sheep shearing, june 2009

The sheep shearing season is a short one in North Devon. In the middle of May the weather was too cold to shear, but by early June when temperatures suddenly reached the 20’s the flock were beginning to suffer with the heat. Worse still the blow-flies start lay their eggs in sheep’s wool during the hot weather, and the resulting maggots start eating into the sheep’s skin.

So last Tuesday we were pleased to shear the last of the Borough Farm flock

ps. the hat might look silly but it does keep the sun off!!