The Sheep Shearing School is wrapping up at the UW Sheep Unit in Arlington. The Sheep Unit is a part of the Arlington Agricultural Research Station. It consists of 50 acres and two main barns. The barns house 300 head of mature ewes and their lambs. And this week, the ewes are getting a haircut by about 20 students.
Josh Huber is one of the instructors at the annual Sheep Shearing School. He’s the third generation at Huber Sheep Shearing out of the Wisconsin Dells. Shearing is an art form that’s been passed down through generations in his family. Huber says he’s happy to share this tradition with people interested in the sheep industry.
Huber says the 20 ‘students’ come from all walks of life — ages typically range from high-schoolers to ages 70+ from all over the state. Interest in shearing stems from the fiber arts, beginners in the sheep industry, or people who have commercial flocks who find themselves without a shearer.
Huber says he’s happy with the class size. They fill up every year. Interested in attending? Stay in touch with the UW Sheep Unit on the next course: https://andysci.wisc.edu/about-us/facilities/sheep-unit/
Pictured: student carrying a bucket of wool; ewes waiting in line for a haircut; Josh Huber instructing student; Stephanie Hoff tries her hand at shearing a sheep; two students practice shearing; students line up in the barn in pairs to shear; student unloading bucket of wool into bag; UW Sheep Unit sign
