Monthly Archives January 2010

Preggers

January 29, 2010 | 9 Comments

At this time of year, the milk room is our warming spot. It's heated, there's a table and a place to sit, hot and cold running water, a telephone, a microwave oven, a fridge. There's even a blender, in case anyone wants a milkshake. But the best part – it's large enough to build a couple of good sized sheep pens in the center and the concrete floor has a drain, so it's also easy to clean. Handily located, just off the main aisle of the birthing barn, this room has been a godsend on many occasions. LIke today for
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January Thaw

January 27, 2010 | 3 Comments

I think we need some more snow. Monday's warm rain has left the landscape blotchy and drear. For the last two days the flock has been exploring the exposed patches of grass, drifting further from the barn than they've been in weeks. My juncos and chickadees have better things to do, evidently. The feeders haven't needed filling all week. It was a quiet, mild day and I would have liked a hike into places that have been hard to get to lately but I'm up to my eyeballs in Sheep Shares minutiae (Robin, the winner of the contest has contacted
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More colors and a lucky winner

January 26, 2010 | 10 Comments

I love surprising friends and making people happy. So all week I've looked forward to drawing a name today – one lucky winner who will receive a Sheep Shares 2010 membership for a Farm Yarn Sampler. Since announcing this contest last week, Sheep Shares has grown and grown in numbers – to the point where I've had to press pause. I've put a hold on adding new members for the moment, until we catch up on paperwork (and make sure we still have enough yarn to go around). It doesn't mean you can't get in. After the dust settles and
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Coyote Tracking

January 24, 2010 | 4 Comments

I spied a coyote zipping through the hayfield this morning just as I was getting into my car. Had I looked two seconds later, wouldn't have seen him at all, and everything happened way too quickly for me to grab my camera. Anxious about being out in the open, he scooted across the road near the ravine, heading toward the paddock where the bred ewes spend their days. After feeding the flock, I back-tracked to see if I could tell what he'd been up to. From the looks of all the fresh critter tracks in the snow, he was after
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Crackerjack

January 23, 2010 | 12 Comments

I'm not sure how we've managed to score another perfectly fine Saturday, but I'll take it. While last weekend's post featured a moment with Caitlyn, my diva llama, this morning I had a moment to appreciate what a truly amazing friend Crackerjack is and how fortunate I am to have him in my herd. A few weeks back we placed him with the bred ewes in the birthing barn since we're nearing the time of year when his guardian role is needed to protect our newest and most vulnerable flock members, the lambs. I couldn't ask for a more patient,
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Sheep Shares Colors – Sneak Peek!

January 22, 2010 | 9 Comments

A quick post for inquiring minds. While the sheep are lounging around, eating bon bons, I'm slaving over the dye pots, wending my way through the color samples for the Spring Shares: Cormo Silk Alpaca. Here's a look at what's a'cookin'! Three (duh, make that four) of my favorite colors pictured above. Starting at the left: duck egg, katydid, hen of the woods and hyssop. This shot shows a few more colors. Clockwise from upper left: duck egg, lavender buds, bluebird, hyssop, hen of the woods, katydid, ladyslipper. It's so tricky photographing colors and showing them accurately. But these
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Fruit Loop

January 20, 2010 | 6 Comments

Have you ever wondered if goats prefer strawberries or clementines? The answer is: both! Gypsy is our little fruit loop, brightening our spirits on an otherwise gray morning. Thanks everybody, for your very kind words about my blog, in response to Monday's post. The contest runs through next Tuesday (which means I'll announce a winner by 7 pm EST Tues. evening). The rest of the Sheep Shares Farm Yarn memberships are going fast. By the end of the week, the contest may end being the only way to get one. Please spread the word!
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About Sheep Shares (and a special Kick-Off Contest)

January 18, 2010 | 118 Comments

This evening I'm going to talk about Sheep Shares and let you know there's still time to sign up for this year. Sheep Shares is the farm yarn and fiber club I started just a year ago. Prior to last year, most of my marketing had been either through my website or face-to-face with customers at shows and events throughout the Northeast. My business has grown this way, and so has my farm for more than a decade. I'm truly grateful to those who have so loyally supported my work over the years, casting on countless stitches with my yarns.
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Saturday, Sunny-side UP!

January 16, 2010 | 12 Comments

I'll be brief since I'm sure we're all outdoors today, enjoying sunshine and warmth. I'm soaking it up since tomorrow I'm teaching all day, and then we're due for more snow. I didn't mind taking my time with barn chores today. Not one bit. Caitlyn mugged for the camera at breakfast. The maiden ewes kicked up their heels, frisking along behind me as I carted their breakfast bale outside this morning. What a delicious Saturday. Wishing you a happy weekend.
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Perspective

January 14, 2010 | 4 Comments

I had a day's worth of NYC things to do, enough for it to make sense to spend a night in the big apple. While city life is endlessly fascinating, stimulating, and so different from my daily Shelburne existence, I was so glad to get back to the barn this morning. Throngs of people, herds of yellow taxi cabs, honking horns, sirens, diesel and exhaust . . . . I was quickly exhausted in a way that's so entirely different from being wiped out from a day of physical work on the farm. The plus side was the shopping (or
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