea was drunk and a huge, home-made chocolate cake devoured.

They started at 8am. I got there at 9-ish after the school run and our shearer drove down our drive at 7pm that night.

It is a long day but, with it lasting only one day, it is just so lovely.

Shearing took place the same day the country woke up to the news that Britain had opted to leave the EU and, while people on my Facebook timeline proceeded to argue with their friends, I felt happy that, despite the turmoil, life goes on for farmers. Animals have to be fed and watered and, in our case, sheared.

I honestly think G will be helping round the sheep up next year. While his fearlessness can be frightening for me, as a mother, to see him poke his chubby little finger into sheep’s mouths, give them back their wool and generally be a little dream, was so heart warming.

His big sister AKA the Boss came to oversee proceedings after school and even she had a good time.

I think we all feel relief when it is over, no matter how much we enjoy the day. Not least because we know the sheep, rams and Minty are much more comfortable for the (hopefully) hot summer.