[Jacob-list] cleaning dirty fleece

[gordon johnston]

Hi Lia
It is worth trying to deal with the management issues, as picking veg matter out of fleeces is, as you are finding, extremely time consuming and fiddly.
It sounds as if there are two problems here - mud and veg matter.  
Before each sheep is shorn, pick it over thoroughly, as it is often easier to remove veg matter before shearing.  
In the past round here (in Scotland UK) the sheep were walked through deep running water two days before shearing to clean them up and allow time to dry - this would get out a lot of the mud, but it does require a stream...! (which we do not have).
We shear in June or July and, even if we have had a wet and muddy winter, there is usually a dry , breezy spell in early summer so the mud on the wool dries before shearing.  Some of it drops off in the wind, some when the sheep shake themselves.
 After shearing, spread each fleece out on a large board or piece of mesh and give it a good battering or shaking.  This will remove most of the soil and some of the veg matter and the fleece itself will not fall to pieces, although it will open out. 
Next, I would skirt it very thoroughly, as others have said, discarding all the neck pieces (such a shame as that is usually good wool, but nearly always gets spoiled by hay bits) , the britch and any other badly contaminated , coarse or matted areas. To my mind, thistle or gorse spikes ruin a fleece and I would discard the whole thing.
After washing and drying, try shaking again as the grease may have been holding some bits of VM. As others have said, it is best to remove the VM and certainly all soil and sand before carding, picking the individual locks over by hand or using a mechanical picker (oh if only I could afford one of those). If you find any left in the batt after carding, hand pick it.  When spinning, pick out any remaining bits as you go.  When plying, ditto.  If you feel any little spikes as you knit up your yarn, pick them out.  And finally, when you are wearing your sweater, pick out any bits still left in - that can provide months of fun :-)
Good Luck
Juliet
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