Wooly Weekend at Shepherd’s Cross is an Annual Summer “Make Over” or Haircut for the Sheep & An Authentic Sheep-to-Shawl Event
Did you know that sheep must be shorn every year? Sheep grow a nice long winter coat, and in preparation for the heat of the summer, the shepherd lovingly and laboriously gives them a shearing – a haircut. They would suffer heat prostration amongst other ailments if they were not shorn every year. In giving the sheep a shearing, the shepherd demonstrates his love for the sheep. Did you know that sheep can be shorn standing or sitting? We shear our sheep “sitting.” Sheep naturally relax when they are in the sitting position. This is the way sheep are shorn all over the world, and throughout history. This reminds us of our Lord Jesus, in the reference from Isaiah 53, “Like a sheep before the shearers is silent, so the Lord went to the cross on our behalf.”
- See the shearing every 30 minutes on all three days.
- Experience the shepherds and shepherdesses shearing. This is not a speed competition, but the work of real, working, caring shepherds.
- Watch as the wool is shorn from the sheep (a simple haircut!), and is washed, spun, and woven into usable products – a shawl or other wool product – right before your eyes.
- This is an authentic sheep-to-shawl event, one of only a few such events in the world, in which the first wool shorn during the weekend is actually made into a finished product that same weekend.
- Woolly Weekend will proceed even in the event of rain
- Demonstrations throughout the day include spinning wheels, carding, weaving on looms, felting, drop spindling, knitting, crochet
- This is our Easter event.
- Enjoy a peaceful respite at the farm – hang out and watch the sheep graze
- Farm Museum, Silo, Wool Mill, Bible Garden, Shepherd’s Shop & Farm Animal Barn petting area will be available
- Children’s Activities – include wool sheep making, weaving, games & coloring; woolly sheep take-home craft.
- Short Course Fiber Classes – learn drop spindling, felting or hand carding. Please call or email to pre-register. Classes fill quickly.
- Help make one of the shawls! Be a part of the team.
- Suggested donation of $5 per person
