Winding down on the homefront and picking up elsewhere.

We had 27 lambs born between mid-January and mid-February this year. All but a few that we are keeping as replacement stock were sold right away without advertising. They were all supposed to go to the meat man for Easter lambs, but they were all privately sold. Thank you to all our customers! And, thank you God!!

The 'boys' were finally sheared this past week, and if it ever stops raining here I will skirt and photograph fleeces. Shearing off farm is finally starting to pick up. Between the rain, snow and cold farmers have been putting it off. Right now we are booked through mid-May. Again, thank you to our customers, and thank you God!!

Some of you may know that I had shoulder surgery on February 24th of this year. The USPS has denied my workman's comp, which means I have NO income coming in. I will need to hire a lawyer eventually. 😡 So, every penny coming in from the sale of lambs and shearing is going right back to the farm for hay and grain. And with 27 lambs, 34 adult sheep and an aging llama and an aging alpaca, we are going through a LOT of hay and grain. Hopefully this year we will not have to buy hay. That would be a major blessing in itself.

36 days from today is the 41st NH Sheep & Wool Festival.
http://www.nhswga.com/index.php/events/190-2015-nh-sheep-wool-festival
The booklet is up on the website, and I will tell you up front that it sucks as trying to find vendors!! Unless the vendor has an ad in the booklet, or you know their name and what they sell, the booklet is useless!!! It lists our business names alphabetically and tells you the building location and booth number, but NOTHING else. After 18 years of doing this festival, first with my friend Anne (Barrett) Mitts, and then on our own, I am not sure how much more time we will be doing this. At least until Hope Thomas retires from her Shetlands. If all goes well, she will be in our booth with her raw fleeces and maybe some yarn.

We have a triple booth again this year at NH Sheep & Wool, and a double at the VT Sheep & Wool.
 http://vtsheepandwoolfest.com/  Vermont is by and far our favorite festival, followed by the Wool Arts Tour the next weekend. http://www.woolartstournh.com/

Come check us out. We will again this year have our fleece sale area, some new yarn lines, and some angelina/fire star for mixing with your fibers. We have a few new rovings as well including only a few pounds of 2 different colors of 6 month old LUCIOUS Icelandic lamb fleeces that was made into roving for us, as well as the Pygora cloud. These 2 spun together (or alone) would make something soft enough for baby wear, but long lasting as well.

Okay. Even with a break, my shoulder has had enough with the typing. Now for some pictures of this past week's shearing of the boys.

 This is Carl the cow. My great niece and great nephew

saved him last Easter from being sold as meat. 

He is a yearling Dorset/Romney.

I believe his fleece will be processed on farm. ;)

 Carl after shearing.

He is about 1/2 his original size.

 Left to right-Candace, a 9 year old Horned Dorset,

Cloud, a 14? year old Romney and 

Cassidy, a 9 year old Dorset/Romney.

They are being kept in out of the weather and fed

extra because they are old and a little feeble/needy.

 Stormy. My 9 year old Romney waits his turn.

 Stormy is such a gentle giant. He just lays there 

and lets Jerry do his thing. Stormy is the ram that

visits other closed farms in the fall to do his thing.

 Rain and mud.

Springtime in NH.

 He still looks great for his age.

 Jerry is shearing Stormy's 3 year old son Jeremy.

He is a black chocolate Dorset/Romney.

If his fleece doesn't sell off farm,

it will be available at NH Sheep  & Wool.

 Carl (also Stormy's son), Jeremy

and Stormy (left to right)

Stormy is really only interested in scratching 

himself on the wall. Not in messing with his sons.

 Ted E Bear

Another fixed Stormy son.

(Carl is also fixed)

 Scratching his butt on the wall.

'Wow!' He says,' this feels great!'

Ted E's fleece is a brown with gray. 

All of the boys wore coats from the time they

were sheared last year. When it stops raining, 

I will wash their coats and we will put them back on them.

The ewes will get their coats after the last lamb leaves.

The weatherman is calling for nice weather

and high temperatures next week.

Hopefully between shearing jobs this weekend

I can get Jerry to set up the skirting table for me.

And, then I will see if I can get a volunteer, or 2,

to come help me skirt and photograph fleeces.

It is going to be a while before my shoulder is fully

healed. But, I am doing much better than expected.

I guess it is a good thing I have a high pain tolerance.

TTFN.