On the same day as the children went apple picking, some of them were lucky enough to go and watch the sheep shearing (we have to fit in with the farm's busy schedule and were really grateful they were able to include us - it made for a very exciting day all round!) http://www.overburyfarms.co.uk
The children really enjoyed their tractor ride up to Park Farm (they come to think of it as their own private form of transport!)
Some of the children are old hands on the trailer, others were not so sure at first, but by the return journey they particularly enjoyed going over the bumpy cattle grids!
The farm has a special team of shearers in to do the job and hearing the statistics and seeing how quickly they work we were lucky that there were any sheep left to shear when we got there!
They must have done at least 50 sheep while we watched, apparently a shearer burns as many calories in a day's work as someone running a marathon!
The children were entranced and some of the sheep quite athletic!
Reg, the shepherd, told us that the fleeces are sent away to make carpets and showed us the cutting blades up close and the special shoes!
Back at nursery we have some lovely resources from the British Wool Marketing Board http://www.britishwool.org.uk passed on to us by Farmer Jake's predecessor at Overbury Farms, which have enabled all of the children to learn more.
A big thank you to everyone at the farm once again, we realise how lucky the children are to experience these things at such close quarters!