Shearing day is also known as the Rite of Spring for those lucky enough to shepherd sheep. The Rite of Spring has been described in text and spoken verse throughout history, as a time to celebrate the blessings our sheep provides and the arrival of spring as community. This lovely spring ritual has thrived throughout history as a community event, and we invite you to come take part in our Rite of Spring tradition this year.
The farm will open at 9:30 a.m. and will stay open until 3:30 pm. This is an opportunity to take part, support, and share in the beauty of sheep, wool, and our small agricultural community.
** This is a free event. Donations are appreciated but never expected**
Here is what you can expect:
Renowned Hand Shearer and author of Shearing Day, Kevin Ford. Kevin travels the east coast, hand shearing flocks of sheep on small farms. He shears with hand shears, keeping the beautiful, humane and historical skill alive. He makes it look effortless with his many years of experience. We are excited and grateful to welcome him back to our farm.
A Potluck lunch. Please feel free to join our potluck style lunch. If you feel led to make a financial contribution to the cause, it would be appreciated, and you can also bring a dish if you would like. We will have picnic tables set up, and you can also feel free to bring a picnic lunch. Our lunch break is determined by the sheep and the shearer, but we typically eat lunch from 12:30-1:30. Of course, if you bring your own lunch, you can dine whenever it suits you.
*Edit: The weather is looking to be warmer, so we are leaning in a cold food direction. Less hot soups and more sandwiches and salads, to go along with a few wonderful soups. If you planned on contributing to the potluck, feel free to follow in that direction.
A Family Event. We welcome and encourage you to bring the entire family to this event. This is a beautiful way to experience traditional hand shearing of sheep on a sustainable farm. You can also join the fiber clutch and at the skirting table. The farm will be open to wander and explore, to ask questions, to get a closer view of the sheep, and put your hands on freshly shorn wool fleeces. The whole family is welcome, EXCEPT for your dog. Please leave your pets at home for this event. PLEASE NO DOGS.
A Fiber Clutch. We are excited to invite people of all skill levels to our fiber clutch. A circle of fiber artists, sharing a common passion and interest in wool fiber. We would love to have spinners, weavers, knitters, crocheter, felters, ect. Feel free to bring your current or new project and a lawn chair to enjoy the community and scenery. If you are a fiber artists, please reach out to Audra for more information and questions. (Audra.just@stoneymountainfarm.com)
Skirting Wool. Part of Shearing Day is skirting the fleece. We invite you to join in.
Farm Store. Our farm store will be open! We have added several new products to our farm this past year, and we are excited for you to check them out. We will have locally made items, our wool products, such as our wool dryer balls, wool sponges, and wool pet toys. We will have our lanolin products such as soap and lip balm, as well as cuts of lamb meat, and pelts.
What to bring. This event will take place outside, so wear boots and clothing you don’t mind getting dirty. Since we must shear in rain or shine, you might want to bring a rain jacket. You can bring a lawn chair or blanket to join in or observe the fiber circle, or to find a spot under a tree to enjoy the lovely views. If you want to join our community meal, financial contributions are appreciated or you can bring a picnic lunch.
Bathroom Facility. We will have a portable toilet on the farm for the event as well as a hand washing station.
If you would like to join us, spread the word and bring friends! We look forward to sharing this experience and our farm with you.
