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I am not one for tooting my own horn but I just have to share a couple of neat things I am proud of!
The feature article in Spin-Off magazine is about the CVM/Romeldale breed and I was happy to provide the fleece to Robin Russo for her project. There is also a photo of Bea and Peach side by side within the article. So yea for CVM/Romeldales and our small part in bringing awareness to the breed! Please be sure to get a copy of Spin-Off to read the article.
This spring I was chosen to create a palette of naturally dyed colors for a prominent spinnery in the US. I have been working on the details with them for months and next week I begin to do the dyeing using a yarn they have chosen for the line. I am so excited to be a part of the project and although I cannot spill the beans about who I am working with I can say this is the culmination of years of studying and learning and working with natural dyes. What a great feeling.
Stay tuned for news as it unfolds by late summer!
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Ashley had another near death experience this weekend. We came out to do the morning chores and found her cast (on her back, unable to upright herself) against the shed wall and had kicked out the bottom board in an effort to right herself. I have written about this before and when a sheep casts, it doesn’t take but an hour for them to die. By the time we found her she was barely breathing, eyes closed and lifeless.
We got her quickly on her feet, gave here an gentle rubdown and let her be while the rest of the flock had morning hay.
She stood around for a good half hour very quiet. Wouldn’t you!? After the flock went out to graze she stayed behind and I gave her grain. That put her up and over and within a few minutes she started chewing cud. That’s the best sign as then I know her rumen is functioning properly. By late morning she was grazing once again. That girl has nine lives alright.
Yesterday we got another 90 bales in the barn from first cut. We have added a source for our hay so we aren’t cut short by the end of the season.
It was a stunning afternoon as we drove along through the field picking up bales. There were Bobolinks everywhere, hopefully not having had their nests damaged. The drawback to spring haying is the field wildlife can be disrupted. This was a close as I could get to a Bobolink. What adept flyers they are!
This morning I moved the sheep to the near field for the week. We took it slow this morning so they could poke along and check out the sights of the barnyard, grab a mouthful of honeysuckle bush, sniff Sidney and look around. As we headed toward the machinery barn they knew where to go and I stayed behind them as they filed right out to morning hay and new pasture.
Ashley stayed behind as they entered the field and I gave her a cup of grain. She’s managing just fine!
Sadly, one of our hens died yesterday. I thought something had been wrong with her earlier in the spring and then she seemed to get better. But all day Saturday she didn’t even leave the coop and hung by the waterer. I thought she might just have a bug of some sort but when I let the hens out Sunday morning, she had passed away. It’s so sad, regardless of the species, when we lose a friend on the farm. She was a happy hen and had a good life while she was here. That’s to be thankful for.
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May was a blur….from getting ready for the spring sheep and wool shows and all that goes with that to spring bursting forth here on the farm to then being away for a week at the end of the month. My flow has been anything but steady! Our spring has been stunning this year. Not hot or humid, plenty of rain and equal amounts of sunshine. These pictures around the farm today are what we see more days than not. Just lovely and everyone is enjoying it from Webster
To the flock
To Sidney
To the hens
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It arrived last night about 8PM in a mini-van with her Mom, two brothers and little sister. The black flies were thick at dusk, an unusually heavy air hung over the farm. We never have seen it so buggy here until this year. Is it due to the plight of the bat population? We think so.
Finally the mini-van heaved into view and all the siblings poured out along with a road weary Mom. The piano intact in the back.
We have a new farm hand, her name is Katie. Katie plays the piano. Our cottage has housed some wonderful tenants over the years; a professor, a raptor and sheep wrangler and detangler, a physical therapist, a psycholgist, a proficient hoola hoop-ist, a forester, two couples who started their families here, and now a pianist.
We are delighted to have Katie with us for as long as she stays. Today she helped us get in the first cut of hay, feeling strong and mighty! All of our farm helpers are students at Antioch and are here for a time while they work their way through school. Some stay longer than others but each and every one is special and unique. It is a opportunity for all of us.
And so today the lilting melodies from the piano wafted across the heavy breeze. The little cottage was filled with melody! The piano tuner arrives tomorrow but I have to say from outside in the dusk of this lovely spring evening the music was akin to the scent of the lilacs all around the farm. Intriguing and delightful.
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I am feeling much better! Thank you for all your well wishes.
I have been living in the lap of luxury with grain daily, plenty of hay, spring pastures and even some alfalfa treats here and there. My shepherds are darn good to me even if I don’t like when they come to the barn together. That always means they are going to have to give me medicine or check something. Every time! But really, life is good. I can put weight on my right leg again, as you see here I am using it. It’s still stiff when I first get up but I find that if I hold it up a little, I still get the sympathy vote and I frankly like this hospitalization period!
Ashley’s been a pretty good roomie, all in all. She tells me that the extra grain is doing her old bones good. Nancy gives me a leg massage each evening and Ashley gets a daily all over hip, spine and shoulder massage too!
We are still separated from our buddies but at least we are near them and can say our hellos across the fence. I hear I will be here with Ashley another couple of weeks. *sigh* Yay!
