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| The cutters. On Ilford Classic fibre paper |
The cutters cost about £300 and last about a season, if I remember correctly. The blades need replaced every 20 sheep or so and oiled and cleaned after shearing 2 or 3. I could be totally wrong in my remembering, of course, so don't quote me on it. The cutters are air powered - and the compressor, operated by a pull-cord, is another, much bigger, pile of cash. But then again Graham's wee pet lambs, reared and nurtured as they are, are worth a pound or two. He donated one to a charity auction a while back and it sold for over £1000, being as it was from Champion stock. But it kind of misses the point to talk about money - I'm only putting down here the snippets of conversation I recall from that day. It's a labour of love, this carry on...a full-time job and done not for the money but for the love of the animals and the odd success at the annual shows.
Wow. Imagine a barber running that over your scalp. I assume that 1000 Pound sheep are used to make more 1000 Pound sheep?
ReplyDeleteIndeed. Mind you, even these would be hard pushed to get anything from me these days (follically challenged, y'see!)
DeleteYes, I think that's how it works. If you've a champion sheep then I guess it's lambs are valued appropriately. It's hard graft, though - you need to be fit and healthy to work with these animals and as I say, it's a 24 hour 7 day a week job. I'm sure Graham isn't in it for the money - it's simply what he wants to do.
I know that challenge very well . . . . :(
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