There are fourteen times as many sheep in New Zealand as there are people. Although sheep farming is playing an increasingly smaller role economically, the animals have long since become a lucrative tourist attraction (especially among Asian visitors).
We are invited to a barbecue at the sheep farm of Tim, whom we met on our round trip. The kiwi is the “picnicker” par excellence. Barbecuing is simply part of the lifestyle. Some friends of the family have also arrived. This is an excellent way to discuss all kinds of topics.
Of course, we are primarily interested in how daily life on a sheep farm works. Tim leads us into the sheepfold and explains to us how the animals are sheared.
In various boxes, the sheep are first sorted according to age and quality of the wool. Of course, Tim’s two children don’t miss the spectacle. The shearing tools are sharpened on a grinding machine, which is a prerequisite for good shearing.
New Zealand – Grinding scissors on a sheep farmNew Zealand – Work on a sheep farm
Kati, the daughter, is still a bit skeptical. The sheep to be sheared is pressed between the knees. It takes a lot of experience for this technology to work smoothly. Then the quality of the wool is checked again before the shearing starts.
New Zealanders like to invite guests to their homes and often organize barbies, especially on weekends, especially in summer.
We bring our hosts a small gift for the invitation, which is welcome in New Zealand. Tim lives with his family on a sheep farm and so we don’t miss a demonstration of his craft. In this way, we get to know life in the countryside better.
The shaving head is connected to a large motor that drives the shears via several shafts. Tim tells us that in New Zealand various large events are held in sheep shearing. This is a kind of national sport here. The winner is the one who shears the most sheep in a fixed time.
But speed is not important today, Tim shows us how to make the perfect cut without hurting the animals. Meanwhile, his brother collects the sheared wool. It is then transported via a shaft to another room in the basement, where it is then brought to a handy pack size for shipping with the help of a large press.
Of course, all this is done by hand, so it’s sweaty work that requires a certain amount of stamina. Brigitte is impressed by the natural and original way of life of our hosts.
