Stone Barns Sheep Shearing Fest

Above photo, courtesy of Ben Hider Photography

For over eleven years, Stone Barns has been operating just around the corner from where we live in Westchester, NY. In all of those years, I haven't found myself visiting one of their agricultural festivals or events. Not even the world famous Blue Hill restaurant, that has existed within Stone Barns' walls since it opened, could successfully draw me to its acreage. Oh, the shame...

Well, a very generous invitation from my friend Ben Hider solved all that and showed me what I had been missing.

Stone Barns is 80 acres of non-profit educational farmland, producing large varieties of organic agriculture and livestock now serving a large co-op, community and thriving restaurant.

Throughout the year, various festivities are planned to highlight the farm's seasonal calendar. This past weekend was the Sheep Shearing Fest when all the farm's sheep are clipped of their wool and readied for the warm Summer months.

Above photo, courtesy of Ben Hider Photography

The most surprising thing about the shearing was seeing how docile the sheep were. No struggling or complaining, they were clearly ready to have their winter coats removed.