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Barnyard Buddies:  All Things Sheep and Goats  |
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Jami
True Blue Farmgirl
1238 Posts
Jami
Ellensburg
WA
USA
1238 Posts |
 Posted - May 05 2009 : 07:40:21 AM
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Good morning girls. Had a real rain last night...a whole 1/2" in Yakima! That's a lot for around here. It's gorgeous out today with blue skies, white puffy clouds and dew on the grass blades.
Oh Grace, lambing is over and I'm happy for that and grateful for what we got and how well it did go..only lost one lamb but I'm ready to put the sheep out on pasture and not mess with them constantly for a while. Bottle-feeding bummers, doctoring sheep, isolating sheep (you know that's actually not very easy to do with a herd critter) etc. Summer is fun because we let them in and out at night into a paddock area but otherwise, it's set it and forget it and it's kind of nice to watch them grazing or resting or whatever they are doing and all I have to do is fill up minerals and check water troughs for a while.
All told, we had a 196% lambing rate...I usually calculate that after lambing is over and then again at weaning but we're not weaning for a while yet.
Sheri, here's to a clear day over your way. Grace, interesting mud/fleece story...never thought of it quite that way before! You always seem to find the silver lining. I like that about you.
Jami in WA
Farmgirl Sister #266
http://cookecreeksheep.blogspot.com
http://cookecreekwool.etsy.com |
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grace gerber
True Blue Farmgirl
2804 Posts
grace
larkspur
colorado
USA
2804 Posts |
Posted - May 05 2009 : 07:56:07 AM
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Sarita - your numbers are growing - Congrat's and I wish everyone a smooth, heathly deivery. Now you will be knitting away baby things.
I don't know about always finding the silver lining because someday I just feel like it is nothing but rain clouds. I guess when you raise animals you have to celebrate every little good thing to get you thru those times when it seem's like everything is going wrong. Glad you will be having those sheep on green pastures and you get a break - Jami.
Sheri spinning Alpaca is not hard at all, the issue is not all alpaca is alike - just do not spin too tight or it will feel like rope. Also if you have not carded it I like to take a tuff and place it tip to cut end then switch cut to tip - that will give you a better draft.
Bamboo and Silk are one's that draft so differently then wool or animal fiber. Just slow your feet down until you get your hands organized. Silk can tug unevenly so open it up so it can not grab. Bamboo can have jumps in it twist so it works best if plyed unless you realy control the twist. I will gladly answer any questions if I can if you have more. The best way is to just relax and play with the fiber.
Grace Gerber
Larkspur Funny Farm and Fiber Art Studio
Where the spirits are high and the fiber is deep
http://www.larkspurfunnyfarm.etsy.com
http://larkspurfunnyfarm.blogspot.com
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Sheep Mom 2
True Blue Farmgirl
1534 Posts
Sheri
Elk
WA
USA
1534 Posts |
Posted - May 05 2009 : 08:16:57 AM
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Still clouds and cold wind this morning - 25mph or better....grrr.
Thanks for the info Grace. I think I am still not relaxed enough with my drafting. I think it's a bit like life - if you hold on too tightly it doesn't flow! Some days I'm better off not touching my wheel other days it's great. I don't have too much time to play with it right now as I have to kick myself in the rear and get back to the final push on that wedding gown. I have at least 100 hrs. into it already and linings aren't my forte which is where I am at. It seems I keep finding other things to do....
Glad to hear you got some rain Jami - I know it's a premium over your way. Enjoy your sunny day - I'm jealous.
Sheri |
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Old Spirit
True Blue Farmgirl
1498 Posts
Rae
MN
1498 Posts |
Posted - May 05 2009 : 08:38:51 AM
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The rookie strikes again. What all do you feed your sheep?
Rae
...those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles:...
Isaiah 40:31 |
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Jami
True Blue Farmgirl
1238 Posts
Jami
Ellensburg
WA
USA
1238 Posts |
Posted - May 05 2009 : 10:40:57 AM
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Pasture all growing season with salt/mineral supplement.
Winter rams get our homegrown grass hay.
Ewes get homegrown grass hay and protein tubs (lick tubs) until about 1 month before lambing twice a day. After that time it's grass hay mornings, alfalfa evenings and 1/2 pound of barley/corn mix (titrated up slowly) per ewe until the grass comes in nice and they are slowly introduced to it. We just started on pasture full time so alfalfa and grain feedings stop. When alfalfa stops so does grain as they need the calcium/phosphorus balance of the alfalfa when feeding grain.
Used to not ever feed grain to my ewes but in late pregnancy when they are full of lambs, they cannot get enough hay in them to keep up nutritional requirements of growing lambs and milk, etc. Grain is a concentrated protein/energy that they don't need much of to make a nice nutritional boost when they need it like right before lambing and after while milking hard for multiple lambs.
Jami in WA
Farmgirl Sister #266
http://cookecreeksheep.blogspot.com
http://cookecreekwool.etsy.com |
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FiddleChick
True Blue Farmgirl
78 Posts
78 Posts |
Posted - May 05 2009 : 5:49:23 PM
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Hi all! I just acquired 5 bags of raw fleece. Has anyone done a tutorial on skirting? I'd like to try before I send them to the mill to save some $$ but I couldn't turn up a tutorial on YouTube. Anyone have one on their blog or Web site? Thanks!
Siúil A Rúin: "Singing for someone's supper . . ." www.tradlassie.blogspot.com |
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grace gerber
True Blue Farmgirl
2804 Posts
grace
larkspur
colorado
USA
2804 Posts |
Posted - May 05 2009 : 6:38:04 PM
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I do not do YouTube but I would be glad to assist. We can either do it thru this site or you can email me and I will gladly walk you thru it unless someone hear knows a place on YouTube..
Grace Gerber
Larkspur Funny Farm and Fiber Art Studio
Where the spirits are high and the fiber is deep
http://www.larkspurfunnyfarm.etsy.com
http://larkspurfunnyfarm.blogspot.com
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Keeper of the Past
True Blue Farmgirl
925 Posts
Sarita
Battle Creek
Michigan
USA
925 Posts |
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Keeper of the Past
True Blue Farmgirl
925 Posts
Sarita
Battle Creek
Michigan
USA
925 Posts |
Posted - May 06 2009 : 08:38:25 AM
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FiddleChick if you need more help, let us know. I had thought about putting up pictures of us skirting wool but just have not got there yet.
Good Luck
www.coffmanspinningcfarm.blogspot.com
Contentment is the crown jewel of a happy life. |
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FiddleChick
True Blue Farmgirl
78 Posts
78 Posts |
Posted - May 06 2009 : 08:46:32 AM
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Oh my! There's a bit more to this than just trimming up the edges with shears, huh?? LOL!!! When people have talked about a skirting table I thought they meant a table big enough to spread the fleece out on!!! Now I get it...I'll have to see what I can come up with to substitute. The pictures are very nice - it's always good to have a visual. Grace, if you have any other tips, I'm all ears. Thanks Sarita!!
Siúil A Rúin: "Singing for someone's supper . . ." www.tradlassie.blogspot.com |
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Keeper of the Past
True Blue Farmgirl
925 Posts
Sarita
Battle Creek
Michigan
USA
925 Posts |
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Sheep Mom 2
True Blue Farmgirl
1534 Posts
Sheri
Elk
WA
USA
1534 Posts |
Posted - May 06 2009 : 10:46:54 AM
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I really liked the skirting table in the link you posted. I think I will have to find a way to build that one. Still have not been able to begin on mine - another windy, cool, cloudy un-May like day. It blew so hard here yesterday - gusts up to 40 mph that it tweaked the electric to my mercury vapor down at the barn so had to deal with that last night. Even the sheep thought it was cold and spent half the afternoon in the barn. Worked on my sprinkler system all day despite the weather - so much snow damage to the pvc pipe. I don't dig so all my sprinklers are above ground along the fences so you can see what needs to be fixed. Miserable cold work but much needed as the weather may be cold it hasn't been wet enough to keep the ground wet enough for my parenials - lavender, berries etc. Come on warm weather...
Fiddlechick - what type of wool did you purchase?
Grace, have you dried out any?
Hope you all have a great day.
Sheri |
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FiddleChick
True Blue Farmgirl
78 Posts
78 Posts |
Posted - May 06 2009 : 10:52:05 AM
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Hi Sheri, I bought 4 bags of Navajo-Churro and 1 bag of Tunis. (One fleece per bag - 3 are first fleeces so should be soft.) Raw. For $15. I figured it was a good investment and a nice amount to give me some practice in preparing and when it comes back from the mill in dyeing (!yay!). It's funny - I already met someone who wants to buy some of it once it's processed!
Siúil A Rúin: "Singing for someone's supper . . ." www.tradlassie.blogspot.com |
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Sheep Mom 2
True Blue Farmgirl
1534 Posts
Sheri
Elk
WA
USA
1534 Posts |
Posted - May 06 2009 : 11:06:10 AM
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I haven't tried to do any dyeing yet - not wool anyway. What type of dye are you using? I have been dying wood veneer to get the colors I need for my marquetry and have been using the fiber reactive dye from Dharma. I would like to try dying some of my wool but haven't taken the plunge yet.
Sheri |
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FiddleChick
True Blue Farmgirl
78 Posts
78 Posts |
Posted - May 06 2009 : 11:56:56 AM
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I haven't tried yet either...not with real dye anyway. I used kool-aid (as described in MJ mag) to dye some white wool red so I could felt the top of a cupcake TP cozy. :^) Came out okay...I was in a rush and it came out a bit uneven (which was fine for the cupcake) and I'm not sure that it's not just how the kool-aid dyes, but next time I'd try to see if I could get it a bit more uniform I think.
Siúil A Rúin: "Singing for someone's supper . . ." www.tradlassie.blogspot.com |
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Sheep Mom 2
True Blue Farmgirl
1534 Posts
Sheri
Elk
WA
USA
1534 Posts |
Posted - May 06 2009 : 12:22:41 PM
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Do you spin wool too or just do the felting? I haven't done any felting projects yet. I just bartered with Jami for a couple of felted knitting patterns so I will have to give it a try. I know that wool needs an acid based dye. What type of dyes do you use Grace and what kind of mordant do you use? Some of the mordants can be pretty toxic so I try to shy away from that route if at all possible.
Sheri |
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FiddleChick
True Blue Farmgirl
78 Posts
78 Posts |
Posted - May 06 2009 : 1:58:26 PM
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Yes, I spin - I love it!!! I don't do much felting yet...and all I have is four felting needles so to do this frosting I was trying to be clever and use all four at once and of course I felted my thumb. That'll teach me. :^)
Siúil A Rúin: "Singing for someone's supper . . ." www.tradlassie.blogspot.com |
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grace gerber
True Blue Farmgirl
2804 Posts
grace
larkspur
colorado
USA
2804 Posts |
Posted - May 06 2009 : 5:25:16 PM
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Hi Ladies
Yes, I am at 70 degree's today so we are drying out. Thanks for asking...
As for dyeing I do Natural Plants, and what I call low chemical dyes (those are one's who completely go back to a normal ph) Mordants would depend on the plant material, your ph level in your water and the color you are looking for. I do not use Koolaid or cake icing dyes. I can recommend some great books or their are some sites which are strickly for dyers...
As for the fleeces I love spinning Tunis - great also to blend with a rayon fiber to do slub spinning. The Churro is what my girlfriend raises and those are tricky when it comes to getting a yarn that can be worn without layers. I love Churro to do locker hooking, rug work and then outerwear or even wall design work. There are several genetic strains of Churro which are presently being studied and possibly a new classification and organization will come out of that study. Exciting stuff to us sheep folks.
Have fun and enjoy the danelions - Mishka fav and also something you can dye with...
Grace Gerber
Larkspur Funny Farm and Fiber Art Studio
Where the spirits are high and the fiber is deep
http://www.larkspurfunnyfarm.etsy.com
http://larkspurfunnyfarm.blogspot.com
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - May 07 2009 : 05:11:08 AM
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I would love to see some wool dyed with dandelion. I bet it's so pretty.
I'm glad you are drying out in Col. We are just a swamp here. I feel like I live in the bayou now. There should be big ole long alligaters floating by any minute. Don't even want to think about the big water snakes, but that could be possible, too. I know there are thousands of frogs laying eggs. That's why we can't have a pool here. It ends up being a frog nursery.
It is a sunny morning right now. So maybe it will dry up some in the gardens.
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
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Sheep Mom 2
True Blue Farmgirl
1534 Posts
Sheri
Elk
WA
USA
1534 Posts |
Posted - May 09 2009 : 10:10:46 AM
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Hope all is well with everyone. Hopefully your weather turned out ok Sarita - tornado warnings - whew. We had one here (very rare) and it took out 5 acres of dense forest on the back of my place a few years ago. Looks like I finally have a good only slightly breezy day to start picking vm out of my fleeces. Hope everyone has a great Mother's Day weekend.
Sheri |
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Old Spirit
True Blue Farmgirl
1498 Posts
Rae
MN
1498 Posts |
Posted - May 10 2009 : 4:36:43 PM
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Ok we are really getting going here now, got the sheep fence and such so within a month I will hammer with even more questions again. Wanted to give you all fair warning so you could rest :-)
Rae
...those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles:...
Isaiah 40:31 |
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Sheep Mom 2
True Blue Farmgirl
1534 Posts
Sheri
Elk
WA
USA
1534 Posts |
Posted - May 10 2009 : 4:59:18 PM
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Rae, Sounds like you have your work cut out for you. Hope you had a good weekend. I finally got to skirting my fleeces. Actually I should say I got one completely done - all the VM picked out and am now getting ready to wash it. It looked like we might blow a thunder storm so I had to wrap things up for today.
Sheri |
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Jami
True Blue Farmgirl
1238 Posts
Jami
Ellensburg
WA
USA
1238 Posts |
Posted - May 11 2009 : 07:55:00 AM
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Well girls, first lovely day we had for a while and I got to washing and dyeing a Texel fleece yesterday outside. Gosh, that saves a big clean-up in the kitchen! I setup my portable workbench next to an outside outlet and put my double burner hotplate on it. Have to go in and out of the house to fill buckets with fresh hot water.
Noticed in my spinners newsletter this month that Texel was the fiber of the month and they had to go to Canada to get it (I'm brand new to this organization so didn't know about their quest for Texel fleece). I have the largest Texel flock in Washington so that tells me that our website is not coming up on searches well. There are so many aspects to marketing this wool!
Anyhow, back to the process - I dye immediately after washing to save a step. Just dump the wet clean fleece into the dye bath.
Jami in WA
Farmgirl Sister #266
http://cookecreeksheep.blogspot.com
http://cookecreekwool.etsy.com |
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Sheep Mom 2
True Blue Farmgirl
1534 Posts
Sheri
Elk
WA
USA
1534 Posts |
Posted - May 11 2009 : 09:32:22 AM
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Jami it sounds like you had a busy weekend. I finally got started skirting and picking vm out of my fleeces. It was a beautiful day until the wind came up and started blowing everything around so I had to quit. Looks like we are back in a rain/wind system again for most of the week. I am so tired of these northern systems and the chilly winds - so unlike our normal May weather.
What kind of dye do you use? What color did you dye this weekend?
Sheri |
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Keeper of the Past
True Blue Farmgirl
925 Posts
Sarita
Battle Creek
Michigan
USA
925 Posts |
Posted - May 11 2009 : 11:45:04 AM
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Jami, I have never spun Texel fleece. I think I know where to go if I can get some time to spin. It is nice today, but it has been raining off and on since last Thursday. We ended up in Kansas City getting last minutes for the wedding next week end yesterday. (wish I had been home washing wool)! Guess where I went first thing when I got home??? To the sheep lot to watch the babys play. Geesh! I hate to go to the city.
I am now down to 1 ewe...wahooooo! The new lamb looked so small compared to the big lambs born the first of April. Don't they grow fast!
I am anxious to wash the Border Leicester wool and spin it. School will be out next week and my daughter will be married Saturday....I am way behind!
www.coffmanspinningcfarm.blogspot.com
Contentment is the crown jewel of a happy life. |
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Barnyard Buddies: All Things Sheep and Goats |
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All Things Sheep and Goats
