The Roosters have departed

Last week was spring break for the kids.  The lovely weather we had the week before that was sunny and in the 60's and 70's evaporated and we were left with gray weather in the 40's most days.  Still above our average normal temps but not terribly exciting spring break weather.  There were trips to the library, a trip to the movies, and general mayhem at home.

Both of the boys were begging for cooking "lessons" so meals took longer to prepare, but it was great fun.  Here is one shot of Duncan helping out with dinner after a shower.  He is getting rather long-legged and outgrowing his bathrobe!

The biggest news over this week was....we finally butchered the four speckled sussex X buff orpington roosters.  They were SO handsome and pretty nice roosters, but five Roo's around the house is a few too many.  They were beating up their poor father Goldy (who is a sweet old guy) and starting to run the hens ragged so "something" had to be done.

Backtrack:  I just realized I never told the story of this clutch of chicks.  Last August, while in New Hampshire, the speckled sussex hen (yes, the same one), laid a clutch of 14 eggs hidden in plain sight under an apple tree in the back yard.  We discovered the nest the first part of September accidentally because I heard some wee peeping noises and finally saw her in the grass at the base of the tree where she was happily sitting on pipping eggs.  Ten of the fourteen eggs hatched, which left us with ten brand new chicks just before the weather turned....(long story short- new coop in the backyard made from our neighbor's fishing shanty...true Yooper coop!).  Four of those ten were roosters.

We put it off until Sunday (fortunately the weather was cool and perfect) mid afternoon.  Neither Will nor I had ever killed or cleaned a chicken before so we were a bit trepidacious about it but all turned out better than we expected.  We used a killing cone on a stand for the grim part, and I skinned the chickens instead of plucking them.  I hate the smell of hot wet feathers and probably wouldn't eat the birds when my strong sense of smell/visual recall kicked in.  Skinning went well as did the gutting...not much holding in all those internal organs!  I have skinned birds before doing study skins and processing ducks (breast meat only) but this was a little more personal since the Roo's were raised here.

These are egg layers, or dual purpose birds, not the mutant cornish cross birds that can't reproduce on their own and that literally eat themselves to death.  The breast meat is darker and not as large, and the legs are much longer, larger and darker. It took them five months to get to this size (and I forgot to weight them).

They sat in a bucket of ice water to cool down and then went into individual bags on ice in the cold garage to cool down gradually before going into the freezer.  Two of the birds had odd breast bones/keels; they had 20-25 degree  bends in the bone (it looks like a zig zag)...perhaps an injury as a chick?

Sam watched the first bird and went inside, a horrified smile on his face.  When we came in after the deed was all done he asked what was for dinner.  I told him we were having spaghetti and he said "Good. Cause Duncan said if we were having a chicken  that he knew, he wasn't eating."  I'm sure they will forget as time goes on...

Setting Up Shop

One of the suppliers I have been buying from no longer allows the sale of their products on Etsy, so I've decided to set up an online Farm shop on this site.  It is just over there (imagine an arrow pointing to the right side of your screen...yes, there you can see it!), and is still under construction.  I'll have to take a day off to get it completely set up and populated with goodies.  I started out with the "Knitting Tools and Supplies" page and the fiber page will be next in line.  I'm not going to abandon my Etsy shop- I just love the Etsy philosophy so much- this is in addition to it so I can sell the full line of supplies available to fiber artists.  After all- you are worth it!  :)

On another note; the snow is GONE, the rogue roosters need butchering, and the wee babydoll sheep had thier coats changed.  Fiber is growing under there! 

Goats at my Hotel

This work conference that I'm at this week is at a place called "The Riverwood" and it is in Otsego, MN.  There is a small fenced in area on one side of the conference center that was empty last night, but when we were let out for a break (like small children running out into the sunshine) I grabbed a plate of veggies and dip and went outside. 

There were goats behind the fence.  Six of them.  They were Boer goats.  They were hungry.  My plate was empty somehow, though lots of dip remained.  I received goat communication and then realized I was so hungry for vegetables and went back for more.  No camera.

Daylight "Savings" Jetlag

I'm not a big fan of day light "savings" time.  Just when the morning was getting light enough to complete chores before work (sans flashlight), some one gets the bright idea to mess it up, and make it light outside when it is time to put the kids to bed.  Brilliant!!! 

This week I'm in Minneapolis MN for a conference for work (Northwoods Climate Change).  A magical time zone change was crossed driving from MI to MN so I am back to pre-daylight savings time again.   I have no idea what time it actually is.  My laptop says 11:13.  My cell phone says 10:13 (and I don't know how to change it!).  The clock in the hotel says 10:13.  The clock in the travel car was off by an hour and fifteen minutes which was extra confusing.  And, the ride from Curtis MI to Otsego MN took ELEVEN hours minus a 45 minute hiatus to Duluth- it rained all the way.  Garlicky Alfredo at 8:30 and a Newcastle brown ale.  No veggies with dinner- I feel deprived, and I need to brush my teeth.  Maybe the garlic counts for veggies.

I think with all this warm weather and rain when I get home there won't be much snow!  Hopefully some sap is falling into those buckets though....could be a maple syrup rationing year!

Marching in like a Lion

I've always liked the March weather predictability mantra "in like a lion, out like a lamb" or vice versa.  It seemed to work when we lived in Southern Michigan, but it doesn't work in the UP at all.  It is always "in like a lion and out like a lion".  We've come to accept that; it is March in the UP after all and it does mean that April is on its way and maple syrup time and spring ephemerals.  So, even if the weather is not rosy our thoughts and hopes are.

I've been spinning a bit all winter and had accumulated a few skeins of yarn I didn't have plans for so put them in my Etsy shop yesterday.

This is a skein of BFL/Tussah (75/25) that I dyed with leftover dye from the kids Fiber arts class.  I didn't want to waste the dye and I was pleased the way the fiber drank up the dye.  The silk gives it such a lovely sheen, and it is VERY soft.  I have some of the undyed fiber in my Etsy shop for sale also.

When we take our annual trip to New Hampshire, I like to visit River's Lee Farm which is just down the road from Josie and Alis's house.  This is border leicester lamb and alpaca.  It reminds me of gazing across a freshly plowed field at a very blue horizon.

This roving too was from River's Lee Farm.  More Border Leicester and alpaca.  It is a pretty blue with purple flashes here and there.

This was roving I purchased at the Chippewa County Fair last summer from Maple Row Farms.  I call it "Strawberry Fields".  It is Romney lambswool.

This is also Romney Lambswool from Maple Row Farms- it reminds me of Mardi Gras colors.

Moorit Shetland from our own farm- Liz and Fallon donated the fiber for this skein.

Recycled Sari silk and black Shetland from our farm.  This is VERY soft and flashy.

The bunnies have been working hard all winter making fuzz also.  The torts (chocolate, black and blue) have such a lovely cream colored fiber.  I had been hoarding a bit of it and finally got it in the shop along with some new fibers from Ashland Bay.  When that box came I dove in and didn't come up for air for some time.  There was silk (both Honey tussah and bleached), cashmere (!!), baby camel down, baby camel & silk, alpaca & silk, mulit colored merino, ecru merino, and Bfl & silk.  Yumm.  Check them out at the Etsy shop or come on over and give them a feel at the farm.

I've also picked up a few knitpicks items to try my hand at:  the options Harmony Wood circular needles, ball winders (for $21.00!), birch yarn swifts and various knitting tools.  They are going over well here at the farm shop and online. 

Having Fun!!!

Pre-emptive Posting

I realize that I said in the last post that all has been quiet here...well, it continues to be so and perhaps that is a good thing.  I called this a pre-emptive posting because one of my dear brothers in law is so fond of nagging me when I get behind, and he apparently is busy with Mardi-gras celebrations so I'm sneaking one in on him.

The new-old bunnies came home- only two of them.  The wee black kit with the white markings was kept by her owner to try to groom with her bum hand.  I brought home puir wee old Wensleydale, who looks like an old droopy eared man with sparse fine hair (he is five), and Briar, whose initial grooming consisted of me trying not to be bit- somewhat unsuccessfully.  Grrrr.  Two other bunnies were placed with a fiber fan/dog groomer.  She definitely is a competent groomer.

Work is annoying as only paid work can be.  That's all I'm going to say about that.  Unless prodded of course.

I'm awaiting my first Ashland Bay order...eagerly I might add!  Camel/silk, baby camel, cashmere, alpaca/silk, tussah silk, merino, BFL/silk, multi colored dyed merino....When it comes I just might disappear into the box for a day or so....more excuses for not posting.

Winter Carnival was this past weekend...a little freaky because there is only 12 inches of ice.  I have a healthy fear of drowning and was glad to hear Lila wasn't thrilled about going. She and I went to spinning in the morning and then to the Kitty Donohoe concert at the arts center.  A lovely singer/song writer from Ann Arbor who kindly sang "the Maple Syrup Song" at Sam's request. The weather has been above average, but going back to normal so visions of tapping trees are growing dim until March likely.

Only two more weeks of the after school arts enrichment course in the fiber arts.  We are wrapping up basket making and then have one last week of "catchup on whatever you want".  I won't know what to do with myself on Wednesday afternoons!  I am contemplating some sort of course in master spinning (because I have nothing else to do and apparently am a glutton for punishment)...there seem to be a few options out there.  I'm wondering of anyone has completed any of the North American courses and have a recommendation?  Or you can just tell  me I'm being silly and get on with it....

All is quiet...

It has been a pretty low key couple of weeks here at the farm, though we still seem to have plenty to do.  The weather has been so mild the woolies have really enjoyed basking in the warmth, eyes closed and faces pointed to the sun.

Lila recently had her 11 year old vaccinations so she and I made the trek to the big city of Marquette- a girls day out.  Did the pre-requisite shopping trip to Target where I bought Sam Fin three new pairs of pants...he grew an inch and a half and all of a sudden the pants drawer is emptier.  Lila and I went to the "Pet Stop" and bought some Guniea Pig food and a larger cage for Duncan's  GP "Jewel".  She seems to like the extra room.  Onward to downtown Marquette to meet my friend Karen for some Thai food on Front Street.  It was a lovely lunch.  Lila's comment was "you guys sure talk a lot"....well, yes!  After Lila received her poking we did some grocery shopping and picked up a pizza at "Main Street Pizza" to take home for family movie night, knowing their wouldn't be time on to make a home made one when we got home. 

The big event this week is that I am picking up some bunnies from a friend that need to be re-homed.  Unfortunately their owner has nerve damage to her wrist and can no longer take care of them.  Four of them are angoras from our farm.  She bought two of them from me last year and rescued three from other people (who bought two of them from me in 2010 and 2009).  Two of the rescues were in pretty bad shape and she nursed them to health.  This was a difficult decision for her and I expect we will both be in tears when I go to pick them up.  The good news is that two of the angoras are being rehomed to a lady who is a dog groomer and rabbit fancier so I know they will be in good hands.  I'll be keeping three of the angoras (somewhere...) and the sixth bunny is a white lop who is going to be loved by a little girl in Lila's class.

This one is coming home-she is a cutie too.

There will be no baby bunnies at our farm this year because it is so hard to find people who have either the willingness or time to dedicate to care for them and it just isn't fair to the rabbits.  The percentage of bunnies that went to good homes that I have sold over the past three years is dismally low and it makes my heart heavy.  SO- we will enjoy all of this bunch into their old age and then see what we shall see!

On a happier note, I've opened a dealers account with Ashland Bay and am contemplating what I'm going order this first time.  The choices are rather dizzying and there are some scrumptious fibers available!  I have a sample set of everything and have spent some hours fondling the samples.  I also have had the pleasure of spinning a few of them already and I am IMPRESSED!  :)  So, Spinner's End Farm is going to offer both local, homegrown fine fibers and well as dabble in global luxury fibers.

So far, I'm thinking about Camel down blended with Tussah silk, alpaca blended with silk in four different shades (I've spun this- it is like Crack for spinners); Baby suri alpaca top, Cashmere top (OMG!), BFL/silk blend (this spins up great and has incredible sheen) and some Tussah silk.  Oh and they have a lovely merino top that I'm planning to handpaint.

  Camel Down and Silk

Black Alpaca and Mulberry Silk

Chocolate Alpaca and Tussah silk

Medium Brown Merino

BFL/Tussah silk (This takes dye really well!)

Any ideas our there for other fibers you'd like to see?

Gummer Sheep and other Geriatric Creatures

I'm wondering if anyone has any ideas about supplemental feeding gummer or broken mouthed sheep?  Chunk, from the post below, routinely comes into the barn for a couple of cups of either sheep feed or pelletized alfalfa but she is still losing condition (and is no longer living up to her name).  The "Sheep and Goat Medicine Book" mentions supplementing geriatric sheep with a high fat feed such as cottonseed which is readily available in southern states (not likely readily available here), but no other high fat content supplement is mentioned.  I'm wondering if sunflower seeds would be a good supplement or if anyone has any other ideas?

I hadn't thought much about aging animals until recently. We have a llama who has a bum knee and has lost social status who has lost condition and this winter has had more problems putting weight on her leg (surgery for this type of condition is in the few thousand dollar range).  We have two sheep that are just turning 10 (Chunk and Fallon) who are losing condition (Fallon isn't bad- she still has most of her teeth), and Amey who is only 4 but has never thrived since a wee lamb and is painfully thin.  Waters, the lab cross, is 12 and CeCe the Newf will be 10 this year.  We have many more younger animals of course, but we apparently are going to need to plan ahead and figure out to what degree we are able to care for our animals so that they are leading  (relatively) pain free and happy lives.  Everyone still seems happy if not completely fit.  Will and I did agree that perhaps the most humane course of action for Pikachu the llama would be to not have her endure another winter.  We shall see when the time comes...perhaps she will rally this summer and we will find Chunk and Amey a yummy supplement that will "chunk" them up.

We WILL be sure to dig a big hole on the property when the ground thaws....just in case.  A grim and perhaps impossible task to do in the grips of a frozen winter.

Something I Neglected To Tell You

Holy Smokes it is COLD!  Doing chores actually feels more like a chore in sub zero temps.  A few of the bunny crocks have broken from the cold so I'll replace those with metal bowls.  I've never loved metal bowls, but the ice slips right out of them and they don't break.  The buns, however, like tossing them around their cages because they are so light, and perhaps because they are shiny.  It's okay when the water is frozen, but they make a mess otherwise!

Anywho- here is a story for you.  Last November, before deer season struck and work became, well, more work; I received a phone call from Sam and Duncan's chum Andrew's Mother Lisa.  (Got that?)

Hold on- need to back up a bit.  When Andrews family moved to da UP, they bought a resort on the Big Manistique Lake that came with a small petting zoo that included three goats and two sheep (you can see where this is going already can't you?).  I met Lisa at a school function and was going on about how cute these Dahl sheep were.  I'm spelling it like I heard it.  I was thinking, how interesting...Dahl sheep?  Really?  I didn't know you could keep those!  So imagine my surprise when I went to pick up my kids at Lisa's house and these two Wee Tiny Fuzzballs came running out to greet me!

The lightbulb went off- "Doll" sheep as in Olde English Southdown Babydoll sheep!

Duh.

So, of course, I blathered on about how cute they were (because they are- I mean COME on!) and how friendly yadda yadda yadda.  Two months later (we are back to November now) Lisa is telling me how their behavior has changed and they are getting agressive towards their neutered buck (I'm switching to goats here) and being amorous towards the doelings (presumably in heat).  Then "Snowball" (that's the white one in case you were left wondering) starting ramming her in the leg.  She wasn't too worried about her leg (he stands about 24 inches tall at the shoulder) but was worried about her three year old.  So, two days later Lisa's father in law shows up at my office and says

"You want those sheep?  Otherwise their going to the auction barn".

Gulp.

Um, Will...and guess what he said?!?

We went to go get the fellas so I was finally able to get my hands on them and did a bit of "professional groping" around their nether regions and guess what I found?  You betcha- three out of four testicles still intact.  These guys had been banded before they left their farm and went to live at the resort but were still armed and dangerous.  And (close your eyes fellas) without Scrotums.  One trip to the vets later (which was a funny story in and of itself- imagine doped up sheep) they are now testosterone free.  But, definitely not FREE sheep after the surgery.

Aren't they cute though?  They always look like they are smiling.

Snowball is rather outgoingly friendly, and the bigger of the two.

Cocoa (remember that we did not name these guys) is the shy one, but he does love snooping in my pockets for graham crackers and firmly believes that humans should always have them on their person.  The wooly faces are hard to get used to and in November I had to cut a lot of hair away from their eyes so they could see...now I understand what "Wool blind" means.  Almost time for another trim and you can see that Cocoa has some grass awns stuck in his face. They wear what they eat on their faces...hmm.  sort of beard like!

I don't know what their fleeces will be like.  Cocoa's is soft and crimpy right now and about two inches long. Snowball feels more springy and is super crimped and slightly shorter than Cocoa's.  It will be fun to spin I think, but they are so bloody small they won't have much on them!  I'm sticking with Shetland's honestly.

In other news....

The introduction to the fiber arts class is going well.  This is a class that is funded by the Michigan Council for the Arts and Cultural Affairs (MCACA) grant that my friend Susan and I applied for the shcool.  Last week we hand painted (dyed) wool yarn.  The yarn was peruvian wool (I have NO idea what breed of sheep) from Knitpicks- yarn blanks.  We used Country Classics dye on most of them, though the bright gold skein to the right was dyed using onion skins with alum and cream of tartar as a mordant.  The rose colored skein to the left of the picture was cochineal beetles using alum as a mordant and was diluted quite a bit.  We had a lot of fun, but it was really labor intensive for me with all the prep work, helping everyone dye (I never heard the phrase Mrs. MacKinnon uttered so many times in my life!) and then I had to bring it all home to heat set it, rinse it, and dry it (in the basement in front of the wood furnace).  Phew.  Glad that class is done and now I know why the professionals charge so much for dye classes.

Lila was selected to go on a ski-snowboarding trip with her school this past Tuesday.  She was able to take a snowboarding and skiing lesson for next to nothing.  Will went along as a chaperone (and he went snowboarding too).  Evidently the kids had a good time watching him fall over a bunch.  He said it was really hard to control!  Lila thought so too and would have preferred spending more time skiing.

Last weekend I made donut drops and we ate them with strawberries.  They were oh so very very good and the recipe is here.  My kids will be forever in gratitude to the shepherdess for that post!  We will have more again this weekend.

Mmm!  Chunk says we could bring HER some of those!

She is getting old (10), and has few teeth, so comes into the people part of the barn for some sheep pellets.

How did it get to be January?

It seems like the passage of time speeds up those last two weeks of December.  I suspect there is some time-space continuum that goes out of whack brought about by the shortening of daylight hours, the expectations of the wee human folk, and rampant consumerism.  I expect that our Sam might work to prove this theory as he grows up.

Speaking of consumerism....we had a rather lavish holiday this year.  I'm not going to list everyone's gifts but we all have reading material to last through the middle part of the year!  Lila had 18 books in her stash- I think she has tucked three of them under her belt already...it would have been more but she was already embroiled in the Chronicles of Prydain series written by Lloyd Alexander.  Her Welsh ancenstry calling her.

I received FOUR Terry Pratchett books from the Discworld series.  This man is a witty genius and I love him.  I'm on "Jingo" right now.  Hmm.  Also four books in the "A Song of Ice and Fire" series by George R.R. Martin.  The first book was great so I'm looking forward to reading those also.  Big thick books with teeny tiny print.  This phenomenon never used to bother me, but I swear that print is getting smaller.  I also used to be albe to read in bed for a long period of time, but reading seems to have more of a soporific effect on me than anything anymore....

Okay- so here is the ultimately over the top gift:  TWO pounds of Yak down.  No, I'm not kidding.  Not ONE pound, which in and of itself is ridiculously a lot of yak, but TWO.  TWO!  AND a pound of sari silk.  AND a half pound of black alpaca blended with Mulberry silk.  I don't know where to begin.  Well, I do of course.  I'm going to spin a single of the black alpaca and silk and ply it with a single of black Shetland from our girls and finally knit myself a hat.  I might save a pound of that Yak and blend it with our moorit Shetland this spring too....man that would be some soft yarn.

My friend Susan (the basket weaver) and I are teaching an after school arts class at the Three Lakes Academy called "Introduction to the fiber arts".  We received a grant from the Michigan Council for the Arts and Cultural Affairs (MCACA), the Erickson Center for the Arts, and the Manistique Lakes Lion's Club to purchase lap looms, a 48 inch tapestry loom, potholder looms, two rigid heddle looms (all made in the USA in New Hampshire by Harrisville Designs), student drop spindles, fiber, fiber dye, yarn blanks, and knitting needles.  We are using the Harrisville Designs WoolWorks Curriculum which was written by Lorna McMaster.  We had our first class last wednesday and we talked about the science of wool, the cultural importance of fiber animals, and how humans discovered textiles through felting.  We had a hands on felting activity- making beads and wee pouches wet felted around plastic easter eggs.  It was pretty fun!  This week I will be teaching the kids (ten of them) how to use a drop spindle, giving a spinning demonstration on my wheel, and talking more about the cultural importance of spinning, textiles, the physics of spinning etc...  I'll take pictures this time...  It is a nine week course and I'll keep folks updated as we go along.  So now you know where I am on Wednesdays.