Demand sees the return of traditional blade shearing

Although hard on the muscles, hand shears appeal to the growing number of smallholders who keep a few sheep as part of an effort to get back to the land.

The greening of the British consciousness and the revival of enthusiasm for traditional skills have also contributed to the fashion for blades.

Announcing a series of blade-shearing courses this summer, the British Wool Marketing Board in Bradford said: “For people who own smaller flocks, the most obvious advantage is having the ability to shear in their own time, without being at the mercy of machine-shearing contractors, who can be notoriously hard to get hold of.

“It costs less than £30 for a pair of blade shears, compared to over £1,000 for an electric machine and all the paraphernalia that goes with it. Also, as there is no setting-up involved, work can be done when it suits. Many people with flocks of up to 30 just do one sheep per day.”

The board has had to reach into Scotland and Wales for instructors because blade shearing is now only commonly used on sheep running very high ground, which might need a trim without losing all the protection in their fleeces.

The picture is from the Lochearnhead Shears, the annual Scottish Blackface Shearing Championships. The two-day BWMB courses will run in May and June, costing £150 and VAT.

Organiser for the north of England and Scotland is Donna Mackenzie – [email protected] – but Yorkshire dates have not been fixed yet.

One expert, 59-year-old John Till of Porthmadog, said: “With hand-shearing, you can do one today and one tomorrow, wherever you like.”

Lambing day at Askham Bryan College tomorrow is an open day in the middle of the college flock’s lambing season, so there is a good chance of seeing births.

Otherwise, the college has prepared for several thousand visitors by laying on tractor rides, demonstrations of cow milking, butchery, spinning and weaving, a farmers’ market and a picnic area.

Gates open 10-4. Entry is £5 for adults, free for under-16s.