Dairy up and running...

We bought new Jersey cows for the dairy and it has been a bit stressful for them as well as us, but hopefully soon things will settle down. Also I got the dreaded "cold" with sinus problems and the sore throat, which did not help. cell count has been a problem but hoping to get on top of this.

So, up early at 5am with a bit of breakfast, then down to the dairy yard forr me to feed my sheep and shut them into their other paddocks away from the dairy, and then the cows into the yard for milking. we have 54 milking cows at the moment and 4 calves we are feeding which will be sufficient for this season. A nice Jersey bull has been hired and arrived yesterday, and was extremely happy to see his new girls. He is a quiet boy which is good because I do not like being around bulls.

My craftwork has to continue, but sadly I have lost some hours, but as it approaches the warmer months I hope to get some spinning done. I will still be attending the 3 regular markets I attend, Nagambie, Girgarre, and Mooroopna, plus some sharing days and of course the Bendigo Sheep and Wool Show.

I continue to work on my machine knitting and have made a few more garment over the last few months, and hope to produce some summer cotton garments soon.

I have some fleeces washed waiting for picking and carding, so never a dull moment and more organisation will get me going.

I am currently....

...spinning some medium-light grey Corriedale fleece from my own sheep so will be awhile before it gets posted to the website.
But in the meantime I have been knitting some mitts. A basketweave scarf in natural grey brown is also finished.
Another machine knit cardigan to be sewn up.

It is the Girgarre Market this Sunday (tomorrow) so will have thes finished items on the stal.
Visitors arriving late this afternoon for a few days. Never know how long so will have to have things at hand mto do whilst sharing a glass of wine or two.
Sheep are looking good with no hint of flystike so far. Thank goodnes!!
Cows and calves are going well, one expected soon. I think the bull must have had a rest every 3 weeks with these heifers as that is how long it is taking between each birth.

Last day of 2011..

As it is the last day of the year, I thought I should post something.
Today one of my sheep died. It was not unexpected as it has been unhappy for more than a week. I could not detect any flystrike and assumed it was an internal issue. He would drink and chew a little grass, so I let nature take it's course. He did not look like he was suffering, just unhappy. It was sad as it was my first actual sheep death since I started in 2007, so I consider I was lucky. This fellow was born here in 2008.
At present I have several projects on the go including some handspinning that I am going to give to a friend for her 60th birthday next week. It is a natural grey which I will then dye in her favourite colour. (So her daughter says.)
More skeins of the white alpaca have been completed, and I am balling them up for the client as I know how extra busy she is as a busy GP.
Wishing all my followers and visitors a Happy and Safe New Year and we hope 2012 will be a better one.

Sheep...

...have been shorn. Luckily just before this hot weather, which is going to follow up with rain, so will have to watch for flystrike. Very bad last spring and summer. I now have to decide where to send the lamb's fleeces as they are only 1 - 2 inches long. The full fleeces I will spin myself or sell privately or send away, and the remaining will go in the shared Baling Day in the North East after we decide what to do.
I have now started carding (prior to spinning) a white Alpaca fleece for a customer. I also am organising some gifts of natural coloured wool batts for some acquaintances who I met at the spinning workshop in August.

I will be at Riverside Plaza Market in Shepparton this Saturday from 9am to 2pm.


Making himself comfortable.

 I am minding the farm while Leigh is away visiting his son overseas, so a bit quiet here, with only the cats, the sheep and cattle to talk to. speaking of cats, another has popped in and if it hangs around that will make 4, and they don't even belong to us. My daughter's cat of course is settling in really well since he came to us in June, much better life in the outdoors than in a city apartment.

Ok the car is packed....

.. and wool carded for spinning.
Off to Mooroopna Farmers market tomorrow after a break of 2 months. Previously I have been at the Bendigo Wool Show and a workshop with Jacey Boggs, the Insubordiknit spinner. Hope the weather holds up, as it looks grey and the Barometer has dropped.
Have to get up extra early as we always feed the sheep first, but we now have a calf to feed as her mum didn't make it. She was an older jersey cow( as are the others) and we weren't sure she was in calf, but calve she did, but from the outset you could see her slowing. Gorgeous heifer calf for future generations.

Okay...

...my blogging entries have been very poor lately but I have been using Facebook for quick entries.

Now, on the farm we have been calving very slowly and spread out, unfortunately, and we still have one to go. One of the older cows gave birth to twins, luckily 2 heifers, so a lot of growing for these tiny girls. i haven't taken any photos yet, because the day after they were born Mum wasn't well and had to be treated with Calcium successfully, but soon after one of the twins went missing, and could not be found anywhere. We have a lot of long grass around the channel area, so heaven only knows where she went, but after a week of not finding her she turned. So 15 cows and 15 calves in one paddock. We are very happy! Another paddock we have 10 Lowlines, ( 4 of which are heifers calving early next year) with 6 calves. In another paddock the Lowline bull has 7 heifers and a steer to keep him busy. Lots of animals now plus 44 sheep.

Of course I am always working at my crafting and have finally finished a machine knit cardigan, so hopefully am getting the hang of the machines now.

Handspinning always goes on, with the Alpaca for a client as a priority but I have done some natural coloured Corriedale for the stall.

And some seing, and I need to add more of these. Here is a sample.

So, since it is my birthday today, it is time to get ready to go to Echuca for lunch with my mother, children, sister, etc.

Just had a nice quiet weekend...

....spinning, carding, knitting and contemplating the shed. The electrician came out this morning to see what was needed and the builder will be coming out late this week or early next week. I am looking forward to setting it all up and then will invite a few people to my Studio opening . A good excuse for a party to have my own "Girl's Shed".

Some of Mandie's (EGMTK) Mulled Wine Merino Top that I bought some time ago, finally spun up. It was 200gms so now have 2 skeins to sell.

I thought it was about time I put a picture of my sheep on here. I'm not sure if I have before. But although they have only a small area to live they look very healthy. They are fed a sheep mix grain in the mornings and there is always a bale of hay in the paddock. the grass is growing with all the rain we have had, so hope the spring will be good.

Dyeing, then relaxing before a 21st tonight..

Wasn't quite sure what was going to happen today..temperature going to be in high 30's.
First up definitely feed the sheep who already didn't like the heat (8.30am), then get some hoses going to water as much as possible. Thank God for poly-pipe, mine have holes drilled at regular intervals, but the earwigs usually end up at the end section making it very hard for that last little tree. Then some hand watering for non poly area.
Inside at 10.30am, having a drink and reading the current Wheel magazine. An article about overdying. Decision made - I have some light brown yarn from the Mohair farm, so into the dyepot it goes. Will take photo later.
I have 5 skeins of white handspun so after lunch they are in the pot.
Tonight heading off to Echuca for my niece's 21st.