Our main business event for the year is shearing. I have tried to capture some of the action on camera. For any sheep people reading this you will have seen it all before so you might want to look away now!
The process begins with skilled sheep dogs and fast men on motorbikes bringing the sheep in from their paddocks.
Woolly sheep waiting their turn in the yards.
The contract shearing team in full swing.
Grinding (sharpening) cutting blades for the day ahead.
A glimpse into the life of the shearer’s cook. This is not the place to find vegetarian, low fat or low carbohydrate meals. The cook serves up plenty of meat, cakes, sandwiches, vegetables and desserts to keep the team fuelled up for the long days of physical work.
Some of the tools of the trade include shearing moccasins, cordial, clocks, cutting blades and singlets.
When the sheep are shorn they are walked back to their paddock. With their wool off they normally have an extra spring in their step and with that, shearing is over for another year.
Do you have a main event at your place?
Happy Friday friends!
e / dig in
These are beautiful, evocative photos. the top three in particular have a timeless, sepia-tinge about them – wonderful. i am actually wearing a woollen top today – i wonder if any of the fibres came from your sheep? a good reminder to buy less sythetic clothes and more real clothes.
happy friday to you too – enjoy your weekend.
Kate
Oh my goodness, what a wonderful post Jane.
Such gorgeous, evocative photos.
How many sheep do you have?
And do you use the same team every year?
Hope you have a wonderful weekend. x
clare's craftroom
Thanks to Kate for retweeting this so I could find it what a great post ! I've done shed work and still say it is the hardest work I've ever done . Love your photos and your style , thanks so much !
today i
oh my goodness, such hard working people, i'm going to remember this next time
i feel the need to complain about something. Those photos of the sheep really are
terrific.
Missy Piggy
What a GREAT post – so different to my city-slicking-office-job life! You have SO many sheep – that third photo is EPIC! I remember Airlie posting a picture once of Johnnys mocasins…I had no idea what they were for…d'oh! Farmers are our life blood – keep up the good work…all of you!
tea with hazel
i can smell the dust and the sheep in the shearing shed and the sweat on the men..i love shearing sheds with their sometimes slatted floors and corrugated iron construction..it's all so evocatively australian..x
CountryMouse
Wow, love the photos they give such a great insight into shearing time.
Michelle
I love the photos Jane! I've always fancied being a shearers cook and feeding all those hungry workers. And I quite fancy those moccasins too…..
Alison
Hello Jane,
I'm not sure how I've stumbled onto your fabulous blog but glad I did!
We are shearing here also (north central vic) but its smaller a team of 6 with 2 shearers and 2 rousies and hubby & father in law, so I am cooking! I find what people cook for their shearers totally fascinating and always wanting to learn from the experts….any tips? I have a chefing background but its a different type of cooking from my training! Thanks – you've inspired me to get the camera out and capture some of the action also.
Zara
Wonderful photos capturing such an important time of year.
Shearers cook although I'm sure is a lot of work also looks like my kind of job.
x
Kate @ Kate Writes
Shearing brings back such wonderful childhood memories Jane. Thanks for sharing
humble habit
I loved seeing these, what a life you have real work and sustenance, two wonderful things.
Anne@GtSlamseysFarm
What a wonderful post Jane. An amazing sight to see all those sheep waiting in the yards and good to glimpse the life behind the shearing shed. Thank you for sharing it with us.
Mama Smith
Wow that's amazing! Beautiful photos and a fascinating process. I'm definately not cut out for farm work- I'd be so worried the sheep were uncomfortable 😉
celia
I loved this post! Thanks for taking photos and sharing with us!
Sarah @ Chantille Fleur
My goodness – those yards are so big! So many sheep, I can't imagine having to shear them all! Great post 😀
Sarah xx
Benlovesting
Beautiful photos! x
Amy
great snaps! that reminds me of busy times long ago… xx
Kylie
I worked on two sheep stations in the North of WA when I was younger Jane, so these scenes are very familiar and nostalgic.
(the floor in your shearing shed looks lovely btw)
I've got a story about making lamb sandwiches for smoko and maggots. Best not go into details, but let's just say the guys got a bit of extra protein in their sandwiches that day!
Lizzy (Good things)
Wow, your life is so different to mine Jane, yet we have so much in common. Love your photos.
tea with lucy
I LOVED this post. Your pictures and all the details brought back so many happy memories of my childhood helping out in the shearing shed. I can almost smell that delicious lanolin smell. Thank you!
rachel xo
Lucent Imagery
Wow, I had no idea your farm was that big! Look at all their cute little bums in the first picture. 🙂
Jenny
What an operation! I love the photo of all those sheep funneling through the spiraling fences. I bet those sheep do have a "bit of a spring" in their step after losing all that weight. It must feel amazing!
kindly,
Jenny
Sometimes Unwilling Guru
I like the look of your yards,the sheep move through well?