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.