One at a time, once a year, the 13 purebred sheep living at the Will-O-Wool Sheep Farm in Callicoon are rounded up and sheared in preparation for the spring weather. This year, that day came on Sunday morning, March 9, in 27 degree temperature.

With the assistance of master shearer Jim Powers, shepherdess Gail Carbone collected the bakers’ dozen worth of clouds of wool and prepped them to be shipped off down to Virginia for processing.

Since 2007, Will-O-Wool Sheep Farm, located at 153 Gabel Rd., has been repeating this process – giving way to the creation of various woolen products. After making the trip south, Gail says that the material is used to make yarn, roving and felt, among other finished products.

The sheep’s ages range between 3 and 14. Depending on the size and age of the animal, it could produce between four to seven pounds or more of wool per year.