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.

Line up

The sheep are meeting me at the feeders every morning, waiting for breakfast. There is still some grass for grazing and they get hay free choice, but they are really enjoying just a bit of grain. It's good way to check of all of them quickly. Some sheep will fool you, they will eat right up till they die, so you have to know your sheep to tell if anybody is off. A few of the ancient ones are getting slow and thin, but seem to be making it fine. Not long until shearing.

Three Amigos

Shearing is slow, getting ready for SAFF is taking all my time. Trying to shear the kids and yearlings before the show and the adults will wait until after the show. Hauled a load of hay in to the barn, was planning on holding it until winter but the grass is gone and there is no rain in the forecast, and the sheep and goats are cleaning up what I feed them every morning, so they need roughage. You can get in a wreck with goats when they don't have enough roughage, and it takes a lot to satisfy those four stomachs. When I first got goats the browse was so thick you couldn't crawl through the woods, now the pastues are so clear you can see right through them. Goats love browse. They can't be filled up grazing grass, so they must be supplemented with hay to keep those rumens rumbling.