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.