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Farm
Diary
Working on a farm occupies
your time 24 hours a day, 7 days
a week. A sheep farmer never has
a day
off. He
knows busy days and
extremely busy days. It is hard to
get away from it all, as animals
need care every day, all year round.
John
and Anne Kissane are very lucky that
John’s brother sometimes stays
on the farm to look after the sheep
and dogs, so they can go on a short
break or holiday.
As the seasons in Ireland
change, so does the work of a sheep farmer.
In this farm diary you can read about
the work during the four main seasons
we enjoy in Ireland: Autumn, Winter, Spring, and Summer. |
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John
with three of his hard-working sheep dogs.
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Long
Days in Shearing Season
At daybreak, we rise to go into the mountains and
gather the sheep. It normally takes 3-4 hours to round up the sheep
in a certain area and bring them to the farm. Rounding up the sheep
in the mountains is a difficult job. John often takes 4 dogs to help
him, Anne brings another dog. Together with a colleague, we manage
to bring in 100-150 sheep each time.
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John
shears a sheep with the help of a colleague.
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Once the sheep and
lambs are in, the shearing starts. We shear
our sheep once a year. At the same time,
we vaccinate them against several diseases.
The lambs are not sheared the first year.
We give them a dipping bath to protect them
from flies, ticks, and fleas. After the shearing
and the bath, the mothers and lambs return
to the mountains. That is where they feel
happy and at home.
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Kissane
Sheep Farm
John, Anne & Sean Kissane
Moll's Gap
Kenmare, Co. Kerry
Ireland
Tel +353 64 66 34791
info@adopt-a-sheep.ie |
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