My fiancé is rarely impressed with my manliness. Not that living in a Brooklyn brownstone requires an overwhelming amount of machismo. But somehow, she is less impressed with my metro sexual wardrobe, taste in white wine, and ability to prepare Tiradito, than the few occasions where I primitively fend for myself. If I had known impressing women would be as easy as chopping wood, wearing the same clothes for three days, and smelling like fire….well I could have saved myself a lot of time and money.
This isn’t to say that I’m not highly focused on my own self reliance, (as much as a urbanite can be) but somehow gardening, canning, and soap making while impressive to me, don’t seem to be held in as high of regard as activities involving dirt, sweat, and firearms.
Now while my family’s upstate hunting cabin does provide ample opportunity for these displays of rugged testosterone, as well as insight into my neurosis as I plan to take it off grid…..our infrequent visits there have rendered the idea of keeping livestock….well mute.
So when my sister in law asked if I wanted to attend the annual sheep shearing at her parents’ home, I jumped at the opportunity. Now to set the stage, the house is more Martha Stewart than Malboro man, but when it comes to manliness, her Italian born father, easily 30 years my senior, with the energy of a 17 year old, and the grip of a mountain gorilla, ranks pretty high on the list.
While most lamb are slaughtered before they reach six months of age, you can’t get lamb without properly caring for adult sheep, something my brother and I realized might be slightly more difficult than planned as we cornered and attempted to capture the first 200 pound Hampshire ewe. Let’s be honest, it wasn’t pretty, and I felt a bit like a citiot, but by the time we got to the second, much smaller Dorset, we pseudo had it down. I am not sure if I was more help or hindrance, but I suppose I’ll know if my invitation does not arrive next year….either way, at the end of the weekend, I can say, I sheared sheep….what the hell did you do?
Following the wishes of my sister in law’s sister in law, the below is not in fact a recipe for lamb, but a very animal friendly veggie burger, that wasn’t half bad.
