Shearing

All sheep over one year old have to have their wool sheared off. This is done in spring or early summer to harvest the wool. The wool is purchased by the British Wool Marketing Board and is sold to manufacturers to make material and carpet. Farmers currently receive about 45 pence per kilo but after the deduction of transport costs this amounts to very little. Our wool cheque last year for 20 kilos of wool was only 75 pence.

I hope that the renewed interest in natural fibres and the use of wool as a sustainable material for house insulation will increase demand and the price paid to producers.

These pictures show Arthur Cowling from Polsham hard at work.