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Here are a few of the most common wooly questions we hear:How do I get a shearer for my sheep? Shearers are in high demand. Years ago, it was simple to schedule shearers. The primary Ga Sheep shearers were from Australia (our spring is their off season). Dr. Tom Huber was the contact point between the shearers and the members. This was before cell phones and GPS, so members had to go through Dr. Huber to make appointments. Fast forward to today and it is a very different shearing environment. The Aussies aged out and were not able to find replacement shearers. We have excellent shearers available in Georgia but.... their schedules are tight, their travel range is extensive, they have an existing client list, and they schedule themselves. Follow the link below to find shearer names and numbers. https://gasheepandwool.org/links A few notes: Text is preferred to calls. You may have to text repeatedly. It's nothing personal. Shearing schedules are actually shearing plans: it only takes one rainstorm, one farm not ready for the shearers, one person adding their neighbor's flock at the last minute, or one flat tire to disrupt an entire day. The cost of shearing is determined each year by the shearers and is based on a travel / set-up fee, plus x$ per sheep. Each farm pays the shearers directly. Here are tips to help you prepare for the shearers: What does ‘skirting’ mean? To skirt a fleece is to cut away undesirable parts of the fleece: tags, stained wool, sweat locks, etc. In addition to the links above, check out: Fleece diagrams: Cost implications of skirting: Video demonstrations: I have hair sheep and wool sheep. Why does everyone keep telling me to watch out for “hair contamination”? Quite simply, hair is not wool. It does not dye like wool, it does not spin or blend like wool, and the presence of hair in a BALE of wool (110+ pounds of wool) can result in the entire bale being discarded. If the bale is from a wool pool, multiple farmers can suffer the financial loss caused by one person’s ignorance or carelessness. Keep in mind that hair is not the only contaminant. This link provides helpful information. | Marketing WoolWool marketing can be broadly classified into two methods: commodity and direct (or niche). Wool ShowThe Gwinnett County Fair takes place each September. It draws thousands of people from the metro area. Two highlights of the fair are the Open Class Sheep Show and the Wool Show. Made With WoolGo back to the Made With Wool page |