Sheep were an important commodity to George Washington at Mount Vernon, and our livestock team keeps the history alive of their role to this day. They raise and breed Hog Island sheep, a breed similar to those Washington kept.
Wool keeps sheep warm during the winter, but it was sheared to make clothes and blankets in the colonies.
Today, Mount Vernon uses hand shears made by the same English company that made Washington's shears. The process takes between 20 and 40 minutes for each sheep depending on the amount of wool.
Join us as one of our livestock team members shears a sheep!