Archives for fiber farm

Count Down to Shearing Day

March 23, 2011 | 7 Comments

Keeping dry – waiting for the shearer. Our week got off to a funky start. In the northeast we celebrated spring's arrival with a touch of winter: four inches of snow that's gone slushy since the temperatures are now just above freezing. Because we plan to shear the balance of the flock on Friday, this gave me a headache. Before the snow started at 9 Monday morning, Mike and I scrambled to get four dozen sheep and two llamas under cover before their wool got soggy. The sheep were the easy part. A pan of grain was all we needed
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The Year of the Apple

March 18, 2011 | 41 Comments

Apples is by far the most popular of our suggested lamb name themes for this year. Thank you, thank you, thank you for voting. It was a lot of fun to watch. We are looking forward to a bushel of new lambs, in less than two weeks from now. I'm thinking of all the fun name possibilties: MacIntosh, Gala, Macoun, Braeburn . . . If you would like to suggest an apple variety to name one of our lambs-to-be, please leave a comment here. My days have gone from busy to busier in a hurry. Immediately after shearing, we've shipped
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Llama Lure

March 14, 2011 | 9 Comments

Before lambing season sweeps in and captures everyone's attention, I thought you might like a visit from some of our non-gestating critters. Sol llama lives with last year's lambs. Each day we work with him on the same basic lesson: people are ok. It's taking lots of patience and incentives. At first he wouldn't come near us, even though a grain pan is mighty tempting. It drove the lambs nuts that he didn't want it and they couldn't have it. They still swarm around my legs like agitated bees. But now he easily comes within arm's length and sometimes even
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Poll Time – Help Us Name the Lambs!

March 10, 2011 | 4 Comments

Despite the emergence buckets on the sugar maples, the landscape in western Massachusetts still reads "winter". The snow cover is measurable in feet. Just two days ago the entire woodland was spectacularly sheathed in ice. A trip to the barn calls for hat, gloves, insulated boots and a heavy parka. So it's a little hard to fathom that within three weeks we'll be welcoming newborn lamb here at Springdelle Farm. It's the surest sign of spring's arrival. I am up to my eyeballs in fresh fleece and we have another round of shearing yet to go before the lambs make their
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Sloppy Eaters and the Importance of Sheep Coats

March 7, 2011 | 12 Comments

I thought I'd use today's post to address two questions I've been asked recently: Q: How are Mistral & Georgia doing? A: Happy as clams. Or maybe I should say as happy as lambs. Mistral, Georgia and friends are wintering in the Open Barn. The group has quickly bonded with Sol, our new llama. Feeding is the highlight of their day. As far as I can tell, they spend the rest of their time lounging in the yard with Sol, unless the weather stinks. Then they lounge around the barn. The ewe lambs we have kept from 2010 lambing are
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Sunning

March 4, 2011 | 8 Comments

The mothers-to-be, soaking up the morning sun (they need shades!) Wishing everyone a happy Friday.
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Shearing Sheep

March 1, 2011 | 12 Comments

Yarn starts here! Our shearer, Andy Rice, arrived yesterday for the first rite of new year: the de-fleecing of the pregnant ewes, rams and wethers. I'm behind in all areas but wanted to share a few moments from the day. Crackerjack and ewes in the holding pen. He is now stationed with the mothers where he will serve as lamb nanny when lambs begin arriving in three weeks. The ewes find his presence calming, reassuring. Cognac, a moorit ewe, waits her turn in the holding pen. (BTW), The girls were all very well behaved. The boys were a mighty hand
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Winter’s Waning GiveAway Winner

February 18, 2011 | 5 Comments

Thank you for your comments on last Friday's post. New England is feeling less winter-bound the past few days. It will be weeks before we can see the grass or buds on the trees here, but reading about the signs of spring in other parts is a good balm for the winter soul. Thanks for sharing your thoughts (and for so generously spreading the word, you guys are great). Congrats to Ellen who commented on 2/14/11 at 9:57 am. Ellen, please contact me through my website with your address so I can mail your prize: 4 skeins Foxfire Fiber's Wool
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Llama Llove?

February 14, 2011 | 7 Comments

Could there be romance in the air at the farm? Sometimes I wonder if there's flirtation between Caitlyn and Sol. She loves gazing in his direction as he struts around the paddock. He seems to pose just for her. She bats her eyes. Ok, really, this llama rellationship is strictly pllatonic. Although they would make a handsome couple. Happy hearts day to all!! And I have loved reading your comments on my Winter's Waning GiveAway; it's encouraging to hear that spring is further along in other parts. Milder weather at the farm is warming everyone's hearts here today.
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Winter’s Waning GiveAway

February 11, 2011 | 170 Comments

We've hit the winter doldrums. Freeze, snow, thaw, freeze, snow, thaw, repeat. Ice dams on the barn roof, glacial ice sheets in the barn yard, ginormous mountains of grimy slush everywhere. Winter has worn out its welcome but it's too early to start hunting for signs of spring. Instead I'm looking for signs of winter easing up: the angle of the sun in the sky – a little higher than it was just a week ago; a few extra minutes of daylight for evening chores. Aside from the drama of our weekly storms, there's a sameness to winter farm routine.
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