Which Direction

Spent the last day of 2010 feeding and caring for all the stock, then skirted two fleeces and got one in the wash. Sheared Hershey, my brown BFL wether, he has not been feeling well and was not eating today. After shearing I let him out in the yard to graze, he only picked at what little grass is out there. Nothing is coming out of him, even though he is drinking alot of water. I drenched him with apple cider vinegar, probiotics, thiamin and some Banamine for pain. He has always been a pet, and is my favorite colored fleece to spin and knit. His twin Cocoa is not friendly but has the same fleece. Some sheep are special and form a bond with their shepherd, others are just sheep, but you care for them all the same.

Skirting

Wanted to get this fleece of Sweet William's skirted and in the wash, but new friends came over to decide which spinning wheel they would like to buy to spin their llama fiber on. I am not a big fan of llama fiber, but they had some soft brown fiber that I picked open with my hands and when spun, it was lovely. The best part of the visit was the baby they had in a play pen in the back of their mini van. A six week old rejected cria in diapers and a llama jacket, red of course for the holidays. It was a sweet brown and white spotted baby that gave kisses. What a great holiday gift.

Another cold day

Bitter cold again this morning but everyone got a warm drink of water to go with their grain and hay. Cold weather makes sheep and goats so hungry you can get mowed down while pouring grain in a feeder. When I go out the door, there they are, waiting, and not patiently. Even the chickens and cats are under my feet, and if you come out late, they will meet you at the back door and follow you until you feed them. The only way they can keep warm is to keep eating, and that means more money to make wool and mohair and eggs. I did find three eggs this morning, that is a good sign we are on the road to spring.

Snowballs

This may be how snowballs were invented. After the roads thawed a bit, I made it over to the horse pasture to feed the dog, the rooster, and break the ice in the water tank. Pennelope was dragging snowballs behind her. Made the trip back to the house for scissors, then returned to trim her tail. They didn't seem to bother her, but most animals would be frightened.

Clearing the snow

Pennelope blows the snow off the grass and continues to graze, this is the first time I have seen this happen. I usually feed them hay in the winter, but this pasture has plenty of grass. Most of the time, snow melts quickly in Georgia, but this year has been totally different from the past.

Pawing for grass

The horses have plenty of tall grass to graze but were pawing the ground and blowing with their mouth to uncover the grass. The sheep and goat pastures never had much grass due to the drought, and have been supplemented with hay and grain all year. With no wind break this pasture is very cold and windy.

Sheep came in

Even Dan and his girls came to the barn last night, backed up to the blowing snow. They have plenty of wool and fat on their backs, but are uneasy about the snow.

Scared Goats

Found the young does in a clearing under a few trees. They seemed to be afraid to walk in the snow. They wouldn't come down to the barn when I called to them, only after I walked to them would they follow me. They were dry, so they slept in the barn last night. Eager to eat their grain and get started munching on the hay I brought them, I assume all is well.

Sugar Pie looses

Sugar Pie is old and retired, and is the boss doe of the young doe pasture. Someone is taking her postion, don't know who, it has been too cold and snowy to spend enough time to find out who it is. I was scared yesterday morning when the only one to greet me was Wolf, who had blood on him.  I do know Sugar Pie is his favorite doe and he has been cleaning her injured horn.

Making time for Christmas

The snow is beautiful, but it means lots more work. Before I could have Christmas everyone had to be fed and hayed and water tanks had to be warmed. There are a lot of pens and pastures and the snow on your boots and all the heavy clothes, slow you down. It's a four hour work out every morning.

The sun returns

The sun returned for awhile today and was appreciated by all, even the dogs came out of hibernation. I was successful at bringing in a load of sheep and goat feed and a load of hay, to get the stock through the holidays, but not so lucky at finding gifts. Animals are so easy to please, just be there, same place, same time, same meal. Most of my gifts are from artists at the gallery, handmade and local. I know the person that made them and how they made them and what they made them with. I see their face when I see the product. Not a barge travelling thousands of miles.

Keep on the sunnyside

Even the sheep are looking for the sunny spots to rest, good luck. It was sleeting yesterday morning as I fed the stock and loaded up the truck to head down to the Peachtree handspinner's meeting and Christmas party. I made a fast trip to the post office to pick-up a spinning wheel for a lucky young lady, by the time I left the sleet had stopped. We had a big crowd and a great time. Fought the traffic and made it home before dark, just in time to check on Trinket, a small yearling doe I sheared last week, and turned back out in the bottom pasture. When I fed her herd earlier that morning, she was chewing her cud but she was shivering, so I picked her up, put her on the gator and brought her to the lambing barn, a much warmer barn.  Put her in a pen with hay, warm water and a friend to keep her company. She was fine, she had someone smaller than her to pick on. Checked on the Barn cat and her three kittens that were spayed by the mobile vet unit that comes to Cartersville. They were enjoying their stay in the cabin, with the heat on low.

Winter coat

If I had this winter coat I wouldn't complain so much about the weather. Pennelope, the sheep and the Pyrenees seem to love this weather. They are all equipped with wooly coats and come alive the colder it gets. Pennelope can be seen bucking and kicking at the wind, the sheep prong on all four feet, and the Pyrenees try to catch snowflakes and chase their tail. Guess they stored all that solar energy when it was so hot and need to let it out.

All mine

Goats love Christmas too

Sugar Ray enjoying his Christmas tree

A gift to be simple

Normally, we have a few cold days then return to warmer temperatures and work goes on. Not this year, looks like the cold, and record breaking cold is here to stay. Fortunately, all the livestock has good shelter and plenty to eat. I knitted by the fire until early this morning and needle felted four more sheep. I got Summer's fleece washed and next to the wood stove to dry, Sweetheart's kid fleece dyed and drying also. I can keep dye pots going on the wood stove, the hard part is washing outside, won't happen today, the hosepipes will be frozen. LuAnn from Pine Mountain drove in the blowing snow to pick-up her scarf made from her goat, Puff, she was thrilled. Feels good to see someone so happy with a simple gift of fiber from an animal she cared for, sheared, I washed, spun and wove into a scarf. She will always have part of Puff with her.

Preparing for the storm

While I was feeding, haying and watering this morning, preparing for the days ahead of freezing temperatures and possibly, snow, I saw at least twenty deer feeding in the back pasture. Way too many for my pastures to support. I picked the biggest doe and made a perfect, clean shot, as she fell straight to the ground. More development moving to the country force the deer to move onto us and eat our crops and pastures, our battle is continual. It's another job to keep the numbers under control that helps them stay healthy as well. And a bonus that we love to eat a natural, organic product. I taught my kids to hunt, clean, cook and eat everything that you kill. You will think about that before you pick up a gun.

Balmy day

Yesterday was a much kinder day. Still, everyone got warm water and plenty of feed to get fueled up for the storm ahead. I was able to skirt, wash, and dye a yearling mohair fleece from Maria's girl. Then pick and card some white fleece for me, so I can make sheep ornaments. It has to be in the 40's before I can work outside with fiber. Have an order for three knitted scarves in three different colors, for Christmas gifts, one down and two to go. What  a perfect way to spend a cold, long winter's night, knitting by the fire.

Mighty dog

Half Pint doesn't need a cape to feel mighty. She can fly across the yard exploding with barks at every bird, cat, or loud noise without that lamb coat. I'm sure she has high blood pressure. She hates being restricted in that thing, but she shakes and shivers, and hates cold weather. Beware of a sixteen pound dog in a red cape with a pit bull attitude. I am already tired of hauling water so I brought in three hose pipes by the wood stove to thaw, then hooked them up by the house where the hot water flows and everyone got a drink of 100 degree water. Sheep and goats get a powerful thirst when it is this cold and are waiting by the water tank in the morning for that drink of warm water. I could just break the ice on top of the tank, but they will drink very little of icy water, after a few days of not drinking plenty of fluids they can lock down in a hurry. Better safe than sorry. Cold weather increases the feed and hay bill as they consume more to keep warm, okay, I'm ready to get above freezing again.

Lambs

Dan the Man ram is in with a few ewes, haven't seen any lamb making, but some rams are private with their affection. He does guard the ewes and keeps them at the far end of the pasture, just in case I should try to take him back out. He finally let them come up the hill for a small amount of grain and water, after that, it's back to the land of far, far away.

500 mile trip

After feeding, haying and hauling everyone a warm drink of water, Alex and I loaded up and made a 500 mile round trip to pick up Tuxedo, a former Grand Champion buck that was no longer needed for his services. Don't know where I will put him as I am packed with goats, especially bucks. But, I feel like every animal that is born here is my responsibility, til death do us part. I will probably be going back to pick up the does as the owner has had a very bad year. The cold weather has brought outside chores and washing to a halt. I am just not prepared for below freezing temps, most of my time is spent hauling warm water and hay, have to keep those goats eating and drinking in cold weather, to prevent any stomach troubles. Alex is great help, never complains about the weather or any job I ask her to do, and is good company on a long drive, it would have been miserable making the trip alone. Today will be spent finding Tux a spot where he will settle down and behave with the other bucks, not a good time to bring a buck in rut into the flock, as they will have to establish dominance and bang on every post and building.

Sounds in the woods

I love to hear the wind blowing in the pine trees, such a sad song. There is also a lonely owl that hoots late in the evening, no one answers him, but he keeps on hooting. There is a hawk nest just west of the house, really close, I have seen the male and female cruising in the air screeching softly, sometimes being chased away by a couple of crows. They have raised babies the last few springs, I worry that they will catch my hens, but I haven't lost any that I know of. I have seen them on the ground trying to sneek up on the less crafty hens, but the kittens seem to be harder on the chicks than the hawks. Then there are the crows clucking, cawing, sometimes imitating a turkey sound. I love crows, they are the comedians of the wild fowl. The squirrels are not afraid of me, the feed that is spilled on the ground is too tempting to run away when I show up at the back barn, so they bark at me, like I am supposed to run away. Sometimes I walk up on a herd of deer and the lead doe will snort and stomp at me to stay away, if I don't move we will be eye locked forever, until I give in and move, then they all snort and run away. The field larks make the most beautiful song ever heard, I have one pasture that we mow late in the year to avoid running over the nests, it is a song bird breeding ground. There is a hawk that has taken up residence at that pasture, but maybe the Pyrenees that guards the place will keep him at bay and he won't be successful at taking the most delightful sound on earth.

Jump start

Sheared another doe this morning, a very pretty light caramel doe out of Sassparilla. Maybe 6 more to shear.  Got a jump start on tomorrow's big meal late this afternoon. Made sweet potato casserole, broccoli casserole, cookies, 2 gallons of sweet tea, biscuits and corn bread for the dressing. Tomorrow  I'll cook the turkey and bake an apple pie after feeding and caring for the sheep and goats, that always comes first, even on holidays, can't concentrate on anything until I make sure all is well at the barns and everyone is happily eating their hay. So much to be thankful for, as always on a farm there are so many blessings, everyday. And you know it's not anything you could ever do, there is a God that keeps you humble and thankful. I've seen so many miracles of the first breath of a lamb or kid or calf or colt, and held them in my arms when they took their last breath. I used to cry for days and tell myself if I had done this or that I could have saved that one. It took me a long time to figure out, I have no control of this life. All the things that happen to you make you who you are, just be glad to have had the time living the life you love.

Cleaning the store

Moths are like dirt, they are a part of life. It is not anything to panick about. The actual clothes moth is tiny and hard  to find. Not to be confused with the bigger miller moths or pantry moths that fly around the lights at night, they are harmless to woolens. The damage of the clothes moth is easier to detect than the moth, holes in the fiber and a silvery trail left behind. Usually  they damage a small area on a raw fleece, the solution is to skirt off the damaged part and wash the rest of the fleece. The best preventative is to keep your woolens washed when not wearing them and store in a sealed plastic bag. I spray my raw fleeces and my processed fibers 3-4 times a year with an organic garden spray that is safe for food. I spray the walls, floors, baskets, everything. This does not harm the beneficial insects. Never store wool in paper bags, moths will lay eggs in the folds of the bags.

Bo Peep has lost her sheep

My sheep are always standing at their feeders in the morning, waiting on their breakfast. I was in a hurry to get everyone fed and hay out as it is the annual flea market at Peachtree Handspinner's Guild meeting today. I didn't want to be late. The lead ewe saw me coming and started her beeeehhhing as she kicked her heals up and ran off the hill toward me, she is always watching for the next meal. I only counted 21 sheep when I started throwing grain into the feeders. I walked up the hill with my bucket of feed and more came running, that made 32, still 4 missing, I was getting worried, I have been hearing coyotes running just at dusk the last few days. I walked all the way to the top of the meadow to find the last four grazing on a small patch of grass, they have to go way out now to find anything to eat, they saw me and knew it was chow time. Needless to say they all beat me back to the feeders and gulped down their grain so fast one got choked, for just a few minutes.

Pale comparison

I haven't had eggs for weeks, since my hens stopped laying. I was so excited yesterday when I found some locally grown brown eggs in the Purple Mountain Natural Food Store. I was really looking forward to a breakfast of biscuits, fresh jelly, bacon and scrambled eggs. When I cracked open the first egg, I was so disappointed, the yolks were a pale white, when whisked they looked like I was cooking milk. The taste was just as pale. You never know how good something is until it is gone. The tomatoes are gone also. But the turnip greens are better than ever, I hate to think what the greens in the grocery store taste like.

Dreary

A dreary Monday, we had to drag all the feeders in the barn to feed the goats today since most of them have been shorn and it was wet and chilly, everyone seems okay, had to haul hay into the barn as well, when you are naked and it is 52 degrees and raining, eating is the best way to keep warm. Only about 14 does left to shear, I should have tried to finish them over the weekend, but I needed a break, so I could go to the grocery store, pick-up grand kids, cook, and cook some more, wash clothes, all those things you do when you are not working. Hope the rain is over, I need to wash and dry wool to card before the next guild meeting, looks like I will have to build a fire in the garage wood stove to dry things down and warm the fibers that need to be around 65 degrees to run smoothly through the carder.

Ready to be shorn

More does ready to be shorn hopefully in the next few days, about 35 or so left, if the weather holds. We've been going at it hard this week and maybe will get through shearing all the goats. I'll take a break before shearing the sheep but I would like to get them done before the end of the year. We did shear the ram and 2 wethers that are up at the barn with the billies. Their fleeces are clean and fresh, nothing compares to fresh wool, such a good smell and handle. Mohair is better after a good washing, just looks and feels better. I am hoping to get the smell out of the billy fleeces, some of them are so nice, still a kid fleece on them at a year and half of age, just a little stinky.

In the sheep world

In the sheep world wrinkles are a good thing as far as fiber goes. The more wrinkles the more Merino blood and the finer the wool. Dan the Cormo has more than his share of wrinkles making is super hard to shear, there is just no way to get in those wrinkles without nicking him. His neck has wrinkles going side ways and up and down.Then the wrinkles continue rolling all down his sides from front to back. I am not able to shear him, I have tried, but I cut him too bad. He's not the prettiest boy around but has the best Cormo fleece I have seen, he doesn't have the black greasy tips making it easier to wash. It's incredible how fast and how much wool that small guy can grow in 7-8 months.

Sheep shearing

The sheep flock is almost ready to shear, their pasture grass is long gone, and not much is growing since we have had no rain. I wanted to over seed some clover and other grasses onto the pasture this fall, but without rain it would be a waste of money. I have many bags of compost and all the barns need cleaning, so there is plenty of organic fertilizer ready to spread. Haven't turned the ram in yet, so there may not be any lambs this spring, just depends on how much I can get done before it is too late for breeding them. The calender  just isn't in sinc with with the weather and I can not stay ahead of my chores. It was just way to hot to clean barns this summer and shearing was delayed until it got a little cooler. Now it's a challenge to get everything done before winter sets in.

She's up

KeeKee's up and almost back to normal, still doesn't put weight on her right fore leg, but she's moving around her pen and eating, ready to get out, she will be in there quite awhile, until she get stronger. She couldn't take another butting. With the weather report saying it will be back in the 70's, we will start shearing again today. I love this time change in the morning, as it seems like more daylight and earlier, but the evening is not much to speak of. Lost my tomato plants over the weekend, just doesn't do any good to try and cover crops on this windy hill, by morning the plastic will be at the end of the drive way. Still have the greens and lettuces for fresh eating. Almost have a bobbin of yarn spun from one of Jewell's yearlings, it hand cards beautifully and easily, I'm thinking it will be a hat to wear to the barn. Needle felted a few small pumpkins to sit around my space at the gallery to give it that fallish feeling. Still so many fall chores to do, hope the weather stays fair for a good while and the holidays don't rush in too soon.

Georgia weather

Waiting for the weather to warm up a bit before shearing more goats. The already shorn ones are doing fine, but it will be back in the 70's in a few days. It is a shock to have a mohair coat removed when it is cold and windy, and such a big change in just a few days.  Watched the weatherman last night, he said we wouldn't have a frost until Friday night, so I didn't cover the tomatoes, we were snowy white with frost this morning. That's Georgia weather. Decided to keep the dye pots going and bring the wet fleeces in by the wood stove to dry since the wind is blowing the wool off the outside drying racks. This is good wool selling weather, everybody needs a wool scarf to keep the wind at bay and wool yarn to knit with by the fire.

Next on the list

Getting the kittens and Barney cat spayed and neutered are on my list, found a nice home for one of the females, she had a job offer as a mouse patrol. The newly shorn bucks were up and out eating hay this morning, they are shivering a bit, but shivering is a way to warm you when you are cold. It's amazing how fast the hair will grow back on an angora goat.There will be an inch in a month from now. If the goats are not shorn they will get sluggish as the hair gets longer, lice will eat on their skin, and they will hang the locks of hair in their teeth trying to bite at them, sometimes a horn will get tangled in the locks as they try to scratch. It's like a load is lifted off them when they loose the heavy coat and their metabolism increases. The body tells them to eat and start the growing process all over again.

Today

This week is the beginning of doing the things that have been put off to another day. Got a real shearer to come out and start on the billies. We got 10 adult and 3 kids shorn, hooves trimmed, deloused, banded the ones that weren't going to make breeding stock and vaccinated them. Adult billies have strong thick necks and will take a toll on you wrestling them around, so it is hard to get very many done in one day. They are a little shivery tonight but I bedded the barn down with wheat straw and they have all the hay they can eat and a cup of grain, they are in good shape and can stand the change in temperature as long as they have good shelter and staying full. Hope this front moves out fast and the sun returns. I'm whooped, going to eat vegetable soup from the freezer with hot cornbread, hit the shower and go to bed. Some good news, KeeKee can get up on her back legs and move around a bit if I put her grain bowl on the other side of her pen.

Warp the loom

I am almost a year behind on a scarf for a friend that ordered it for his sweetheart last Christmas. What a nice gift to give. I have put it off for so long, shearing, kidding, then it got hot in May, then hotter thru summer, then shearing again, get ready for SAFF, and now I am out of excuses so yesterday afternoon I warped my knitter's loom and wove 2 black kid mohair scarves and tonight they are in the dishpan soaking in warm water. After rinsing and slapping them around on the table a bit I will hang them out to dry and by tomorrow they will be good to go. Since I have woven two, one will got to the gallery for sale. Black Magic and Valerie are the doe kids that produced the mohair that is so soft next to the skin. Black Magic was spun into a two ply yarn for the warp and Valerie a curly spun single yarn for the weft.  So, add up the time, bred their mothers in the fall, fed and cared for them for 5 months of pregnancy, stayed close to the barn every two hours for two months checking for newborns, assist birthing, dry wet kids, give vitamins, strip udder on doe, make sure kid finds milk, dip navel in iodine, pen doe and kid , carry feed and water to pen everyday, after 4 months wean kid, at six months shear kid, wash fleece, spin fleece, warp loom and weave scarf, tie fringe and wash scarf. Smile.

Flannel sheet season

The most wonderful time of the year is flannel sheet season, not Christmas. This is the best time of year for wool and mohair sales, maybe that is what makes it feel like Christmas. A shepherd in the South has only a few short months to sell a fiber that is so warm, as it is hard to sell wool and woollen clothing when it is 90 plus degrees so many months of the year. But the flocks eat year round so the shepherd must make hay while the sun shines. The monthly meeting of the Peachtree Handspinner's Guild was today and I am fortunate to have so many supporters of a small farm flock. I joined the guild in 1986 and some of the spinners have wool from my sheep that are long gone, but their fleeces are still waiting to be spun. One of my favorite lines to tell buyers of handspun and knitted or woven clothing is that it may seem expensive, but it will last forever if taken care of properly.

Money

Okay, I had a good show at SAFF, now where does all that money go? Booth fees $325, goat show fees $156, fuel $100, motel room $367.53, food around $100 we took the cooler, vet fees $45, farm help while I'm away, about $200, a years work of shearing, washing, dyeing, picking, carding, spinning yarn, packaging, printing, displays, and my aching back, priceless. And if there is anything left over repair this shelter hit by the wind Monday morning. What do I gain from all this hard work? Good health and body, a mind that is always busy planning and creating something that works out sometimes and sometimes doesn't but is always clicking even in my sleep, always good fresh food, feeling needed by a bunch of goats and sheep that depend on me, a reason to get up and get out every morning even if I don't feel like it. I've got to climb that mountain every day and I'll never get to the top, but like the song says, "It's the climb".

Rain quota

It finally came, our quota of rain for the month, 3 and half inches fell in the last few hours. Got all the sheep and goats fed their grain, but some had to wait on the hay until just before dark. Summer got her shearing even tho she was damp, I will shake it out and go directly to the washing machine. Got to keep shearing to get them all done before winter. Made a trip to the feed store and grocery store. Tried lifting KeeKee with some harness straps and a woven feed sack, moved her legs, they are not broken, and felt around for swelling, there was none. The light finally came on in my head, she has a butting injury. I have seen it before this time of year, when the temperature drops and the wind blows, the does will butt each other hard, just like the bucks and rams, and sometimes one of them will buckle to the pressure. She is moving about from side to side and is trying to lift herself with her front legs, getting stronger everyday, only time will tell if she will recover. Lost a very nice buck one fall, to a head injury, there is nothing to do but give pain killer.

Cookie Doe

Cookie Doe was the last of the yearling does to be shorn, you can't tell in the picture but she is black with a white belt, just like an oreo. She has tons of fine hair.Next up to be shorn are the three buck kids. Washed Twinkle's dark red fleece and dyed two mohair fleeces. Still got stuff to unpack. Made time to grill hot wings, roast red potatoes and pick a fresh salad for supper. Ate four meals out while at SAFF and none were very good, haven't eaten out since last years show. Turnip greens are cooking down tonight for tomorrow's meals. Sold the last of this spring's Cormo cross fleeces today, will be shearing the sheep the end of November or December. Something happened to KeeKee, my brown doe that makes soft, curly shawl yarn, while I was away. I found her Monday morning off to herself, she was wet so I knew she had not been able to get up and go in the barn during the storm we had early that morning. I cut a piece of plastic to sled her into a big pen in the barn. She is bright and perky, eating and drinking and pooping, can turn herself around and switch sides, but can't stand. I'll try to make a harness tomorrow to lift her so she can try to put weight on her legs.

The fun part is over

Back to work. After feeding and taking care of everyone I decided it was high time to band more bucks. First and hardest was a bottle kid from last year that is hard to keep away from the does, then on to two more in that pasture. Gave them a CD&T booster, a little pain killer and wormer, since it is so stressful. After noon I unloaded most of the truck, much more to do tomorrow. As we were loading up at SAFF Sunday afternoon, I noticed a very organized vendor rolling shelves of yarn and fiber into her trailer, I was overloaded and just threw bags of fiber into the back of the camper, today I am paying for it.Good thing I don't have to go across those big truck scales to be weighed. Later in the day I started two dye pots and washed a very nice Cormo-BFL fleece.  The weather is perfect for outdoor work so I need to shear more goats.

Reflections of SAFF

We couldn't get our wares set up fast enough for the early bird shoppers Friday morning. So they helped open bags, looking for their treasures. It was the best selling day I have ever had. I credit that to the sheep and goats for the lovely fiber they grow and to Meredith, the best marketer of Tina stuff I have ever had the pleasure to witness. She has Southern charm. All I did was birth those lambs and kids, feed and care for them, shear them, wash the fiber, dye, pick, card and spin, package and load up the stuff, then haul it 224miles. A good bit of work, but it paid off. Evan was in charge of keeping an eye on the goats we brought for show, look cute and give the sales talk. He did a good job. Saturday morning was the goat show. We had two junior buck kids to show in the same class, Curly's kid was first place, Ruby's was third. We had a yearling buck, Miracle Grow ,take first place. Charming an adult buck, took first place and Grand Champion. Cookie Doe took first place in the yearling doe class and Grand Champion doe. Summer was first place adult doe. Cookie Doe and Charming went in for Best of Show against the white goat champions, I knew a colored angora goat could not beat a white angora goat. Cookie Doe took Best of Show. We were pleased. Sunday started off feeding and watering, hooking up to the trailer and get what we could ready to come home. Meredith was selling wool and mohair. It all went so quickly since we were so busy. We made new friends, visited old friends, heard good news, sad news, but had great time. The Asheville area was lovley. Evan wants to bring sheep for show next year. The drive home was went smoothly, unloaded goats, took a shower and got to bed around 2 AM. Woke up sometime in the night to dogs barking at the thunder and rain, up by 7 to get going again.

Leaving Thursday

Last Thursday we left for SAFF. After feeding and checking all the sheep and goats I loaded the show goats on the trailer, put tags in their ears and headed out to get health papers. That went smooth, but on the way back to the farm I had brake trouble, no brakes, two times. After riding around the shop and hitting the brakes hard and nothing happening, I decided to go on to SAFF. By this time my friend and helper Meredith was here, we loaded her things ( enough food and clothes to last a month), into the already over loaded truck and trailer and took off to pick up grandson Evan in Canton. I was so pleased Evan was finally getting to lay out of school for one half day to help his Nana with the show goats. We made it to Jasper, about 35 miles out, I noticed a back trailer tire wobbling. I pulled over to check them, it was not wobbling, the tread was coming off all four tires, they had dry rotted. A car load of teenagers stopped to ask what was wrong, I told them, he said to go down the road to the left to the tire place and they would fix me up. I almost missed the turn, slammed on my brakes, that were working now, pulled in the lot, there was a woman laying out in the sun, in the parking lot ( with her shirt pulled up over her head), in front of the bay where her car was being repaired. Odd. But I walked in the shop, it was full of colorful characters with foul language. What was I to do, the tires would run off the rims if I went farther. The store owner was a very nice guy that apologized for the strange people. Said to pull on up and they would put on 4 new tires for $306. What good fortune, but it took the guy 2 hours to get a stuck lug nut off. We left there, a little after 4,( with the colorful woman still laying out in the sun, shirt still pulled up), and continued on our journey. It was about 7:30-8:00 when we arrived at the fiber festival, unloaded the goats, bedded them down, fed and watered them. Went to the arena to set up our fiber booth, got everything unloaded but had to leave about 9:30 when the barn closed. Had a late supper at Cracker Barrel and went to our room.

Silk drying

Got a good bit of silk top dyed and on the drying rack. More dyepots of mohair and wool going on the stove, this will be the last, as it will take 2 days to be completely dry. Most everything is bagged up and priced, don't have a clue as to how I can get all this in the truck, will start loading tomorrow morning. Would like to make an upper level in the trailer, as there is plenty of space over the goats, need to work on that. I'm running out of time.

Still going

Still got the washer and dye pots going, in between packing. So glad the weather is great for outdoor work. Tomorrow it maybe raining, which we really need. Only 2 yearling does left to shear. Trying to work out the hauling so I can take does and bucks to the angora goat show. This time of year can be difficult with the bucks in rut. Not sure if I can get them all on the trailer, without them breaking down the divider door. The camper on the truck will be loaded with fiber.I feel relieved that I have two good farm sitters lined up to take care of the animals at home, always my biggest worry. The goats going for show will have to have feet trimmed, tagged, and vet checked. So much work goes on behind the scenes to put on a fiber festival, from the volunteers that work year long setting up and running the show, to the producers that bring their animals and fibers for show and sale. We are very lucky to have a fiber festival like SAFF to provide a market for small fiber farmers to sell their wares. I hope everyone will come out to support the show.

Dye marathon

Yesterday was a killer dye day. I dyed more wool, mohair and a little silk  in one day than I have all month. Lots of new color creations, that can never be duplicated, exactly. Ran out of vinegar so I am off to buy supplies, also need plastic bags to store the fibers in, I hate plastic, but what other choice is there. Hope to finish up all the last minute shopping so I can start packing Monday. That includes getting in supplies for the sheep and goats while I am away. The wind has been blowing so hard the last two days that it actually was a great help in drying the fleeces faster than normal. I am out of drying rack space. Hope to get a few more yearlings shorn early next week.

Finally Fall

The leaves have finally started turning and the weather feels like fall. I love it. Dye pots going round the clock, shearing the kids and yealing goats,( they have faired well over the summer), skirting the last of the wool fleeces, deciding if it is worth it to take goats for the show. Tomatoes, lettuce and turnip greens in the garden are enjoying the cooler days. Only a few hens laying eggs now, but enough for breakfast every morning. Tanner is drying off nicely, so I am not milking her anymore. A lot more shearing to do before cold weather comes but this time of year is my favorite. I have chosen a few fleeces for me to spin and weave by the fire this winter. Deer season opens tomorrow so hopefully there will be fresh meat to go with the greens.

Nap time

The kittens are sure happy living on this farm. I know the Mama kitten is thankful she landed here. It will be a year on Christmas Eve that I heard her meowing under the window. Still a kitten herself she is just as playful, but a good mother and teacher of how to hunt mice. Found another pullet with four tiny chicks yesterday morning, they were having a hard time trying to keep up with her, the biggest chick was left behind on the nest with all the eggs that didn't hatch. That poor hen has guarded those eggs for the last few weeks, taking a beating from other hens that wanted to lay in her nest, but she didn't budge, just buried her head and took the pecking. Later in the morning she still had not rounded up all the chicks so I got a plastic dog crate and hearded her in there, she was trying to take my head off but was worried about her chicks, so I was able to push her in the crate and slam the door. I'm sure all the time I spent trying to save them means they will all be roosters. Checked on them this morning and they are fluffy and plump, but the hen is still ungrateful.

Black walnuts

Another good year for black walnuts. This ancient tree is on the creek in the edge of the cotton field, about half of the walnuts have fallen to the ground and the other half are still hanging on. Picked up a bucket full, smashed the green outer husk and set the nut out to dry in the sun. I can remember chocolate layer cakes on Christmas with black walnut trimming on top. I got a black walnut cracker for Christmas last year, maybe this year I will take time to try it out. Saved the husk in a bucket for later dye pots. The woods are full of poke berry that I love to use to get that rich crimson shade of fugitive dye. Everything fades, so enjoy it while you can.

Pretty in Pink

Moved  Pennelope, the mini horse to the mother -in- law farm with the other horse, Hope. I almost unloaded her, I love this horse, and can't wait to see her every morning when we have our eat and greet. She is such a joy to have, she's just here for me to love and she loves me back, no strings attached, she doesn't have to pay her way. But, there is so much grass at the other farm, enough to hold two horses, a dog and one rooster all winter, the dog and rooster will have to have feed everyday, but the horses will be happy with all the grass and will try to eat as much as they can everyday. I'll probably hook up to the trailer in a few days and bring her back home.