Clipping time in Yorkshire

It is that time of year again when the sheep need clipping. It has to be done for their own welfare, a thick wool coat is too warm for summer, but it also means my next season has begun.

Most of the farms in this area are hill farms, the sheep have to be hardy to survive the winters therefore horned breeds such as Swaledales and Dalesbreds are kept. Their wool is good for protecting them against the weather but it is coarse and prickly if we were to wear it next to the skin. It is virtually worthless yet the sheep have to be sheared anyway.

The pure bred lambs from these sheep are also hardy, they are up and sucking minutes after being born but they don’t grow into big sheep. Most of the gimmer ( female ) lambs from this area are sold to farms lower down the country, the winters are kinder and there is more grass. Farmers want bigger ewes. This is where the Bluefaced Leicester comes in. As well as keeping some of our hill sheep pure, to breed replacements to maintain the flock some are bred with a Bluefaced Leicester tup to breed a larger lamb.

This is the one fleece in the whole of the flock that is valuable, soft, non itchy and the perfect staple length to work with yak fibre.
In return for the fleece I help with the clipping.