Yarns from the farm
Share in the moments of joy and sorrow, frustration and hilarity as I learn to grow the finest wool in the world in the most sustainable way I can.
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Pastoral Care: Lambing
The term pastoral care literally traces back to ‘the shepherd’s care’ — feeding, protecting, and guiding sheep. When Christianity adopted the metaphor of shepherding, pastoral care became metaphorically the care of people, first spiritually and then more broadly for their whole wellbeing. During a recent discussion on pastoral care for humans I realised I’ve come full circle with the term: pastoral care perfectly describes how I manage my flock: feeding, protecting and guiding my sheep. it was a lovely epiphany, not least because it is such an encompassing concept, describing the many and diverse strategies I employ to maximise the wellbeing of my flock.
Shearing Marathon
Note to self: you need to change your mindset well before shearing next year. Let this be your reminder to practice staying in the present moment almost all the time, rather than just occasionally. If you don’t, you will, at the very least, leave a critical gate open and lose your sheep into the back country when you really, really don’t want them there, and don’t have the time to gather them back into the fold. There was a lot of swearing, none of it particularly inventive, when I did precisely that two days ago on my fifth straight day, and 7th out of a total of 12 days of shearing.
Truth or Consequences: Disinformation, misinformation and you
Is the following claim, made in early January of this year, true? ‘Zinc supplements can protect against COVID-19; zinc kills the virus, and zinc ionophores are a zinc delivery system that allows zinc to go from outside the cell to inside the cell.’
Although it’s plausible, it’s unsupported by any evidence in humans. It is being promoted online by a family physician, Vladimir Zelenko, who is selling a dietary supplement called Z-Stack.
Slow Wool
Let’s face it: sheep are slow. Not their mental acuity, which is sharp as a tack in their proper cultural milieu. I’m referring to their preferred speed of locomotion, which is a saunter, at best. Until recently, though, my concept of slow wool was confined to the need for me to slow down to sheep time, which is essentially endless, and to go with the flow of wind and topography as the flock chose its preferred direction of saunter. This winter, though, I’ve added a whole new layer to slow wool—I bought an upright shearing platform.
Itty Bitty Spaceships
On the steep hillside near the western boundary of my property, and visible from the highway as you travel south from Oatlands, is a village of small plastic domes. When they first went up, I used to think they looked like extra-terrestrial vehicles just the right size for a baby Yoda. In fact, they are part of an international research program looking at the effects of climate change on native pastures in many locations around the world. The Tasmanian component of the program is run by Prof Mark Hovenden and his team from the University of Tasmania.
All is Well
All is well, all is well.
Angels and men rejoice
For tonight darkness fell into the dawn of love’s light.
Sing alleluia.
—Michael Smith
I’ve never felt particularly religious, but then I’ve never felt particularly political, either, until the last couple of years. However, I’ve always loved classical music inspired by faith, particularly the beautiful choral works for Christmas. This year the leader of our small choir (retired professional pianist Roslyn) taught us a carol I’d not heard before, and its reassuring message found a home in my heart, helping to me to stand fast against the feelings of anxiety and helplessness that seem to pervade the daily news.
