AUTHENTIC "SHEEP TO SHAWL"
Last Weekend of April
Friday April 26 & Saturday April 27, 2013
10:00 am - 7:00 pm
- Walk through the barn and observe the shepherds and shepherdesses shearing. This is the real
thing! This is not a speed competition, but the work of a real working shepherd.
- Come Experience this "Sheep to Shawl" event. Watch as the wool is shorn from the sheep (a simple
hair cut!), and is made in to usable products - a shawl or other wool product - right before your eyes -
washed, spun, and woven. This is an actual sheep to shawl event - where the first wool shorn for the
weekend is actually made in to a finished product that weekend.
- There is no charge for this event. Donations are accepted (recommended donation $3 per person).
- Please Note: Even in the event of rain, Woolly Weekend will proceed in the tour barn.
- Shepherd's Shop will be open, offering a great collection of woolly and farm related gifts. Many items
are hand crafted by local artisans; we are a Made in Oklahoma company.
- Demonstrations throughout the day on spinning wheels, washing wool,weaving on looms, knitting,
crocheting, wet felting, needle felting, drop spindling, carding and other wool crafting.
- A professional caterer will be offering samples of our 100% natural grass fed lamb meat. We have
been practicing sustainable agriculture for many years.
- Visit the Farm Museum - upstairs in the gambrel roof barn
- The best time to observe is early in the morning(shearing begins at 10 am), when it is still cool, or later
in the evening when the sun goes down. Shearing is hard work and the cooler times are easier on the
sheep and the shearer. Come when it is convenient for you. A sheep is shorn, and the process is
repeated about every 30 minutes. Spend the day or a simply an hour or two.
- The Bible Garden will be open for mini-tours - with tour guide every 30 minutes - or as a self guided
tour. Over 300 plants in Shepherd's garden are found in God's Word, the Bible; we currently have a
handbook and placards that describe 100 of these. A self guided audio tour is available - simply pick
up the audio in the tour barn upon your arrival.
- 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 hair cut. They would suffer heat prostration amongst other ailments if they were not shorn each
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 in the sitting position. This is the way sheep are shorn all over the world,
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."
- Children's Activities - including coloring sheets, games & weaving
- Enjoy a peaceful respite at the farm - hang out on the lawn chairs and watch the sheep graze
- Visit this link to learn more about the farm:
Discover Oklahoma Video of Shepherd's Cross
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