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Spring Means Shaving Sheep At Philipsburg Manor In Sleepy Hollow

SLEEPY HOLLOW, NY (WCBS 880) - At Philipsburg Manor in Sleepy Hollow, it's life on the farm in 1750. So, with spring comes time to shear the sheep.

WCBS 880's Catherine Cioffi: The Festival Is This Weekend

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Historic Hudson Valley's Rob Schweitzer explains their annual "Sheep-to-Shawl" festival is a great way to show your kids how cloth is made, because once the sheep are shaved their hair will be spun into yarn and then made into wool.

"It's our kick-off for spring and it's when our shaggy sheep lose their winter coats," says Schweitzer.

LINK: Detailed Sheep-to-Shawl Schedule

Since it's supposed to be 1750, that means the sheep are, of course, shaved by hand.

"It's a hands-on experience. You rarely think about 'where do textiles come from?' It's a way of getting in touch with that and that's, I think, important from a historical perspective, but also contemporary as well," says Schweitzer. "Where does the shirt that I'm wearing come from? What is the actual process. It's a way of getting in touch with that."

They also have twelve newborn lambs for your kids (and you) to check out!

The Sheep-to-Shawl runs from April 16 to April 17. Admission is as follows: adult: $12, senior (62 +): $10, child (5-17): $6, members + children under 5: free.

Philipsburg Manor is located at 381 N. Broadway (Route 9), Sleepy Hollow, NY 10591

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