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We leave in the morning to Albuquerque for the New Mexico State Fair. Will set up the shearing pens for the long running, nearly 40 years, Sheep to Shawl exhibit and demonstrations by the New Mexico WoolGrowers, Inc. and the Las Aranas Spinners and Weavers Guild.
The fair opens on Friday with all the Junior Livestock Show people coming in. That is a good circus to sit and watch every year. 4-H and FFA members from all over the state coming to see who can show the best animals. They are all really good kids and we never have "police incidents" on our end of the fairgrounds. I have seen most of the current Advisors and Extension Agents grow up this same way, here at the Fairgrounds showing their stock.
Saturday we have to get to the grounds no later than 7AM as the streets close to traffic for the big Parade.
We will talk to people about sheep, wool, spinning and weaving for eighteen days. Then we will all come home and be happy without talking for a few months.
Showing posts with label sheep. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sheep. Show all posts
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Friday, August 29, 2008
Sheep to Shawl at New Mexico State Fair in the Ag Expo Grounds in Albuquerque!
Sheep to Shawl at New Mexico State Fair in the Ag Expo Grounds in Albuquerque!
Public Address systems are necessary when you have about 5 or 6 school classes and their attendant parents and teachers all piled up around the shearing pen which is 8 feet to the side. We always have the kids stacked just as deep as they can maybe see. I try hard to get the little ones to the front and have them sit in the grass, the next batch on knees and then the bit taller ones toward the back with adults at the outside ring. Have to out yell them so for me when I give the shearing talk, I just get some "mic feedback" to get their attention so I don't have to tell them to "HUSH, I am talking now!"
I have to spend the entire month of August getting my mind ready for these things. You cannot mention God or the Lord at all ever during these things. You cannot even say "damn" and darn just doesn't quite cut it either!! so I have to return to the curse language my son taught the little kids when he was a teacher's assistant. skiddlywhichatit or something like that. Any way something nonsensical!! It impresses the kids and they learn new language skills from adults, so why not give them a word they can use that gets smiles from their parents and teachers.
The demonstrations of shearing, spinning and weaving have been going on at the State Fair for about the past 40 years. I have been a part of it for 20 and co chair of the WoolGrowers committee for the past 15. Lloyd is the other co chair on the Shearing Demos and Mercedes Perez Cravens is the cochair and contact for the Weavers Guild. We are all WoolGrowers trying to interact with Las Aranas (the spiders) Spinning and Weaving Guild based in Albuquerque whose members are mostly town people 3 generations from the farms.
Nearly the whole month of September is devoted to the State Fair in New Mexico. The first half is the Youth Livestock Shows. There are only about 5000 4-H and FFA members dashing about with their feed buckets and show supplies. I know most of the 4-H agents and most of the FFA advisors from when my kids and they were all competing for the prizes at the fair. It is a huge hugg fest for me. I am the meeting place for anyone in these groups. It is called "Mrs Maness will take and pass messages and be responsible for any problems you may have no matter what they are!" "Meet me at the Shearing Pens at whatever hour" etc.
The second half of the fair is devoted to the Open Livestock Shows. There are some Junior peoples, under 18, who show Open Classes. But the frantic activity is gone this week. It is more the "professional" show people. And NO PIGS!!!! this part of the fair!
One of the more stupid questions I get during the second half of the fair is "Where are the Pigs?" Pig show is a Junior Livestock thing! It is not an Open Class thing. Pig show is terminal!! Meaning if the pig doesn't go home with the kid it is at the butcher or on the way there!
I serve as a double duty person at the Sheep to Shawl exhibit and demonstration! As a spinner or weaver I can sit at any wheel or loom on display and work and explain the workings of the machinery and how we get our clothing. I am also the WoolGrower on duty all day every day. I serve here as the "shop girl" who is knowlegable about the care and feeding of sheepskin pelts! I can also demonstrate the drop spindles and get people to buy them. Anything else anyone wants to know about the care of the woolen garments the demonstrators have for sale is known by me!! I do not ever touch the cash register! that thing is a booger, all computerized and messes up very easily!!
There must be a member of NM WoolGrowers on duty at all times that the shop is open. To be allowed to sell items in the shop a person must have made it themselves, spend at least 12 hours demonstrating the crafts, and be a member of either Las Aranas or NMWoolGrowers. Las Aranas chairman sets up the schedules and each shift is about 4 hours for the guild members. I really need more volunteers to be WoolGrower on duty, but cannot get people to commit to it. They will sign up then come saying "My child is showing in about half an hour, can you cover for me?" and they forget to come back and give me some relief.
Ok, Now back out to the Shearing Pens on the front lawn in front of the Livestock Pavilion or more familiarly known, the Dairy Barn!! We have people in Albuquerque area who have small flocks of sheep and don't mind having them shorn in the fall. Some of these sheep are the Churros who require shearing twice a year. We do one sheep every hour usually about a quarter till the hour. Pat Melendrez shears the sheep, Lloyd or someone talks about the shearing, history of sheep, history of sheep industry especially in New Mexico, and how the shearing is done on Ranches. We must get over the children who are on a field trip holiday from the classrooms, so the PA System works very well to out yell them.
Pat uses the new Heinigar Shearing motor which is a heck of a lot quieter than the old motors so it can actually be talked over! But is still much easier to use the microphone and be heard easily by the crowds. It also draws people when they hear the motor turn on and Lloyd say "Welcome to the Sheep to Shawl Shearing Demonstrations brought to you by Las Aranas Spinners and Weavers Guild and the New Mexico WoolGrowers Inc. Our shearer for today is Pat Melendrez from Las Vegas New Mexico, the sheep being shorn are Navajo Churro belonging to Dr.Barbara Miricle of Algodonez, New Mexico."
The shearing demo lasts about 5 minutes, then we have 10 minutes for questions then shoo all the kids in the building to Cody Lightfoot and the Milking Demonstration! When Cody gets through with his little 5 minutes of milking demonstration he has questions then heads the people across the hall to the Carding, Dying Spinning, Weaving, and Exotic Use demonstrations.
The dye pots are all Natural Plant material dyes. Some of the dyes are quite toxic to those with breathing problems, but we only use the most non toxic mordants and plants we can and still come up with some gorgeous yarns.
Public Address systems are necessary when you have about 5 or 6 school classes and their attendant parents and teachers all piled up around the shearing pen which is 8 feet to the side. We always have the kids stacked just as deep as they can maybe see. I try hard to get the little ones to the front and have them sit in the grass, the next batch on knees and then the bit taller ones toward the back with adults at the outside ring. Have to out yell them so for me when I give the shearing talk, I just get some "mic feedback" to get their attention so I don't have to tell them to "HUSH, I am talking now!"
I have to spend the entire month of August getting my mind ready for these things. You cannot mention God or the Lord at all ever during these things. You cannot even say "damn" and darn just doesn't quite cut it either!! so I have to return to the curse language my son taught the little kids when he was a teacher's assistant. skiddlywhichatit or something like that. Any way something nonsensical!! It impresses the kids and they learn new language skills from adults, so why not give them a word they can use that gets smiles from their parents and teachers.
The demonstrations of shearing, spinning and weaving have been going on at the State Fair for about the past 40 years. I have been a part of it for 20 and co chair of the WoolGrowers committee for the past 15. Lloyd is the other co chair on the Shearing Demos and Mercedes Perez Cravens is the cochair and contact for the Weavers Guild. We are all WoolGrowers trying to interact with Las Aranas (the spiders) Spinning and Weaving Guild based in Albuquerque whose members are mostly town people 3 generations from the farms.
Nearly the whole month of September is devoted to the State Fair in New Mexico. The first half is the Youth Livestock Shows. There are only about 5000 4-H and FFA members dashing about with their feed buckets and show supplies. I know most of the 4-H agents and most of the FFA advisors from when my kids and they were all competing for the prizes at the fair. It is a huge hugg fest for me. I am the meeting place for anyone in these groups. It is called "Mrs Maness will take and pass messages and be responsible for any problems you may have no matter what they are!" "Meet me at the Shearing Pens at whatever hour" etc.
The second half of the fair is devoted to the Open Livestock Shows. There are some Junior peoples, under 18, who show Open Classes. But the frantic activity is gone this week. It is more the "professional" show people. And NO PIGS!!!! this part of the fair!
One of the more stupid questions I get during the second half of the fair is "Where are the Pigs?" Pig show is a Junior Livestock thing! It is not an Open Class thing. Pig show is terminal!! Meaning if the pig doesn't go home with the kid it is at the butcher or on the way there!
I serve as a double duty person at the Sheep to Shawl exhibit and demonstration! As a spinner or weaver I can sit at any wheel or loom on display and work and explain the workings of the machinery and how we get our clothing. I am also the WoolGrower on duty all day every day. I serve here as the "shop girl" who is knowlegable about the care and feeding of sheepskin pelts! I can also demonstrate the drop spindles and get people to buy them. Anything else anyone wants to know about the care of the woolen garments the demonstrators have for sale is known by me!! I do not ever touch the cash register! that thing is a booger, all computerized and messes up very easily!!
There must be a member of NM WoolGrowers on duty at all times that the shop is open. To be allowed to sell items in the shop a person must have made it themselves, spend at least 12 hours demonstrating the crafts, and be a member of either Las Aranas or NMWoolGrowers. Las Aranas chairman sets up the schedules and each shift is about 4 hours for the guild members. I really need more volunteers to be WoolGrower on duty, but cannot get people to commit to it. They will sign up then come saying "My child is showing in about half an hour, can you cover for me?" and they forget to come back and give me some relief.
Ok, Now back out to the Shearing Pens on the front lawn in front of the Livestock Pavilion or more familiarly known, the Dairy Barn!! We have people in Albuquerque area who have small flocks of sheep and don't mind having them shorn in the fall. Some of these sheep are the Churros who require shearing twice a year. We do one sheep every hour usually about a quarter till the hour. Pat Melendrez shears the sheep, Lloyd or someone talks about the shearing, history of sheep, history of sheep industry especially in New Mexico, and how the shearing is done on Ranches. We must get over the children who are on a field trip holiday from the classrooms, so the PA System works very well to out yell them.
Pat uses the new Heinigar Shearing motor which is a heck of a lot quieter than the old motors so it can actually be talked over! But is still much easier to use the microphone and be heard easily by the crowds. It also draws people when they hear the motor turn on and Lloyd say "Welcome to the Sheep to Shawl Shearing Demonstrations brought to you by Las Aranas Spinners and Weavers Guild and the New Mexico WoolGrowers Inc. Our shearer for today is Pat Melendrez from Las Vegas New Mexico, the sheep being shorn are Navajo Churro belonging to Dr.Barbara Miricle of Algodonez, New Mexico."
The shearing demo lasts about 5 minutes, then we have 10 minutes for questions then shoo all the kids in the building to Cody Lightfoot and the Milking Demonstration! When Cody gets through with his little 5 minutes of milking demonstration he has questions then heads the people across the hall to the Carding, Dying Spinning, Weaving, and Exotic Use demonstrations.
The dye pots are all Natural Plant material dyes. Some of the dyes are quite toxic to those with breathing problems, but we only use the most non toxic mordants and plants we can and still come up with some gorgeous yarns.
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Shearing Barn Cleaning
One of my greatest challenges every year is barn prep for shearing. We have had a commercial flock of mostly Rambouillet sheep for nearly fifty years here at my ranch. My grandfather traded some purebred Hereford cows to a neighbor for his first flock of sheep.
Now we’ve all heard the stories about how the old Cowboys hated the old Sheepherders! My grandfather was no exception to being the “Old Cowboy”. At age 13 he was hired with another boy to trail a herd of horses from Dalhart, Texas to Corona, New Mexico. They were in charge of about two hundred fifty head of horses! We don’t even let our thirteen year old boys out of the yard now, let alone charge them with getting a herd horses across about three hundred miles without an adult along. He was put in charge of a “line camp” on the ranch to which he brought the horses. He was charged with keeping those sheepherders away from the waters and off the grass.
Since he bought the flock of sheep in the early 1950s, he had to build a “shearing barn” that would work for other things during the rest of the year. A barn is necessary to keep the floors a bit cleaner here in the desert southwest. It keeps the spring winds out of the freshly sheared wool.
The floor in the barn, at that time, was portable being made like pallets. Each of these pallets was eight foot long by one foot wide boards with narrower boards nailed underneath, and with inch gaps between. This was for the trash to fall through but not the sheep or shearers. It worked well for years. My dad decided to pour a concrete floor to make it easier to work on the trucks and other equipment. This makes for oil spills and other sins.
Every spring we have a barn cleaning party. Anything not shearing or sheep related must be removed from the barn. This includes snowmobiles, ATVs, tool chests, welding equipment, dirt, oil spills, blown in vegetable matter. When we get through with the barn party the barn is cleaner than my kitchen. In order to keep the wool in as near to pristine condition, it must be sheared in a clean barn. And the barn must remain in a clean condition all during the shearing operation.
Oil spills are first blotted up with kitty litter, a concrete detergent used to scrub the floor, and a very thorough rinsing.
Things like rocks, cigarette butts and soda cans are strictly forbidden on the shearing floor. My floor boss is in charge of keeping all trash off the floor. This person is given a push broom and a lawn rake. They sweep the area immediately after a sheep is let loose and the fleece is picked up. Prevention of contamination being the operative word for the floor boss. During lunch hour, the floor boss gets to sweep the floor completely and rake the area where the sheep are kept, off the edge of the concrete. Then at the end of the day this process happens all over again.
Now we’ve all heard the stories about how the old Cowboys hated the old Sheepherders! My grandfather was no exception to being the “Old Cowboy”. At age 13 he was hired with another boy to trail a herd of horses from Dalhart, Texas to Corona, New Mexico. They were in charge of about two hundred fifty head of horses! We don’t even let our thirteen year old boys out of the yard now, let alone charge them with getting a herd horses across about three hundred miles without an adult along. He was put in charge of a “line camp” on the ranch to which he brought the horses. He was charged with keeping those sheepherders away from the waters and off the grass.
Since he bought the flock of sheep in the early 1950s, he had to build a “shearing barn” that would work for other things during the rest of the year. A barn is necessary to keep the floors a bit cleaner here in the desert southwest. It keeps the spring winds out of the freshly sheared wool.
The floor in the barn, at that time, was portable being made like pallets. Each of these pallets was eight foot long by one foot wide boards with narrower boards nailed underneath, and with inch gaps between. This was for the trash to fall through but not the sheep or shearers. It worked well for years. My dad decided to pour a concrete floor to make it easier to work on the trucks and other equipment. This makes for oil spills and other sins.
Every spring we have a barn cleaning party. Anything not shearing or sheep related must be removed from the barn. This includes snowmobiles, ATVs, tool chests, welding equipment, dirt, oil spills, blown in vegetable matter. When we get through with the barn party the barn is cleaner than my kitchen. In order to keep the wool in as near to pristine condition, it must be sheared in a clean barn. And the barn must remain in a clean condition all during the shearing operation.
Oil spills are first blotted up with kitty litter, a concrete detergent used to scrub the floor, and a very thorough rinsing.
Things like rocks, cigarette butts and soda cans are strictly forbidden on the shearing floor. My floor boss is in charge of keeping all trash off the floor. This person is given a push broom and a lawn rake. They sweep the area immediately after a sheep is let loose and the fleece is picked up. Prevention of contamination being the operative word for the floor boss. During lunch hour, the floor boss gets to sweep the floor completely and rake the area where the sheep are kept, off the edge of the concrete. Then at the end of the day this process happens all over again.
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