SheepskinnedThis isn't one of our sheep, but I dare say ours are similar.
Our neighbour was having a few sheep turned into chops and roasts and I asked if I could have a skin to practice preserving hides. I got two!!!
On the shearing course last year all the fellows who had been doing it for a while wore sheepskin moccasins while they were shearing. So that's one outcome planned, also TK could do with a new skin for his bed so that's the other ones plan.
I removed the feet which were still attached, see the bottom of the photo, removed some meat left there, which TK got to try, and then spread salt over the hide. This helps dry it out and preserve it. Next weekend I'll have to scrape it down some more to remove more flesh and it also has to be stretched to break up the remaining muscle/skin fibres to make it more pliable. Also you preserve the hide with alum and washing soda. Also they need a good wash to get all the blood off.
Apparently the sheep had their necks cut then broken.
So now you know where your sheepskin car seats or slippers or jackets come from :)
When I was moving the sheep onto new pasture on Friday, my back was turned and the ram charged through the unenergized wires and knocked me down. I felt like skinning him right then I can tell you.
Other news was that this weekend was the first of two weekends of my training as a "Village Firefighter". This is to do with house, car and gas bottle fires. I've also done my "Advanced Firefighter" training which was basically map reading and pumping scenarios. All very interesting.
