Done! Shearing is THE big spring chore at Snowshoe Farm and it feels so good to have finished. We shear early – usually the end of April – and, being spring in the NEK, the weather rarely cooperates. Generally, the alpacas have to endure a period of chilly temps before warmer spring weather arrives and stays for more than a day or two. We’ve done our shearing during snowstorm on more than one occasion.
Yes, our alpacas will probably be shivering on and off for a few days, but, in general, we’re more comfortable letting our alpacas shiver for a few days rather than shearing late and taking a chance that we will get a hot spell. If we have any alpacas that we feel are compromised, we hold off on shearing until the weather stabilizes. That’s one of the advantages of doing your own shearing! Fortunately, the sun came out and the temps warmed up yesterday (briefly!).
Skirting fleeces and getting them off to the mill is the next big task. This year I’m determined to get that done as soon as possible (I say that every year!). We currently have several batches of last year’s fiber at the mill – the last few fleeces from 2013 I finally managed to skirt. To get the latest news on alpaca yarn and fiber products from Snowshoe Farm, sign up for our newsletter.