The shearing of a Nanaimo senior害羞草研究所檚 sheep was a neighbourhood affair last week, attracting family friends to see their first shearing, a neighbour害羞草研究所檚 hand to help out and, of course, a professional shearer needed to make it happen.

害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檓 going to give them all a pair of scissors and we害羞草研究所檒l be done in a minute,害羞草研究所� 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害羞草研究所檚 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害羞草研究所檛 why Wytinck does it 害羞草研究所� it害羞草研究所檚 the holistic benefits that keep her farming even after her husband害羞草研究所檚 death in March. She said she doesn害羞草研究所檛 know what the long-term future may hold, but for now she害羞草研究所檚 keeping the farm going.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 a good, healthy life and you feed well and you keep active,害羞草研究所� Wytinck said. 害羞草研究所淲e make a certain amount of profit, but the inputs always exceeds your output it seems in farming.害羞草研究所�

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The flock require about three hours of work a day. Wytinck said it害羞草研究所檚 mostly comprised of keeping the holding pens clean, with a bit of time toward feeding the animals grain and hay.

害羞草研究所淵our biggest thing is having safe perimeter fences, number one. The next thing us having divided pastures,害羞草研究所� she said. 害羞草研究所淯nfortunately when you害羞草研究所檙e like me who is no good at fence building it害羞草研究所檚 pretty difficult because all 害羞草研究所� lifestock can be difficult on fencing. Especially Beanie害羞草研究所檚 mother over there, Beanita.害羞草研究所�

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.

害羞草研究所淲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,害羞草研究所� Wytinck said. 害羞草研究所淭hese are a hill breed, therefore it害羞草研究所檚 not a wool you wear next to your skin, it害羞草研究所檚 an outer.害羞草研究所�

With wool comes the need for an annual shearing.

A fellow wool producer, Tomsin has spent the last 57 years shearing sheep 害羞草研究所減regnant or otherwise害羞草研究所� 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 害羞草研究所渉uge decrease害羞草研究所� of sheep and cattle farms in the past number of years.

害羞草研究所淭he economics of feed production has been really hard hard because the animals eat 害羞草研究所榵害羞草研究所� amount of hay per day or feed and it害羞草研究所檚 so expensive,害羞草研究所� 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.

害羞草研究所淭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害羞草研究所檙e without money for certain months. So people are always working a job.害羞草研究所�

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.

害羞草研究所淲ith a purebred animal you are reproducing, maintaining the character, but you know that the offspring, that害羞草研究所檚 what you害羞草研究所檙e going to get,害羞草研究所� Wytinck said. 害羞草研究所淚nto totally producing meat, you害羞草研究所檙e definitely going to need to cross breeds and that will give you a higher percentage of meat most times.害羞草研究所�

With the urbanization of Nanaimo, she said she believes she will be the last to run the farm since she can害羞草研究所檛 imagine the agricultural zoning will be granted to the property again if it害羞草研究所檚 ever lost.

害羞草研究所淚t will die when I die or leave it,害羞草研究所� she said.