Saturday, March 7, 2015

Free Fun - Visit a Local Farm

A local sheep farm hosted an annual event today: Sheep Sheering day. It was a free event that allowed us to see several different animals; cows, sheep, and alpacas. We also, obviously, got to watch the sheep getting sheered and learn a bit about wool. I'd have to say that visiting a local farm is a fabulous "free fun" adventure. We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.


The sheep were very talkative, not the ones getting sheered but the others in the barn. To my surprise listening to the sheep "maa-ing" was my favorite part of the experience. They really don't "baa." They actually sounded a lot like cows, with extremely forceful vocalizations that I really couldn't get enough of. I love the way sheep talk! It was such fun listening to the boys making sheep noises too.


Many of the sheep were pregnant. A few of the sheep had just delivered and had little new born lambs with them. And there were a bunch of "spring" lambs as well. 




Probably the most exciting and terrifying part of the adventure was when the man finished sheering a sheep he let it hop off the platform and run all the way to the back of the barn before it was corralled. Wow, a freshly sheered sheep running right past you through the barn you're standing in... adrenaline rush much?


They had a few local artisan's there showing how to spin wool into thread. The boys got to touch the wool that had just come off a sheep. It was so thick and soft and, well, awesome!
That's a huge bag of freshly sheered wool behind them.

Well, today goes down in the books as no spend day 20 for the year. I REALLY wanted to buy a pair of $35 handmade wool socks at the farm. They were beautifully colored; how I imagine Joseph's coat of many colors must have looked. They were made from the very sheep wool we were watching being sheered (not that they were made right while we were standing there but the wool was from those sheep at that farm). I mean, how cool is that? And my feet are virtually always cold. But $35. Maybe I'll save up for them. Not today.




This field trip exceeded my expectations. The boys had a great new experience. My friend and I really enjoyed ourselves with them. I learned a few things. I dare say little Abe learned a bit more than me. And I did not spend any money : ) Yes, that's always a highlight for me.

Average daily spending for 2015: $18.21
$291.41 left to spend in March

9 comments:

  1. That sounds like so Much fun. Congrats on having the willpower to resist spending. I love days like that, where my family has a fun day together without spending anything. It makes me feel like I've really accomplished something, entertaining my kids for free.

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    1. Thanks! I know. Anytime we're able to have a wonderful adventure and not spend any money is, haha, priceless! This adventure was really neat.

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  2. It doesn't sound much fun for the sheep if they are getting sheared while there's still snow around! I'm glad you and Abe had fun though.

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    1. A LOT of snow too! I think the farm must sheer them the same time every year regardless. It's supposed to be above freezing all this week though! A hugely anticipated break in this frigid cold. Woohoo!!!

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  3. Oh, that look like it was so much fun!!! My daughter used to live in New Zealand and the family she lived with had sheep (just as pets basically), and when we visited we loved going out there and just petting them....they are so docile!!!

    So glad you guys had such a great time!!!

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    1. It was great! The farmer was telling us that the sheep are really docile. I don't think she'd have let them run through the barn with a bunch of kids in it if they weren't such docile animals. Sheep are really cool!

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    2. I have a friend that lives in New Zealand. That must have been so neat visiting your daughter there! It looks like such a beautiful place!

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  4. New Zealand was wonderful and absolutely beautiful but honestly, I wish we had spent more time in Australia - we were only there a week and didn't have nearly enough time to do everything we wanted to do!!! Some day.....

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  5. I grew up on a hobby farm but no sheep. We always begged to get some. It sounds like a great way to spend a Saturday.

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