More than a Makeover Students at Green Chimneys understand that preparing sheep for summer isn’t just for looks – it’s about maintaining the overall health and vitality of the sheep population here on the Brewster campus.
Sheep Shearing Day is an annual spring event during which students and staff gather to see firsthand how –and why– sheep are freed of their thick wool coats.With a professional shearer Donald Kading at the ready, along with veterinarian Dr. Jennifer Enger of the Mid-Hudson Veterinary Practice, more than 30 sheep receive haircuts, hoof trims, vaccinations and additional preventative care. Green Chimneys farm staff, and a few student volunteers, lead the herd and support every step of the process. This year, artisanal spinner Jean Collignon demonstrates how wool is spun into yarn. And our “Knit Wits,” Green Chimneys staff and fellow knitting hobbyists, teach crochet to students and staff alike.
Caring for Others Students at Green Chimneys benefit from a curriculum which embraces connections to the natural world. During Sheep Shearing Day, students witness how our sheep, whom they help care for throughout the year, receive the specific grooming and medical attention required for sheep to thrive. Students have developed bonds with these sheep, along with some of the 300+ animals which reside at Green Chimneys. And through caring for animals, children learn key coping and life skills which better prepare them not just for the summer, but for the rest of their lives.
Watch a video: A welcome message from our Farm & Wildlife Director, Michael Kaufmann
Explore more photos: More sheep, more shearing, more to see...
