Sheep Shearing Day December 2023
Report from Kelly Green with additional photos from Philip Kendall
Sheep shearing day was held on Saturday 16th December 2023.
At around 5:00am in the morning a group of men headed out to the patches to go up the mountain to turn down the sheep that were still up there, and bring them to the pens. At 8:30am the other men followed to start shearing of the sheep.
Above: the sheep have been turned down from the mountain. Below: the community at work around the pens
The rest of the community then came out, with the women bringing food and refreshments. The children, as they do every year were having a blast chasing and catching the lambs. The ladies were also working hard picking out the best wool so it can be washed, pick, carded and then spun into yarn to be knitted into wonderful garments.
A visiting TV crew films the shearing
The day started off windy and cold but it soon turn around. People's coats and jumpers were coming off, and the sunscreen needed to be applied.
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| Three methods of catching the sheep and gambolling lambs | ||
At the end of the day, everyone then head back to the settlement to enjoy their braai's (barbeques). There is always excitement around Sheep Shearing day as it sort of marks the beginning of the three week Christmas and New Year break up. Yippee!