Skirting the wool – cleaning it in preparation for going to the mill – is one of the sweetest of our farm tasks, especially on a  crisp and beautiful summer day, a relief from the scorching heat wave. .Maria sells the wool for yarn, and when it’s cleaned, we take it to Vermont for processing into skeins of wool and roving.

Maria is dying the yarn this year, all sorts of engaging colors. Fate supervises. It is one of our favorite chores.