DlG—Lancaster Farming, Saturday, June 23,1984 Pa. Sheep and Wool Growers hold field day BY BARBARA RADER Growers Field Day, held on June 2, STAFF Correspondent featured something for everyone. MERCER Attracting Morning activities included shepherds from New York and demonstrations on docking, Ohio, as well as Pennsylvania, this castration, drenching, age year’s Pa. Sheep and Wool determination, foot care and conclusion of the wool show. Shorn from a registered Corriedate ewe, the fleece was also the winner in the purebred medium fleece category. This “Little 80-Peep is Andrea isser Mid dletown, Ohio, with Danielle, her registered Suffolk ewe iamb. The pair placed fifth in the lead class junior division. Contestants in the lead line classes at the Field Day are, (left to right): Gayle Clyde, first, junior div.; Kelly Unger, second, senior div.; Cathy Dean, fourth, senior; Jodi Dean, third, senior; Sue McClelland, first, senior; Kim Osborne, fifth, senior; Cheryl Ferguson, fourth, junior; Kim Orr, third, junior; Andrea Musser, fifth, junior; Amy Musser, second, junior. treatment, vaccination, sheep shearing and wool grading. All in attendance enjoyed ex changing ideas, and numerous displays and exhibits provided an abundance of sheep products and equipment. At noon a lamb dinner was served, followed by a program entitled, “Profitable and In novative Sheep Production”, presented by Charles Boyles, manager of the Southeastern Ohio Resource Development Center located in Caldwell. Throughout the day door prizes donated by 15 of the commercial exhibitors were given away. Prizes were also awarded to winners of the shearing contest, wool show and lead line classes. The competition’s top shearer was Dale McMillen, age 16, of Sugargrove. A member of the Shamrock Sheep Club, Dale has been raising and showing his registered Homed Dorsets for the past seven years. He also joined the Spindle Spinners two years ago and is now a wool spinner. As judge of the wool show, Penn State sheep specialist Clair Engle had his work cut out for him, with producers presenting 35 fleeces to be judged in purebred and com mercial categories. Engle selected a fleece entered by New Castle resident Linda Mosley as the overall grand champion. Mosley’s Corriedale fleece was also judged the best of medium purebred division. Joining the Mercer County Handspinners and Weavers five years ago led Linda to try her hand at sheep raising one year later. She now owns six registered Corriedales along with one black Corriedale ram, and is a member of the Youngstown Area Weavers Guild in Ohio. Mosley also enjoys raising Angora goats and rabbits for wool. Darlene Olson’s purebred Suf folk fleece was selected as both the reserve champion and winner in the commercial medium wool division. A Claysville resident, Olson is a past president of the Washington County Sheep and Wool Growers Auxiliary and is currently serving as the group’s wool promotion chairman. Concluding the day’s activities was the lead line competition. Clad in wool fashions, the girls presented their fitted and halter trained yearling ewes or lambs in junior and senior categories. Judging was based on control, presentation and appearance of the sheep, as well as the con testant’s outfit. Extra points were awarded to those wearing wool or wool-blend clothing. Lawrence County resident Gayle Clyde and her Suffolk ewe was named junior division winner. Others placing in the junior competition were; second, Amy Musser, New Middletown, Ohio; third, Kim Orr, Kinsman, Ohio; » V 5“ . Dale McMillen of Sugargrove took sheep shearing honors at the Pa. Sheep and Wool Growers Field Day held at Mercer 4- H Park on June 2. fourth, Cheryl Ferguson, Cathy Dean, New Castle; fifth, Fredonla; fifth, Christine Calvert, Kim Osborne. Mercer; sixth, Andrea Musser, The Field Day’s chairman was New Middletown, Ohio. Taylor Cotton, a director of the First place in the senior division Mercer County Sheep and Wool went to Sue McClelland of Growers Association. Lending Sagertown and her Hampshire assistance to the chairman was the ewe. Other senior winners were: Field Day committee, including second, Kelly Unger, Clinton; third County Association president, Lee and fourth respectively, Jodie and Mahoney. Two veteran spinners choose a different way BY BARBARA RADER Staff Correspondent Two ladies, young at heart, showcased their old and unusual spinning techniques at the Pa. Sheep Field Day held at Mercer 4- H Park on June 2. Sophia Dorfia and Anna F. McClimans, both of Greenville, are charter members of the Mercer County Spinners and Weavers Guild. Sophia, who fled from Germany with her family, chooses to spin her wool with a handcarved distaff believed to have been crafted in Romania over 100 years ago. After using her distaff for the past 65 years, Sophia finds that she can Anna McClimans' old Irish techniques even put maggots to work. M<V’ >< spin faster with the tool than with a conventional spinning wheel. The vest she is wearing in the above photo is one example of what Sophia and her disstaff can ac complish. Anna McClimans began her spinning career 33 years ago at the age of 40. Wanting to employ the techniques of her Irish ancestors, Anna worked with the fleeces from her Cheviots to make a sweater for her great grandson. Collecting 20 gallons of raw goats milk, she submerged five bags of wool in the milk for four weeks. By this time, the wool was infested Dl7)
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