The shearing of a Nanaimo senior香蕉视频直播檚 sheep was a neighbourhood affair last week, attracting family friends to see their first shearing, a neighbour香蕉视频直播檚 hand to help out and, of course, a professional shearer needed to make it happen.

香蕉视频直播淚香蕉视频直播檓 going to give them all a pair of scissors and we香蕉视频直播檒l be done in a minute,香蕉视频直播� joked shearer Lorea Tomsin as one of the ewes was brought out.

Deborah Wytinck, 75, wanted to be a farmer since she was nine. In the late 1970s she and her late husband Don arrived in Nanaimo and began raising their livestock, dubbed coneygeers flock.

At its height, the couple had a hundred north country cheviot breeding ewes, but now it香蕉视频直播檚 just four: Beanie, Beanita, BWX and GGW. The sheep are bred for lambs which then are either sold to larger operations or used for mutton.

But the money isn香蕉视频直播檛 why Wytinck does it 香蕉视频直播� it香蕉视频直播檚 the holistic benefits that keep her farming even after her husband香蕉视频直播檚 death in March. She said she doesn香蕉视频直播檛 know what the long-term future may hold, but for now she香蕉视频直播檚 keeping the farm going.

香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 a good, healthy life and you feed well and you keep active,香蕉视频直播� Wytinck said. 香蕉视频直播淲e make a certain amount of profit, but the inputs always exceeds your output it seems in farming.香蕉视频直播�

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The flock require about three hours of work a day. Wytinck said it香蕉视频直播檚 mostly comprised of keeping the holding pens clean, with a bit of time toward feeding the animals grain and hay.

香蕉视频直播淵our biggest thing is having safe perimeter fences, number one. The next thing us having divided pastures,香蕉视频直播� she said. 香蕉视频直播淯nfortunately when you香蕉视频直播檙e like me who is no good at fence building it香蕉视频直播檚 pretty difficult because all 香蕉视频直播� lifestock can be difficult on fencing. Especially Beanie香蕉视频直播檚 mother over there, Beanita.香蕉视频直播�

In the past, the unprocessed wool would be sold for processing in Duncan, but with the mill no longer in operation there, it has to be sent off Island.

香蕉视频直播淲e used to sell the very best to hand spinners. In fact, we still do, but not to the same degree since it takes a lot of time and effort,香蕉视频直播� Wytinck said. 香蕉视频直播淭hese are a hill breed, therefore it香蕉视频直播檚 not a wool you wear next to your skin, it香蕉视频直播檚 an outer.香蕉视频直播�

With wool comes the need for an annual shearing.

A fellow wool producer, Tomsin has spent the last 57 years shearing sheep 香蕉视频直播減regnant or otherwise香蕉视频直播� visiting farms throughout Cedar, Courtenay, Sechelt and other places.

Along with a cut, she gives each an oral boost of de-wormer, and the young get their ear identification tags, done similarly to a piercing.

Tomsin said she has seen a 香蕉视频直播渉uge decrease香蕉视频直播� of sheep and cattle farms in the past number of years.

香蕉视频直播淭he economics of feed production has been really hard hard because the animals eat 香蕉视频直播榵香蕉视频直播� amount of hay per day or feed and it香蕉视频直播檚 so expensive,香蕉视频直播� she said.

According to Tomsin, a producer needs a large number of animals if they want to turn a profit, and even then they may need an additional income.

香蕉视频直播淭he reality is, in agriculture in Canada, almost every farm has an outside worker, a person bringing in money, but what I call that is cash flow throughout the year. To be waiting for harvest at certain times of the year means you香蕉视频直播檙e without money for certain months. So people are always working a job.香蕉视频直播�

This is why Wytinck said she and Don began focusing on purebreds. Last year they sold a set of triplets for $6,000, but Wytinck warned not all lambs go that well.

香蕉视频直播淲ith a purebred animal you are reproducing, maintaining the character, but you know that the offspring, that香蕉视频直播檚 what you香蕉视频直播檙e going to get,香蕉视频直播� Wytinck said. 香蕉视频直播淚nto totally producing meat, you香蕉视频直播檙e definitely going to need to cross breeds and that will give you a higher percentage of meat most times.香蕉视频直播�

With the urbanization of Nanaimo, she said she believes she will be the last to run the farm since she can香蕉视频直播檛 imagine the agricultural zoning will be granted to the property again if it香蕉视频直播檚 ever lost.

香蕉视频直播淚t will die when I die or leave it,香蕉视频直播� she said.