What is involved with shearing?
If you can’t find someone to shear your flock, or, if you prefer as I do, you can do it yourself. You will need either manual sheep shearer called “blades” or an electric shearer. Many shepherds shear their sheep using a stanchion. Some have learned the professional, speedy way. The professional way starts by tipping the sheep on its rear end. The chest and belly is shorn first. Using choreographed movements of the shearer’s feet, legs, and knees, the sheep is moved through several positions whereby the entire fleece is removed in one piece. The professional shearing method is best learned with a live-in-the-flesh teacher. There is a good video titled “Shearing Techniques with Fiona Nettleton” produced by Rural Route Videos. And, there is a good book titled “Shearing Day” by Kevin Ford. Both explain shearing the professional way. Personally I struggled learning this method until I persuaded someone proficient at it to watch me shear and critique what I was doing. (I am still a student
