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.

I cannot believe I have....

....not written anything for a month. Some catching up to do.
Tomorrow is shearing day for my black coloured sheep who are starting to look decidedly bedraggled and daggy. Praying no flystrike, after a couple of humid days.
Sunday off to the Mooroopna Farmer's Market from 8.00am to 1 pm.
Although I haven't blogged I have not been idle.
The two granddaughters have turned 3 and 2 respectively in September and October, and birthdays can be busy.
I have completed the Alpaca for a customer and am about to start another for another client. In the meantime I have to catch up and get some of my own fleeces done.


Granddaughters helping feed the calf.




Machine knit Lace Capelet/Poncho




Handspun Natural Mid grey

 I have added some new items to the website so go and take a look to see what's there.
Work is ongoing on the farm with repairs to fencing. Calving is finished with 23 calves. We lost one cow whose calf we are now feeding and one calf whose mother was too young. Some of these Lowline heifers seem to matue much sooner and therefore while the bull is in with the mothers accidents can happen but you don't know until much later.
We are currently looking at the possibility of getting the dairy up and running again, so that the farm can make an income. Oh well early mornings. Maybe I can make some cheeses again, nothing like my own Camembert, fetta or haloumi.

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.

Okay....

..the workshop has been over a few days. It was a hive of activity from the moment we checked in and continued with food, fibre, frolicking, wine and Spinning. I don't think there was anyone in the group who did not have a wheel in front or some knitting in our hands. Jacey Boggs is an excellent teacher, (I am not sure I am a good student) and we all went away having learnt something and met some new friends.
Back to reality, I am continuing my alpaca commission spinning. I also have a machine knitted piece for a lady for her to use for her printing, if it is suitable. Farm stuff continues with calf watching, and feeding the sheep.

I am going to a new market on Saturday, Riverside Plaza Market in Sheepparton, under cover for a change.

MEMAC (North East Yarns) are having our AGM on Sunday at King River Cafe in Oxley. Nice cafe/restaurant always seems busy when we go there.

This weekend...

..is for me.
I am heading to Belgrave for a spinning workshop with the Insubordiknit Jacey Boggs. Mandie of EGMTK is the organiser. Should be a great weekend with much spinning and laughter.
Tonight I have a project to take to patchwork and am completing it today. We have been working on Round Robins, so can't put up any photos.

Catching up....

Time flies, and you suddenly realise that you are writing in Facebook pages quickly so as not to use up computer time or "waste time on computer" when you should be working at your craft.

Nagambie market was a washout last Saturday, but weather permitting Girgarre Market will be on this sunday, and new items have been added to the stall.

Farm news... we now have a total of 18 calves. Lowline calves unfortunately have a knack of getting into other paddocks, just walk straight through the fences!!! So Leigh has been putting up ringlock fencing to keep them in; this will be an ongoing project. As the farm was originally set up as a dairy farm, there was no need for high tensile fencing. I must get an updated photo of the Lowline family.

Website is updated, and more yarn is drying. And here are photos of some new items for he stall.