Yesterday with the new lambs . . .

Though it was only 40 degrees, damp, and generally miserable weather, I was bound and determined to see the new lambs in Kennebunkport. And, so, that's what I did on Friday. IT WAS SO WORTH IT! The little ewe and ram Tulip and Hendricks are doing well, and didn't seem to mind the attention nor the climate. Outside, they chased one another and jumped clearly for joy, then took a break and sampled random vegetation. The Mamas kept a wary eye on me as I switched off from one camera to the other. Jeric and Beate took a nice walk with us, and didn't seem to even be aware of the sheep. Looking forward to watching the lambs grow and develop their personalities.

Spring is here

More news from Kennebunkport: Sara's ewe Callie had a black ewe lamb last week. That made two in just 7 days or so. Great timing for her birthday on the 9th of April!

Made a visit to Green Hill Park Farm, Worcester's own urban ag center on top of one of our seven city hills. It was so unseasonably warm on April 5th, and all the animals were out soaking up the Vitamin D. The fiber creatures were looking quite heavy with fleece. The chickens demonstrated their scratching prowess, and presented their gorgeous plumage. The goats were typically curious, friendly, and goofy. The farm will host the 2010 Sheep to Shawl, LLama to Pajama on Saturday, October 23rd, 12 noon to 4PM.

Good news from Kennebunkport

A little ram lamb was born early Saturday morning in my friend's barn. Mother ewe and baby ram did well, enjoying the unseasonably warm temps all of New England experienced over the weekend. We congratulate the shepherd and the Babydoll Southdown flock!

70 Degrees + at Overlook Farm/Heifer Project, Rutland MA

Oohhhh, definitely feel like I got my photo mojo back this afternoon. Who needs Easter Dinner when there are amazing shelter dogs to train in the morning, and highly animated sheep to photograph in the afternoon! And, with the temp reaching mid 70s, the day could not have been more beautiful. (Oh, I forgot the strawberry shortcake Ben & Jerry's ice cream at 4:30PM outside in the backyard, while discussing marketing WARL with Jeff -- he had plain 'ole chocolate.). Also took out the little video camera purchased a long time ago that I am still getting acquainted with. Will be crash training myself tonight and tomorrow to start filming the shelter dogs in need of video storytelling. Ahhh, why must I sleep! So much to do!

Mass Local Food

Joined this great new food co-op last week and expect to pick up my first month's order on Friday in Holden. Got locally raised pig, beefalo, and lamb for Jeff, and bread, flour, grains, and jam for both of us. Also looking forward to the MHOF Spring CSA share starting in about one month.

In the meantime, I managed to get a few of my own seeds into my four raised bed boxes on the FIRST DAY OF SPRING, which was certainly a "first" for me. Not sure if last week's deep cold was too much of a problem for the little seeds, but certainly all the rain of this week, and the sun promised for the weekend, should be beneficial. Also, am starting basil, dill, and parsley seeds on the porch, which heats up like a hothouse during the day. Fingers crossed on that experiment, too.

And yes, still thinking about city chickens after the inspired read of FARM CITY (mentioned last week; read this great review by Dwight Garner for the NYTimes ). I would love to have just six layers and could easily fix up the potting shed to host them. A little covered outdoor run onto the back lawn, and I think they'd be quite happy. Found a great chicken photo book today published by Abrams. Inspired photography; studio shots of the birds, unlike my outdoor sheep shots. But, the concept is similar. I'll keep hoping and praying for my turn in the publishing world!

New Excellent Book

Farm City: The Education of An Urban Farmer by Novella Carpenter.
Just so witty and captivating.

More Good Dogs

Spent more time training and teaching this week with the shelter dogs. Dreama, Bonanza, Cookies, Buddy, all require rules, boundries and limitations. I'm learning to use the Gentle Leader and the Easy Walk devices, and having success. Tuesday was a damp, miserably wet day and instead of walking we went out into the run at the back of the shelter. I with an umbrella and the dogs with, well, not an umbrella. Some of them played "Fetch the Tennis Ball" as I bounced if off the side of the building. Once inside they all seemed to like the towel drying they received.

EATING ANIMALS

Okay, I am all over this book today. Just read another 50+ pages and feel so fired up about the author's creative presentation and analysis of words and the urgent mission at hand. Viewed interviews with Ellen and Martha from Nov 09 with author Jonathan Safran Foer and need to DO SOMETHING beyond my current lifestyle commitment and community activism. Join a CSA (done), buy organic and local whenever possible (doing it), give up meat altogether (15+ years and counting), encourage friends and family to do the same (trying!).

Really nice spring day at MHOF!

 

What a nice visit with the farmers at MHOF. Lunch consisted of FRESH baby greens salad, fresh eggs scrambled with FRESH baby tatsoi and onions, sauteed beans and peas frozen last summer, rhubarb and apple sauce . . . ahhhh. EVERYONE seemed quite content there today.

Important Film for Fiber Fanatics

http://sweetgrassthemovie.com/screenings/

Check out this website -- a recently released documentary on sheepherding and some of the last cowboys in America.

DVD Preview: Drafting - The Long and Short of It by Abby Franquemont - Spin-Off

I loved this :46 sec little piece of encourage to "multitask" while practicing the Long Draw. I'm gonna try it!

DVD Preview: Drafting - The Long and Short of It by Abby Franquemont - Spin-Off

Volunteer Time

(These photos courtesy of the WARL website!)




I am committing to giving hours each week to the dogs at the Worcester Animal Rescue League. I walked on Friday and again today for two+ hours each day. The dogs are so diverse, and so great. I wish more people would spend time with them.

Friday I was especially impressed with Sandy, a tall, long and elegant girl right out of an 18th Century European painting. Brindle colored and with one mangled ear, she is a real ball dog, and would catch snow or tennis balls expertly with every toss I made. And, today, it was the last dog I walked, Juan from Puerto Rico (Little Juan, I like to call him), a SATO rescue dog. He is a "noodle" dog, a mix of basset hound and maybe pointer or other bird dog. Cute and small and very shy but wanting to love and play. Had to coax his collar onto him, but then we had a nice walk.

I leave dripping in sweat from the exertion, but satisfied by the experience of helping.

This weekend's photos as promised

Nice Fiber Weekend

The spring thaw this week (temps into the 50s! Yesssssssss!) must have been the impetus for extra nice fiber experiences. They included:
1. Finishing one of Jeff's two socks -- the wool is a beautiful handpainted skein I picked up at the Sheep Shack in December.
2. Viewing Maile's beautiful hand-hooked rugs at her Guild's show in Northborogh. What variety! What skill! What creativity!
3. A terrific inaugural meeting of the planning committee for the 2010 Sheep to Shawl, Llama To Pajama slated for Green Hill Park in Worcester MA on October 23rd, 12-4PM. After this meeting, also a first-ever tour of the farm barn and introduction to the residents (two llamas, three Romneys, four assorted goats, and a flock of laying hens).
4. A lively and satisfying Guild meeting at Elaine's house, featuring first-time attendee Kate from Great Rock Alpacas in Barre MA. We learned so much from her stories about alpaca farming, touched some beautiful product, and enjoyed yummy treats. Thanks Elaine!
5. Began a swatch with (gasp!) my first hank of linen from Louet.

Photos will be forthcoming!

Loved this little article for art yarn inspiration!

Novelty Plying - Spring 2008 - Knitty

As I become more intrigued about experimenting with multiple fibers all at once, I found this short but sweet little piece by another (clearly) fiber fanatic.

The Complete Guide to Natural Dyeing - Interweave

The Complete Guide to Natural Dyeing - Interweave

This book looks like a must-have!

Lunch at Many Hands Organic Farm

Today was so sunny, and just a perfect day for a drive to Barre to meet the farmers for lunch at Many Hands Organic Farm. We have been members of this CSA for several years, and enjoy all the fruits of their impressive labor: me the veggies, flowers, herbs, eggs, and fruit, and Jeff all of the above plus the pigs and chickens that lead very happy lives before their final day. We love getting our weekly share of veggies starting in the spring and lasting until December if you sign up for the Fall CSA membership.

Today I picked up eggs, pork and chicken after our lunch meeting. Looking forward to doing some serious baking with those beautiful fresh eggs! Plus, they have lots in store for 2010! Workshops like Pruning Trees and more start in March and run through the fall, culminating with their 2nd Annual Farm Festivus. I'm also looking forward to learning a few more skills from Julie, Jack and their gang.

Here are some of the happy critters that were out to say hello . . .

Snowy Day In MA (and just about everywhere else!)

Jeric and I made it out for our walk today before the snow really took over. We expect over a foot, maybe more here in Central MA. Jeric's long coat is just perfectly suited for the weather, which also makes it a great source of fiber for my projects. Speaking of which, this is what his fluff looks like as a Navajo-plyed hank, and as a partially completed scarf.(Note the little bit of black detail that came from Marsh . . . a little bit of her to accompany us whenever we will wear it.)




More about Jeric . . . have been lusting to learn to make needle felted animals, and here's my first pass at making a little Jeric with his fluff. I think I need to take a lesson.


Also caught up with the "art yarn" Maile and I experimented with and here it is, ready for knitting up into something small and cute. It was plyed with black Tencel.

Looking forward to an outing on the 24th to Greenwood Hill Farm in Hubbardston with Guild members to view the new Merino lambs and finally take some new PHOTOS. Love fiber projects, but need sheep contact.

Yikes, where does the time go?

Me in Florida, definitely not knitting.

I HAVE been spinning in spite of the silence on the blog . . . January was, well, a month, and ten days were spent trying to put it all behind me by kayaking the waterways of southwestern Florida with mom, the Kayak Queen of Windmill Village. Five knitting projects were packed in my suitcase, and guess how many were completed? One. Gee, paying the extra $20 to check my bag each way was REALLY worth it!



Nope, no knitting got done here, either.

Spinning has been really good for me during the start of the New Year. Almost done with the fall natural dyeing samples, and thinking about finishing up Jeric's fluff so that scarf can be finalized, once and for all. It is soooo warm and soft, at least the 1/2 I've completed.

Waiting to hear back from Storey about my book proposal. It just makes so much sense to me, so why shouldn't it to them?

Lots of great stuff going on with Wachusett Spinners Guild. We are really gearing up for the scheduled 2010 fiber season, and creating new events of our own.

If you haven't yet discovered it on your own, this is quite the little blog: http://www.fiberfarm.com/blog.

NOFA Winter Conference 2010

Exciting happenings in Worcester this weekend. The annual NOFA-MA Winter Conference comes to our Technical High School on Saturday. It's a day-long marathon of intriguing workshops, speakers, vendors, educational displays, and the most awe-inspiring potluck lunch ever experienced. Last year approx 700 folks attended, so you can imagine what feasting was like at mealtime! Check out www.nofamass.org for all the details. I will be looking into Cheesemaking in the morning, and then be very torn about the afternoon's offerings -- so many good ones!