This weekend we took advantage of a dry late winter day to shear the goats. We spread two sheets of clean plywood outside the barn, oiled up the electric shearer, and strategized a bit. Alex snagged Iva from the pen and we got to work. She was stinky and matted and totally needed a haircut, but she was not happy about it--the neighbors heard her bleating from a quarter mile away. Yep, we're just over here torturing goats.
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| Iva before |
It probably took close to two hours to get her sheared (which is embarrassing to admit--I think it takes the pros about 7 minutes), but her fleece was dense and matted. Her mohair was full of yolk, this waxy or greasy buildup which protects it. It softened my hands and Alex's leather gloves. She got a few nicks and cuts but we all survived. Mohair we couldn't use, because it was too dirty or cut too short, went into the compost bin. I'm envisioning birds with soft plush nests this spring.
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| A stinky bag of mohair. I'll wash it up and spin it. |
Milton, our timid guy, was next. We let Iva graze near him in the yard while we sheared him, and he was surprisingly calm and patient. His fleece was much softer and thinner and we got into our shearing groove.
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| That's Milton lying on his side. As we shear, his fleece comes off in one sheet. |
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They're cold and shivery without their thick coats, so they'll wear jackets for a couple of weeks until their fleece grows in a bit. We put an old dog jacket on Milton, and I'm fashioning an old fleece vest into a jacket for Iva.
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| Milton with his sporty jacket |
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| A playful moment after the haircut |
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| Iva Belle..it's so nice to see your pretty eyes again. |
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