Ever been inside an Australian shearing shed? Come on in. This one's old...
Here we are for Friday at The Farm. It's shearing time. The busiest time of the year. For this farm anyway. All else stop. Everyone focuses on what has to be done for shearing.That was our weekend last weekend; getting ready for shearing.
Top job on the list: get the shearing shed ready...
Make sure the brooms are in place, remove any fleeces lying around from incidental shearing during the year...
Check the chairs are right for smoko/morning tea/lunch... Interesting to note that the broom and chairs are colour co-ordinated! I am sure that the farmer considered this when he chose them ;-)
Clean out the entry laneways, this is where the sheep enter the shed and wait for their turn to be 'penned up' and then shorn. I LOVE the colours of the wood here. It's all so smooth and worn. If ever this shed wasn't to be used anymore I'd be asking in a very nice voice if we could please, please have these timbers! They'd be lovely to use, somehow, not sure how right now, but given the shed is still in use it doesn't matter (for once!) that I don't have an answer.
And here's another interesting little spot; the bracket on this swinging gate (as opposed to an unswinging gate?!? Wake up Emma!) is old and gwoovy - as the littlest one would say. It would be cool to re-use this gate and bracket someday too...
Given that much of the day was spent shovelling the proverbial out from under the grating (where the sheep stand in pens waiting to be shorn) this is the obvious footwear. BUT, hot tip for those of you looking to shovel sheep poo, it's better to wear gumboots. Cos you know where it all ends up when you are throwing it about? Yep, that's right, inside your boot. Ew. Gumboots are what a girl needs, preferably flowering ones! To remind you of the finer things in your life! And to remind you that sheep poo is VERY good for the garden. Another hot tip, be sure to dilute it down before applying to the garden, it burns plants fast from the roots up! When dilute they just drink it up :-) Well, hello Vegie Garden, are you thirsty? Thirst no longer!
The view outside from inside the shearing shed is always one to entice too. There's something about looking out at the paddocks basking in the sunshine. The view is framed by old wood and corrugated iron. Nicely rural. Definitely country. Very much The Farm.
I've just found out that this view will be very much mine on Monday. I'll be working in the shed on Monday! As a rouse-about. Picking up fleeces (the freshly-shorn wool) off the floor, 'throwing' it onto the table and skirting it (taking the short/yucky bits off). I don't mind that. I've done it a few times before and 1 day is ok. Am just hoping my town-girl hands will stand up to the prickle test! Am not looking forward to those prickles which 'appear' in the fleece as you skirt it and then embed themselves in your skin. Ugh. Ah well, time to toughen up and realise that time spent at the farm is not all visits to the creek!
In the meantime we've got a weekend to enjoy... Hope you have a lovely one!
