Our marketing assistant, Libby took her camera into the shearing shed at her family farm in Waiau, North Canterbury.

At “Toppesfield” we run Romney sheep which produce coarse wool of 35 /36 micron, depending on the season.

The main shearing occurs once a year in early June to ensure the best quality fleece with less suint and cotted wool.  Cotting occurs when the fleece gets very wet in winter. It colours and then sticks together making it hard to scour and spin.

We use cover combs that leave a cover of wool on the sheep’s back. The belly wool is left on, too. This keeps the ewes warmer after shearing.

At shearing the ewes, which are in lamb, leave the shearing shed and go straight onto saved, quality pasture with plenty of natural shelter. Now shorn, the ewes move freely and do not get caste with a heavy full wet fleece and if the weather becomes rough, they move to shelter easily and quickly. They do eat more when shorn at this time, but we budget for this and look after them.

We also crutch and belly crutch the ewes in early March and this keeps the wool clean and the fleece drains well.

Mary and Bob (Mum & Dad) and I always stay in the shearing shed when shearing. We sort all the wool on the wool table and bale the wool in a press. By doing this we know we are presenting the wool the best we can.

Our shearing has been done by the same gang for 27 years. We have a good relationship with them and know the shearers will shear to a quality standard.

Shearing is hard work and long hours and when finished we pride ourselves on a quality product that truly is sustainable.