Christmas open house at Red Star Veterinary

Tis the Season to be Jolly....Fa..La..La..La..Laaaaaa..La..La..La..Laaaa

We had a great time at the Red Star Veterinary open house

with all the animals, singing of carols, hot beverages and cookies

along with friends and fellowship.

   It was soooo cold.  I got above two pics. with my camera and 

it wouldn't take any more.  The cold zapped my battery :(

Thank goodness for my phone.  I got several before it started to 

act up also.

Short video above of sheep.

 Eight month old Hereford calf above.

 A Couple of Dr. Trish's horses.  He is a huge guy, along with his

companion a mini horse...who can literally walk under his belly.

 Some mini goats above.

 another mini horse dressed in the Spirit of the Season

 another of Dr. Trish's....a mule.

 some fancy chickens.

 even a crafty activity.

By the end of the evening the girls sheep were done.

They had enough....they all laid down with their backs 

to the visitors.

My guess is that it  was late in the evening (8-9pm) and we

were interfering with their internal clock and they 

wanted to sleep.

 

I believe this ends our flurry of activities for this

year of 2016.

May you and yours have a Wonderful Christmas.

Blessed with the meaning of the Season.

and

The BEST of the New year to come.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

 

Red Star Veterinary Christmas open house...

We have been asked to participate in our Veterinary's Christmas open house on 

Friday, December 9, 2016 from 5 ~ 9pm.

We will be part of the live animal display at 

Red Star Veterinary Clinic

This is our first year participating and I am sure it will be fun.

The above pic. shows some ideas we have for costumes 

for the four spoiled little girls sheep that will be going with us.

Tried the red sweater on Marni and just had to laugh.  Marni is a small

white shetland.  We cut two holes in the hood for her ears and 

you couldn't help but laugh.  She was simply adorable.

Hope to see you there...dress warm as it will be cold out

and hope that the sheep tolerate the costumes for four hours.

 

Carmen's fleece

This week I was taking a look at some of my lamb's fleeces

while trying to figure out markings so that I can get them registered.

I was completely shocked when I took a peek at 

Carmen's fleece below;

I didn't expect her to go this fine!  Her dam, Claire was the first sheep

I ever bought back in the fall of 2007.  Claire was bred to Axel,

a really nice scurred(very small if any) Katmoget ram that 

was sold earlier this year to Mac in Pa.

When Carmen was born I wasn't impressed, but her mom, Claire's fleece was 

nothing special (i was new back then and didn't know any better).

Well it has taken 7 months for this fineness to come out and be seen.

If you click on the pic. to make it larger you can see what the tips looked 

like when she was a lamb...nothing special, about an inch after that their 

is a medium crimp to the fiber.  Now next to the skin you can see the 

fineness and crimp.....Yea! 

I am so happy to have this ewe in my flock, some old lines of Shetland through her

Dam, Claire and the Fineness of breeding with a plan from her Sire, Axel.

2016 Algonquin Mill Festival

 The Algonquin Mill Festival will be going on today and tomorrow.

We have been blessed again with beautiful weather for our event.

The above pic. shows the sales tent next to our guild, The Algonquin 

Spinners and Weavers spinners cabin.  Well, we have outgrown the cabin

and also man a two story log home that has been erected on the property.

Off to the left is a small red trailer which will have shetland sheep 

in a pen in front of it.  Everyone loves to come by and sit on a bale of 

straw and just touch them ... and they love it too. 

 Inside the tent are some of our wares,  The basket of roving is 

some of mine.  The wine rack behind is some of Dave Lewis's 

rovings.

 Our display of hats to sell are a little sparse so far, hopefully

other members of our guild will have more to bring for the weekend.

...another basket of lovely locks of wool, in smaller amounts.

...and who knew dryer balls were the hot item this year???

Not me!  I first made them on a whim in August. ... of course after

getting a pinterest post and thinking I've got just the wool I can use 

to make these.  A few years ago I sent some wool out to be processing into

roving and the woolen mill tore my very fine wool.

We settled up after the fact, but this wasn't a product that I would 

put out for a spinner to buy.  I've been holding it for two years 

figuring I would use it for felting uses.

Well they have been a hit and I've recouped my loses from that

one time processing that will not happen again.

Zeilingers Woolen Mill is my choice to have my wool

processed.  Anyway, I was hoping the 50 I had left would make it 

through our festival, only to have 14 left and still two days of 

festival to go.  So I was up late last night making more for today.

We will see how it goes today and if more will be needed.

I'll keep you posted!

Stark County Farm Bureau Drive it yourself tour

 

We had a really nice day for the farm tour even a short down pour in the afternoon

didn't stop the visitors. 

We were set up at Red Star Veterinary Clinic in East Canton, Ohio.

 

We had a chance to make some new friends, talk sheep and demonstrate our craft.

It's always nice to show and demonstrate all the nice products that you can

make with the wool from the sheep.  From making the yarn to knitting a hat or 

weaving a shawl.  Even dryer balls...they've been a big hit this year. 

Our next event with be the Algonquin Mill Festival, for three days October 7th,8th and 9th.

This is a really nice festival with something for everyone to enjoy.

Stop by and see us, our spinning and weaving guild will be demonstrating in the 

two story log house and in the spinners cabin.

Our sales sales tent is located beside the spinners cabin.

Hope to see you at the Mill.

Breeding groups and Stark County Farm Bureau, "Drive it yourself tour"

 ...Continuing my post.  

We have set up our breeding groups already.  Soon the ewes will begin to cycle 

and we are hoping to get them bred on their first heat cycles.

Hoping for earlier lambs.

Above is Mateo on the left. He is a 2yr old ram that has a wonderful temperment.

Recently his micron was tested.  He has a 24.6 micron average and 91.1% comfort factor.

He is for sale and will be available mid-November.

He is a fawn katmoget.

Above, is the ram off to the left lying down, a Cape Flecket.  He was a new addition to our 

flock this year.  He has been given a large amount of shetland ewes that have or carry 

spots.  We are hoping to bring his pattern out using these girls.

 These are some of my shetlands that I am crossbreeding this year

to my new ram, a border cheviot, shown off to the right.

 This girls are all fine fleeced.  The black ram I am using was a lamb that I kept back from last years

lambs, after losing my Whistlestop ram from an injury with another ram 2years ago.

I love the jet black color and he has it, so we are hoping for more jet black and 

scurred or polled lambs.

This is Apollo, another fine fleeced ram who has spotting and I believe modified.

I've put him with my mioget, left back and her grandmother, right back a moorit.

Royal, white ram in front has been given seven fine fleeces ewes.  Still hoping for some more white in my flock.  I have a total of three white ewes now, but still working on getting a finer white.

So, of course in my rush out the door earlier I forgot my camera...again.

Sunday, October 2nd I will be a part of the 

Stark County Farm Bureau, "Drive it yourself tour"

you can find flyer here. 

I will be set up at Red Star Veterinary Clinic with shetland lambs and 

a full booth of items for sale.

I will also have shetland lambs on display at Pero Dairy Farm.

They will have a lamb sitter with them during the tour.

It looks like it is going to be a nice day on Sunday, so stop by and 

see us!

Festival Season

Festival season began the end of August, I had really good intentions to

post about all those events as we charged through them.

Mostly forgetting my camera to snap a few pictures

and tell you about what's been going on.

Sooo, I will update you today what we are doing.

I've posted a picture of my ewe lambs and a few adults that haven't been 

put into a breeding group yet.

I thought I would let them out and enjoy some of the nice grass that we have now with the rain

that we have been getting.

 Close up of two adults that seem to have gotten their belly's full

and are enjoying their surroundings.

 A few more girls that haven't made it in with their beau yet.

Aghhh.  the telephone call I've been waiting on.

must go now to set up for another event that I will post later this evening.

Rams for sale

 We've got some ram lambs that we held back and they have

turned into some really nice adult rams.  Above Mateo, 2yrs old
his pedigree is here.

This ram is a Katmoget pattern, that is moorit(brown) based color.

His fleece color is fawn.  Very gentle ram has a disposition that 

is wanted an any flock ram; not pushy or confrontational.

His 2015 micron results: Ave 20.3, SD 3.8, CV 18.5, CEM 7.0 CF 98.9

$350

 Luxor, is also Katmoget pattern that is grey in color.  He also has

a very fine fleece.  His pedigree is here.

He is 4yrs. old his 2014 micron results;

AVE 21.3, SD 3.8, CV 18.0, CEM 7.2 CF99.0

another mild mannered ram.

$350

 

Purebred Shetland Ram #26 -Grey Katmoget ram with exceptional fleece characteristics. 2 year old. Polled – no horns. Has good type and confirmation. Parents are WMB Gwenora Du Roi and DLS Evaristo.

Micron (Average Fiber Diameter) on Gwenora is 25.4 and Evaristo is 20.9 Well within the next to the skin range for spinners. Not registered at this time but NASSA and FASSA registry eligible. Great herd sire for improvement towards fine fleece standards.  $350

This is my Cormo/Shetland ram, he is now 4yrs old.  He is a 

wonderful ram.  I bought him as a lamb to cross with my shetlands.

His Dam is a shetland.....he certain doesn't look 1/2 shetland.

He sires beautiful lambs and would work great for anyone interested in 

fine spinning fleeces.  He would work great in a cross breeding program.

$250

Rideau Arcott cross Ewes for Sale

I've decided to sell the two adult crossbred ewes that I have in my flock.

More pictures are under the "for sale" tab.

These ewes have a medium micron fleece.  They are larger than 

my shetlands.  At this time this is not the direction I want 

to go with my flock.  

These Girls Have SOLD! 

Thank you!

Post Great Lakes Fiber Show

The 21st Annual Great Lakes Fiber Show

was a huge success!

We had great weather, awesome wool fibers in the show and sale area.

Sheep shows and sales, lectures, kids activities, classes to 

increase your repertoire and 100 vendors!

My "home" guild, The Algonquin Spinners and Weavers guild helps with the Fleece judging and sales.  We were happy to see such nice fleeces this year.  There were

153 fleeces at the show, most were available to purchase, some exhibitors' 

entries were there for judging only.  

The picture above shows some locks that I needle felted onto a square of felted roving.

What fiber is it???  

LINCOLN !!!

I know.....I know....I know,

I have so many shetland fleeces but I couldn't resist it.

I wanted to use some locks for felting and these sure are the ticket!

My picture isn't the best, but it washed up so easy 

and has such sheen.

This is a pretty fun fleece to work with, I plan to use 

most of it for felting projects.

I definitely will have to get another one next year.

Sometimes we need to step outside of our 

box and experiment with some of the other wool breeds fibers.

It will expand your skill set in spinning and fiber related techniques.

So....there is your justification to add another fleece to your stash

and you can say I told you so... 

 

Great Lakes Fiber Show

Fleece judging began at 7pm Friday evening for the open class.

We had 80 fleeces that were judged, another 51 fleeces 

that were just there to be sold.

I am amazed at the quality of fleeces that we had this year,

very clean all presented well in clear plastic bags.

It is a real joy to help with the fleece judging and sales.

I love to see all the fleece types and talk to 

everyone who comes in to look and purchase a fleece...or two.

Sales were good today, Saturday.  We still have

many nice quality fleeces available to visitors 

who will be coming on Sunday.

 Stop by, say "Hi"

on another note. ...
ending the day at 5pm to drive 40 minutes home
and care for my sheep.
Upon arriving home I immediately turned my sheep out to the pasture.
After filling lamb troughs with grain and watering everyone
my husband and I sat out in the barn for a little while
discussing our day.
We had noticed the lambs running and playing among the trees in the pasture.
After a little while one ram lamb comes hobbling back to the barn when he gets
close he starts bawling at us.
He had broke his back leg.  I went out and around him. 
He hobbled into the barn, walked right into an area that
I was able to pen off and immediately began
thinking of the options.

 We ended up putting a splint on his leg.
I crushed two ibuprofen in some warm water and
gave it to him by drench.

I think he knew he needed our help.  He held still the whole
time he was held and we wrapped his leg with gauze and
used a cut paint stir stick on either side of his leg for
a splint.  We will see how well we did when it comes off
eventually. 

Shear, lamb, skirt...repeat

It's that time of year again...Great Lakes Fiber Show.

I am taking 11pounds of very fine wool to the GLFS so that Zeilinger's 

can take it back to their woolen mill and wash, card, blend and make 

more roving.

While finishing skirting the last of the fine wools to be blended I thought I would pitch in a 

very fine wool that I had dyed in batches last year but did not do anything with it yet.

So I am going to have it blended into the other wool, it should be

a beautiful green when I get it back.

We'll see, I'll show you when I get it back.

I will also be picking up my quilt batts that they will be bringing with them.

Anyone interested in real wool quilt batts, send me an email or call.

 I had 15 - 60X90 cheesecloth lined batts made

and several 81X90.  These are nice.

Turned the girls out late this afternoon.  You can barely seen them 

way out and off to the right.

 Enjoying the long grasses.

We have finally come into warmer weather.

The lambs are about ready to be weaned.  

This next weekend I will pen them all but the last four lambs that were 

born here, they are a little farther out.

They are all eating good and hopefully will 

transition well.

If you have some time this weekend, stop out at the Great Lakes Fiber Show

at the Wayne Co. Fairgrounds.  It is always an interesting show.

# 1113 Whistlestop aka Oregon

 This ewe's name is Oregon appropriate since that is were she came from.

She delivered last evening these two beautiful white lambs.

On the left, a ram lamb who already has horn buds and to his right

a ewe lamb.

 A view from atop the ewe lamb shows two spots that she has, one around her left

eye, the other you can see on her back over her hips.

This is the ram lamb, he has some speckling on his legs.

Oregon was bred to my ram, Royal White.

We've been trying to get some white sheep for some time and 

finally this year we have 4 white lambs, 2 rams and 2 ewes.

I believe we have finished our lambing season.  Another ewe I had put in with our Gulmoget ram did not take.  We have finished with 33 lambs in total, 12 crossbred lambs which will be sent to market when they have gained our target weight and 21 purebreds; of which we have 7 rams and 14 ewes.

That's all for today......Hope everyone had a wonderful Mother's Day!

Demo at Beechcreek Garden

 Today was a beautiful day to demonstrate spinning.  We had an opportunity to participate 

in the Beachcreek Garden's celebration of spring. 

My first time being here and I will definitely need to stop back.  I didn't get the chance to venture far from our set up but really enjoyed the day.

We brought three bottle babies, which were perfect for the event. 

 Bottle babies associate more with humans than with other sheep, since the human

is the one that they look to give them food (milk).  Dave Lewis, in the red shirt 

letting a visitor hold one of the lambs.

This is the first of two more of Events this month.

head's up...I will have a post tomorrow "Oregon" is having her lambs at this time :)

Claire

 Claire....another special ewe delivered two ewe lambs on Wednesday, April 27th

two katmogets.

The Sire of these lambs is Axel.

Claire was my introduction to sheep.  I bought her when she was 2yrs old with her lamb at her side.

She is now 12 yrs old.  She is one of the "old" girls.  She and her two friends

"old girls" also, will be penned next year so we don't have

any more deliveries from them.  They've done their jobs well

and deserve to take it easy for the rest of their lives.

#35 Sweet Pea

Sweet Pea another favorite ewe was bred to our black ram "Bon1107"

This morning she delivered these beautiful twins; 

a grey ewe in the fore front and a darker grey ram falling asleep next to mom.

 The ram on the left, ewe on the right.

Above ewe lamb is marked very nice.  She does have a dark underbelly, white socks
on back legs, katmoget markings on front legs.  Spotting on face.

I had a share a few more of the ram...he is sweet.
Nice white blaze down his face. 

Three white socks and a white tail

His belly is dark....but he has a white spot on his underbelly.
He also has horn buds.  His sire is horned,  so he will be available....pending good horns.