As NZ has an extended holiday over new year it has been difficult to get visits arranged for this week. I thought that this would not affect farmers, however even farmers take holidays over here! If they are not on holiday they are really busy weaning. Therefore I decided to do some tourist things and found an old woolshed with original, 100 + year old farm/wool equipment which explained the history of wool and sheep in NZ very well. The owner was also very helpful and he answered a lot of my questions. I felt that I learnt a lot about the sheep industry in NZ and how its got to where it is today with the various breeds. However Romney's are still the dominant breed in NZ by a long way. There is great detail in this wool shed on how the wool is sorted. Wool is not sorted to the same extent as it used to be, but it is still sorted and bales labeled CRT (Crutching), LBS (lambs wool), E/S (Ewe’s wool), NKS (Neck wool), B/S (Belly wool), 2/S (second shear). We discussed frequency of shearing and he said most shear ewes every 8 months and lambs at 5 months. We also discussed sheep diseases and in particular facial eczema.
He also had a pet possum which led to discussing the problems they cause. He said the biggest problem is they carry TB and damage trees. This was definitely the most interesting informative shed I have been in and a great way of educating the general public and the displays were fascinating from various shearing equipment to pictures of old saleyards, various wool types, wool insulation, posters of the beef and lamb cuts and information on farms in the area. As well as a range of animals, various sheep breeds, pigs, sheep dog and a possum. 
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