Making it on small acreage

[emilosevich]

Dad came over yesterday and got sis#2's car running and got it out of the yard. Yeah now she will have her own car (hopefully). While he was doing that I had sis helping me make another batch of cheese. She was kind of interested in how it worked, but didn't really think she would do it again.
I took the cheese and made stuffed shells last night for supper. They were so good! I have a friend at work that wants me to bring her some I still have more cheese left so not sure what I will do with the rest of it, but I'm sure I'll find something. If not I'll just freeze it until I do.
I did get some spinning done yesterday. I'm trying to get this bobbin full before the end of next week. I want to demonstrate how to ply from a center pull ball at the next Canfield guild meeting. There were a few women who had a question about it. Figure the best way to teach them is to show them. Definitely need to get to my spinning again anyway so that I have enough yarn to make Christmas gifts for everyone this year.
I've got work at the livestock barn tonight and I'm thinking I might get rid of some chickens. DD has an extra polish rooster that we don't need. We'll see though. I usually come home with stuff instead of taking it out there.
Gotta get moving so that I can get Dad his chicks and rabbits before he leaves this morning.
It was nice to see him and my little brothers and sisters this week. Wish I got to see them more often.

 

[Farmfresh]

I have been interested in spinning for years ... ever since my aunt bought a huge old antique spinning wheel for a "decorative touch" for her house.

What kind of spinning wheel do you have and where did you get it?

 

[emilosevich]

I have a louet s75 that I bought at the auction at the maryland sheep and wool festival. I also have an antique flax wheel that I don't use at all. It sits there.
I am hoping to be able to get a kromski sonata within the next year. I think it would make life so much easier because they fold up into a case that I can store in a corner of the house. I still love my louet though. What a workhorse!!

 

[Farmfresh]

How long have you been a spinner? What brought you to decide to do it?

 

[emilosevich]

I've been spinning for about 8yrs. Is saw a group of ladies doing it at the county fair and one just let me use one of her wheels. She sat there with me all day trying to get that wheel to work for and it just wouldn't Got her address and went down there once a week for a couple months. Got the hang of it on a different wheel and haven't looked back. I also have drop spindles that I use for the local festival demonstrations, and to carry around with me.

 

[Farmfresh]

My friend made me a couple of drop spindles last year and I tried a little spinning at the Renaissance Festival last year. Someday I am going to get brave and give it a real spin.

 

[emilosevich]

very interesting day today. We took it easy in the early afternoon. I got a call from K at 2:30 saying that the guy called back about the alpacas and we were on. So we went down to shear some alpacas(sorry didn't get pics this time either). When we got there we decided with the owner that only one needed sheared. K started on him and the thing tried to jump on top of my shoulders. K took the halter and I got to shear it(hence no pictures ). Didn't take long as we were doing a just get it off shear. I hope to get some of the fiber for spinning next year, but it wasn't worth much this year.
After we get done there, I had told a lady I would come out and trim the hooves on her goats. Her horse farrier had been doing it, but wasn't for the summer and I don't like the way he was doing it anyway. Their feet were growing at such weird angles. Well she lived right up the road from the alpacas, so off we went. We got all 14 of them done in a couple of hours. There are a couple I need to go back and work on again to get them growing in the right direction again, but not to many.
All in all a good day. I'm hoping to get more stuff done around here tomorrow. Maybe do some hoof trimming around here. I can't do any spinning, because DH took my wheel apart so that he could re-oil it. It was starting to look really bad so it was more than time for it. I told him he has until Friday to get it back together though because I have a guild meeting the first week of August. I need it back by then.;-)

 

[Farmfresh]

Wow a busy day for sure. I can trim horse feet but I bet it IS a lot different trimming a goat or sheep foot. I bet the angles are totally different even.

Do you use a shears for clipping goat feet or a nipper?

 

[emilosevich]

You can use alot of different things to trim goat hooves. I've seen people use pruning shears from the garden store. My dad and DH use a pocket knife for quick trim ups. I was using goat and sheep hoof trimmers yesterday. They make is so much easier. I get mine at festivals from Mid-States Wool growers. That way I don't have to pay shipping. I have like 3 pairs and 2 of them aren't broke just need sharpened. Now to find somebody to sharpen them.

 

[Quail_Antwerp]

Good morning!!

I am embarrassed to admit this, but I was so "in the zone" on Friday night, that I didn't realize we met! I mean - I didn't make the connection between you and SS

So, I'm embarrassed, and hoping I didn't leave you with the impression that I'm an insolent dolt! Were you the one who checked our critters in, or the one who checked off my purchases??? Everything from Friday is kind of blurry - you know, because Becca was trying to get me out of there before I started buying goats.....LOL

and thank GOD there were no Alpacas there Friday!!!! she'd never had got me out of there!!

Did you end up taking anything home on Friday?? was the buff polish we saw there yours?