Sheep Shearing Day, December 2017
Report and photos from Tina Glass
Saturday the 9thof December was the annual sheep shearing day. This day marks the start of the Christmas festivities. Usually the sheep are put in the pen the day before, but this year they first had to wait and see if it was a fishing day. No gong was heard that morning, so there was an early start at the sheep pen to get all the sheep from the hillside herded into the pen.
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| Gathering sheep on the run. |
All islanders have separate small pens adjoining the communal pen where they put their sheep and lambs to be sheared and marked. After the sheep have been sheared they are marked with spray paint so the owners can recognise their sheep from others. It was a splendid day and the weather was good to us, one of the best we have had in a few years. It was a great day especially for the children; they were all running around laughing and catching the sheep, and helping the elderly to catch their sheep as well.
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| It's not just the sheep that gather. | Penning sheep. |
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| Family sheep pens. | Shearing. |
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| A newly shorn fleece, ready for washing, carding, spinning and knitting into Tristan Ganseys, Love Socks, and other woollen handicrafts - available from the online gift shop. |
Later on in the day after every one came home, they all got together in their shearing groups to have a braai and relax. It was a great day enjoyed by all, and some even managed to get a sun tan.