Open day at Wimbledon offers exotic feast for eyes, taste buds

Two of the eight Jacob sheep on Brian Hales' Wimbledon farm which will be shorn during the annual exotic sheep day on Sunday. Photo /supplied

It will be an exotic day out in Wimbledon on Sunday, with a taste of the unique, the swirl of the pipes and even a haggis to sample.

The Hales family are again extending their true country hospitality to visitors to Brian Hales' farm, with family and friends ensuring it will be another day to remember, with entry and hospitality free.

But remember to take your gumboots and a raincoat.

This is the first year Mr Hales has been able to present Jacob sheep for cooking.

Taken to Scotland by the Vikings, the Jacob sheep survived along the rugged Scottish coastline, adapting to a diet which included seaweed. The breed can have two, four or even six horns and are clearly identified by their spots.

The Dannevirke and Palmerston North Highland Pipe Bands will ensure tradition is maintained and the Highland Cafe will serve a traditional Scottish broth made from the Jacob sheep and a haggis served with the customary ceremony and flourish.

"To ensure all bases are covered and to meet the demands of the cooks from the many cafes and so everyone gets to have a taste, 12 exotic sheep have been butchered for the occasion," Mr Hales said.

"For the lucky few, 100 exotic meat packs will be distributed as lucky spot prizes for the winners to take home."

After being inspired by artistic creations and armed with the knowledge gained at the open day, Mr Hales' generosity comes to the fore and visitors can got to his wool store and help themselves to a free bag full of exotic wool.

"Take it home and have a go, you never know, you may come back next year as an outstanding exhibitor," he said.

An explanation of the exotic breeds, their heritage, their needs and management strategies will be given during the shearing of each breed, followed by a shearer's opinion on how easy they were to shear.

Then Melissa Fryer and Barb Robinson, two dedicated wool crafters from Feilding, will exhibit crafts made from that particular breed.

And in the intervals Neil Weggeray will demonstrate blade shearing.

Mr Hales has also developed a flock of East Friesian and Awassi cross milking sheep.

"This becomes my new challenge," he said.

"Dannevirke Dairy Supplies have set me up with a two-bay milking machine and Dannevirke Suzuki have provided me with a generator.

"Fortunately, Craig Prichard from Sheep Milk New Zealand will be present to exhibit and demonstrate and he'll bring their mobile kitchen and chefs will cook using sheep's milk.

"Kirsty Silvester from Wild Bush Cheeses in Woodville will also have cheeses for you to sample and purchase."

Other breeds of sheep not being shorn will be on display, with written information available.

Exotic Sheep Shearing Day

• Sunday, October 8, 10am to 2pm.
The Hales family woolshed on Shed Rd, off Route 52, Wimbledon.

For the hungry, there will be cafes cooking exotic meats in traditional ways for you to taste:

Engine Room Cafe, Doug and Sharron Hales; Nola Cafe and Restaurant, Waipawa, cooking a variety of traditional exotic dishes; Karakul Cafe, Sarah Third and Paul Cameron cooking Mongolian; South African Cafe, Chris Baker cooking Dorper in traditional South African style; Highland Cafe, Lyle Haste and the Highland Pipe Band cooking Jacob traditional Scottish fare; Rioja Cafe, Kathryn Willoughby cooking Pitt Island with traditional Spanish recipes; Gotland Cafe, cooking traditional Swedish recipes; Shipwrecked Cafe, Nigel Hales cooking Arapawa Island shipwrecked style; and a tasting barbecue, with Daryl Coleman and Debbie Baker and her gang providing smoko.