A Felting We Will Go

A bit late, but I still hadn't gotten my family's presents done. So, in-between pie baking and cookie making I whipped these up:

Deej (Ewok), Chthulu, and Pinky Pie (MyLittlePony)

But Baby It's Cold Outside

The temperature is dropping and the air is crisp, I love the change in seasons!

The best part, is it's kidding season!

Meet: Mistletoe! Daughter of Persimmon

and an update on Privet's daughter- Peppermint

Just last night I was thinking Persimmon looked like she was getting close. Look at that udder!

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

The annual Christmas ornament exchange is here, time for a new creation:

enter: Rudolph sheep

isn't he cute? <3

Love her!

Just a little project

We've been needing a compost bin for a while. A compost heap just doesn't cut it, especially with animals. So, a couple of pallets and old T-posts and voila!

mission accomplished

and we made a wire bin for leaf mulch. Quick and easy

New babies, new fence

And just in time for the new arrivals, the new fence is moving along. We've got the road front cleared with a little help on the chainsaw. Posts, wire, and a little brush/wire to haul off and we're set!

almost unrecognizable. pre-clearing on the left

both sides cleared down with a unimpeded view of the road now

wide open spaces. You can see my chainsaw helper in the distance

and Johnny looking out at the slowly expanding pasture. 

New Arrivals

We're growing by leaps and bounds.

We welcomed our first kid of the year- Privet had a darling doeling name TBD.
And, we've welcomed 5 newbies to the farm from the Northeast. Welcome Peanut, Butter, Johnny, Athena, and Lexi!

Privet's little girl 

she's just the cutest

perfect in every way

the new girls, Peanut and Butter

Johnny and the newbies

Alpaca Show

Veterinary medicine is an ever varied world. This past weekend I spent with some wonderful people at the Royal Alpaca Challenge and just had to share a few quick photos.

Yup, I'm official

the group lineup

just because this one looks like a yorkie

Truth and Grace

I just had to post this. Look at that curl!

 

    

This is Grace (or maybe Truth, I can't remember). Truth and Grace are retired breeding Shetland ewe sisters. They have been together their whole lives and have always had beautiful babies, but at their age we wanted to make sure they don't have any.... accidents. So now they are living with Hawthorn and his girls and new Babydoll wethers and are enjoying life eating honeysuckle and ironweed. They are sweet as can be and instantly took over as leader of the flock.

-M

Flerd

We've had some newbies- Babydoll Southdown sheep wethers.

They have joined Hawthorn and his girls, so our herd has become a flerd (flock+herd).

Here are a few updated photos of Hawthorn, Nettle, Fern, Phlox, Persimmon, and Privet.

-M

Herding Helpmate

Meet Mia:

 

She is a one year old English Shepherd (aka farm collie), one of the oldest herding breeds in America. Her previous owner passed away recently, and now Mia has come to live with me and learn the ways of the flock. I can't tell if she is very keen on sheep, but at least she is gentle and listens well.... except for the jumping. Oh well, no dog is perfect.



And here is her and her best buddy, Ripper, running flying.

 

-M

New Fencing

It's been a long, hard, and hot few days off... but I finally have some permanent fence!

I have been using mobile panels for brush clearing, and it has worked great, but real fence that will never come down makes me ecstatic. I feel like I need a week's worth of massages and a keg of water now. I placed t-posts, cemented in wood corner posts, lugged around wieldy 330ft roles of goat wire, stretched and attached it all. 550ft in total. And then still had some temporary panels to go up. I think I have finally conceded and am going to hire someone to replace the split rail- there is just no way a single person with two hands can possibly tear out and repair split rail and it is impossible for me to schedule to be here when anyone else has time to help.

Bring on the cooler weather!


-M

Still Partying Like Its 1820

One of our lovely neighbors had a plethora of okra, so we are trying our hand at freezing, frying, and pickling some okra. :)    I'll go ahead and say the fried okra is delicious. Here's to hoping it freezes well....

And I finally finished my shawl!!!

It is the thick and thin yarn that I bought during my trip to Connecticut in March, and I think it turned out amazing! The larger needles really let the yarn's texture show up with a beautiful lace-like pattern, even though it is just a simple stitch. I also made a headband with the remaining creamed coffee colored yarn and will make some fingerless gloves and boot cuffs if I don't run out..

Farming isn't easy, even for the little ones....

-M

Party like it's 1820

Milking goats, harvesting grapes for jelly-making, what more could you ask for?

Now that the new San Clemente girls are settled in, I decided it was time for Rose to move back to her retirement condo- no possibilities of her accidentally ending up with Hawthorn there. She enjoyed her ride in the pickup. When I was lugging her into her yard, I noticed her udder was full. What?! At 13 with NO possibility of pregnancy, she has spontaneously entered lactation. This phenomenon (called precocious lactation) can occur, but usually with high producing dairy goats. Poor little Rose was apparently very maternal and being put in with the two little girls who were crying for their mom made her feel like she needed to provide. Whether or not she nursed them I don't know, I never saw them nurse. Now I just need to decide... milk her out or no? It could make some lovely soap! She's such a precious little thing. 

Grapes are ready! We cut the vines back pretty after last year so we could train them better. Harvesting was much easier as they weren't growing through the fence, but yield was down and the grapes weren't any larger than last year. This year I think we will let them be. 

And Gretta is looking very fashionable with her red bandanna. She's still pretty spry for 13. 

-M

Better Homes and Gardens.

Our front might not look like much

but the garden is looking beautiful this year

Our fig tree froze, but given enough time it finally came back. Unfortunately we lost years of growth, but it will get there one day! 

 And the green beans look lovely. We've already had quite a few beans this year.

 Life is good on the farm

Perfect front porch sitting. 

  

Enjoy the weather out there, the real heat is coming!

-M