Dorset lifestyle
Nine fleeces in paper sacks ready to be put in a box and sent to Pocket House Studio for making into a rug, the rug made from last year’s fleeces is expected to arrive in July, so it’s a fourteen month wait! Had to go out first thing so the gate into Laneside was opened early, the donkeys had a look and decided to stay where they were and lie down on their straw for a while. A sunny showery day with blustery winds.
Grazing in a row; Elton, Digby and Walter, there’s still lots of grass for them to eat, although the sugar content will have dropped. Their fleeces are growing and the wool is starting to hang down around their legs, ready for the winter. Made a few modifications to the sheep shelter in Laneside, the tarpaulin roof had collected rainwater so needed some support. A sunny, warm day with light winds.
Nola, in the process of losing her fleece, it was sheared off in one piece and is in very good condition, the lengths of wool have crinkled and when the strands are rolled they are impossible to pull apart, so this will result in a high quality spun product. The three white and three black fleeces will remain separate, wrapped in paper sacks and sent to the Pocket House Studio on the Isle of Lewis for making into a rug, there’s a waiting list so the rug should arrive within the year! The sheep were soon back in their paddock grazing happily and weighing slightly less. A fine start to a cold day with increasing winds and heavy showers. Lit the woodburner.
The area under the oak tree has been out of bounds to the sheep because of all the acorns concealed in the undergrowth, now they’ve been removed from the fringe and the hurdles moved a foot so the lush green grass can be grazed, with Winnie leading the way. The night-time paddock is starting to look more brown than green, especially where they sit and chew the cud on the hillock. Fleeces are looking longer with the wool hanging down over their legs, it’s time to book the shearer and the annual dose of Clik to protect against fly strike. A cloudy misty day with a chill wind.
