Each Spring, after weeks of daily plodding out to the barns with my basket-o-brushes, there's always a point when I know I'm on the long, slow, downhill side of the annual cashmere harvest.
 |
| I haven't found a feasible alternative to these giant ziploc bags. But at least I reuse them, as you see by the elegant labels. |
People are often surprised to hear how long this process stretches out. I have only a small herd, but the variability in shedding is extreme. Acer always starts shedding in February; Dara has just begun and April is nearly over!
Right now, some goats are functionally "done" and will just need one or two quick clean-up combing sessions so the last of the undercoat will be off and fresh air and sun can get to their skin. Like Sambucus here:
But there are some goats who will still need more hours of careful combing despite already having been thoroughly combed at least three times. Case in point: Azalea.
It takes a lot of very gentle work with a slicker brush to remove loose cashmere without tugging on this long, thick topcoat. It took over an hour working on just her left side (above) to get to the point where a rake would run smoothly through her coat:
And as you see, it's still picking up a few wisps of cashmere.
A few days after a thorough combing, Azalea will look like the top photograph all over again, and we'll have another session. I'll be collecting less cashmere next time, but she is still carrying quite a bit.
Betula is another long-coated goat. We've worked very hard this year, Bet and I, to harvest as much of his cashmere as possible. But now he is dropping the remainder so fast that it immediately becomes a matted layer trapped in his topcoat. I'll keep working to get it off, but more for health and comfort than for useful fiber. This is all discarded fiber from one combing of Betula this week:
With the harvest drawing slowly to a close, I'm already starting to think about knitting again. The past couple of years I've had to put all WIPs aside when the combing starts, because even though my mind misses the restful quality of knitting, my hands can only take so much in one day. This year, that meant a pair of nearly-finished socks has been waiting since February for toes.
Soon, socks. Soon.
Right, Azalea?
~~~~~
So much work - but the combing has to become meditative after awhile I would think. Probably meditative for both you AND the goats! Now....what do you do with the fleece? Sell it??
ReplyDeleteWell, not quite meditative. Not like grooming horses can be - that can be very soothing and I've practically put one or two horses to sleep brushing them! But with combing most of my goats, I'd compare it more to those people who get called in to defuse WWII explosives.
DeleteHoly crow. Sounds like you risk life and limb!
DeleteWell, it depends on the goat, and there are some that I would feel comfortable letting someone else comb (if only!). But they are strong animals given to very sudden and "explosive" action. Not that they are trying to hurt me - they are just critters with a strong opinion about how their time should be spent ;)
DeleteSo much work! And what a difference between shaggy and not shaggy. I bet they're happy being all groomed out.
ReplyDeleteThat's what I keep telling them! "I'll bet you're going to feel SO MUCH BETTER when we're done!" I say, during every session! And I believe they do :)
DeleteThat sounds like so much work. Do the goats like being combed? I sure hope that your body tolerates so much time combing. It sure is amazing to see the change to a goat's coat after being combed out!
ReplyDeleteI have to pace myself, which is a big part of why the whole process becomes the focus of my daily routine for such a long time. But there's a certain satisfaction in carrying on and seeing them all looking healthy and growing into their Spring/Summer outfits :)
DeleteI spun cashmere at a workshop a few years ago and loved it. Glad you shared how much time and energy is required to harvest. Whew! :-o
ReplyDeleteI wish you would come over here and spin some of mine :) Do you use a drop spindle or a wheel? There are always spinners at fairs around here but I've never seen anyone spin cashmere - I wonder if it is really tricky or extra-laborious because of the short fibers?
Delete