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- Demonstrating Blade-Shearing of Merino Sheep in Greenfield Village, May 2005 - Heavy coats of fine wool made Merino sheep a popular breed among nineteenth-century wool producers. Every spring, shearers carefully navigated blade shears to remove each sheep's thick fleece -- a process that could take several hours. More than a century later, presenters demonstrate this labor-intensive blade-shearing process at Firestone Farm in Greenfield Village.
- May 01, 2005
- Collections - Artifact
Demonstrating Blade-Shearing of Merino Sheep in Greenfield Village, May 2005
Heavy coats of fine wool made Merino sheep a popular breed among nineteenth-century wool producers. Every spring, shearers carefully navigated blade shears to remove each sheep's thick fleece -- a process that could take several hours. More than a century later, presenters demonstrate this labor-intensive blade-shearing process at Firestone Farm in Greenfield Village.
- Demonstrating Blade-Shearing of Merino Sheep in Greenfield Village, April 2010 - Heavy coats of fine wool made Merino sheep a popular breed among nineteenth-century wool producers. Every spring, shearers carefully navigated blade shears to remove each sheep's thick fleece -- a process that could take several hours. More than a century later, presenters demonstrate this labor-intensive blade-shearing process at Firestone Farm in Greenfield Village.
- April 29, 2010
- Collections - Artifact
Demonstrating Blade-Shearing of Merino Sheep in Greenfield Village, April 2010
Heavy coats of fine wool made Merino sheep a popular breed among nineteenth-century wool producers. Every spring, shearers carefully navigated blade shears to remove each sheep's thick fleece -- a process that could take several hours. More than a century later, presenters demonstrate this labor-intensive blade-shearing process at Firestone Farm in Greenfield Village.
- Lanolin in Wool from Merino Sheep-Shearing, Greenfield Village, April 2010 - The skin of Merino sheep secretes an excess of lanolin. Clumps of this protective waxy substance often remain in the fleece after shearing. A warm, soapy wash of the fleece removes lanolin, along with dirt and matted wool, before raw wool is processed into yarn or fabric.
- April 30, 2010
- Collections - Artifact
Lanolin in Wool from Merino Sheep-Shearing, Greenfield Village, April 2010
The skin of Merino sheep secretes an excess of lanolin. Clumps of this protective waxy substance often remain in the fleece after shearing. A warm, soapy wash of the fleece removes lanolin, along with dirt and matted wool, before raw wool is processed into yarn or fabric.
- Skirting the Wool Fleece from Merino Sheep-Shearing Demonstration, Greenfield Village, April 2010 - Heavy, yet fine fleeces made Merino sheep a popular breed among nineteenth-century wool producers. Every spring, after carefully navigating blade shears to cut away each sheep's thick fleece, farmers removed especially dirty or coarse sections of wool. This process, called skirting, helped maximize profit, as farmers and wool buyers negotiated a price per pound of wool based on fleece quality.
- April 30, 2010
- Collections - Artifact
Skirting the Wool Fleece from Merino Sheep-Shearing Demonstration, Greenfield Village, April 2010
Heavy, yet fine fleeces made Merino sheep a popular breed among nineteenth-century wool producers. Every spring, after carefully navigating blade shears to cut away each sheep's thick fleece, farmers removed especially dirty or coarse sections of wool. This process, called skirting, helped maximize profit, as farmers and wool buyers negotiated a price per pound of wool based on fleece quality.
- Preparing the Wool Fleece for Weighing, Merino Sheep-Shearing Demonstration at Greenfield Village, April 2010 - Heavy coats of valuable wool made Merino sheep a popular breed among nineteenth-century wool producers. Every spring, shearers carefully navigated blade shears to remove each sheep's fleece by hand. Shearing as much usable wool as possible was key to maximizing profit, as farmers and wool buyers negotiated a price per pound of wool.
- April 30, 2010
- Collections - Artifact
Preparing the Wool Fleece for Weighing, Merino Sheep-Shearing Demonstration at Greenfield Village, April 2010
Heavy coats of valuable wool made Merino sheep a popular breed among nineteenth-century wool producers. Every spring, shearers carefully navigated blade shears to remove each sheep's fleece by hand. Shearing as much usable wool as possible was key to maximizing profit, as farmers and wool buyers negotiated a price per pound of wool.
- Weighing the Wool Fleece from Merino Sheep-Shearing Demonstration, Greenfield Village, April 2010 - Heavy coats of valuable wool made Merino sheep a popular breed among nineteenth-century wool producers. Every spring, shearers carefully navigated blade shears to remove each sheep's fleece by hand. Shearing as much usable wool as possible was key to maximizing profit, as farmers and wool buyers negotiated a price per pound of wool.
- April 30, 2010
- Collections - Artifact
Weighing the Wool Fleece from Merino Sheep-Shearing Demonstration, Greenfield Village, April 2010
Heavy coats of valuable wool made Merino sheep a popular breed among nineteenth-century wool producers. Every spring, shearers carefully navigated blade shears to remove each sheep's fleece by hand. Shearing as much usable wool as possible was key to maximizing profit, as farmers and wool buyers negotiated a price per pound of wool.
- Henry Ford Museum & Greenfield Village Herald Magazine, 1985, "The Firestone Farm" -
- 1985
- Collections - Artifact
Henry Ford Museum & Greenfield Village Herald Magazine, 1985, "The Firestone Farm"
- Merino Sheep Ready for Shearing at Firestone Farm in Greenfield Village, April 2014 - Nineteenth-century wool producers preferred wrinkled Merino sheep. More skin yielded more wool, which shearers carefully cut away using blade shears. Ultimately, electrically powered mechanical shears became more practical. Shearers operating these much faster tools had difficulty navigating around wrinkles, and farmers began breeding out the now undesirable trait. The Merino sheep at Greenfield Village have been selectively bred back to resemble their wrinkly ancestors.
- April 15, 2014
- Collections - Artifact
Merino Sheep Ready for Shearing at Firestone Farm in Greenfield Village, April 2014
Nineteenth-century wool producers preferred wrinkled Merino sheep. More skin yielded more wool, which shearers carefully cut away using blade shears. Ultimately, electrically powered mechanical shears became more practical. Shearers operating these much faster tools had difficulty navigating around wrinkles, and farmers began breeding out the now undesirable trait. The Merino sheep at Greenfield Village have been selectively bred back to resemble their wrinkly ancestors.
- Demonstrating Blade-Shearing of Merino Sheep in Greenfield Village, April 2010 - Heavy coats of fine wool made Merino sheep a popular breed among nineteenth-century wool producers. Every spring, shearers carefully navigated blade shears to remove each sheep's thick fleece -- a process that could take several hours. More than a century later, presenters demonstrate this labor-intensive blade-shearing process at Firestone Farm in Greenfield Village.
- April 29, 2010
- Collections - Artifact
Demonstrating Blade-Shearing of Merino Sheep in Greenfield Village, April 2010
Heavy coats of fine wool made Merino sheep a popular breed among nineteenth-century wool producers. Every spring, shearers carefully navigated blade shears to remove each sheep's thick fleece -- a process that could take several hours. More than a century later, presenters demonstrate this labor-intensive blade-shearing process at Firestone Farm in Greenfield Village.
- Demonstrating Blade-Shearing of Merino Sheep in Greenfield Village, April 2010 - Heavy coats of fine wool made Merino sheep a popular breed among nineteenth-century wool producers. Every spring, shearers carefully navigated blade shears to remove each sheep's thick fleece -- a process that could take several hours. More than a century later, presenters demonstrate this labor-intensive blade-shearing process at Firestone Farm in Greenfield Village.
- April 29, 2010
- Collections - Artifact
Demonstrating Blade-Shearing of Merino Sheep in Greenfield Village, April 2010
Heavy coats of fine wool made Merino sheep a popular breed among nineteenth-century wool producers. Every spring, shearers carefully navigated blade shears to remove each sheep's thick fleece -- a process that could take several hours. More than a century later, presenters demonstrate this labor-intensive blade-shearing process at Firestone Farm in Greenfield Village.