LYME-THE LAST OF AN ERA-WILLOW-SHEEP SHEARING

HAPPY SPRING

  The pussy willow tree is in full bloom  We had some snow showers yesterday an rain today.  Looking forward to planting some peas soon.

lYME

I am now on my medication to treat babesia microti.  It seems my whole day now is spent taking medications.  In 3 months I should be free of all this and get back to a normal life.  I am so grateful for Northampton integrated Medicine without them I would have not found out about the disease or be treated.  It seems that this disease is spreading all over Massachusetts.  I will be spraying pyrthium on my clothes to make sure I don’t get bit again.

It’s a bright yellow in color and chalk  would taste so much better but its here and it should make all those little creatures in my red blood cells die so its worth it.

 

THE LAST OF AN ERA

My friend Debbie called to tell me my Cousin Bill Bisbee passed away.  I last saw him a few years ago.  The Bisbee’s were an old Chesterfield Massachusetts family settling there in the 1700’s.  My Dad spent most summers helping  his cousins bring in the hay. His winter holidays from the Holyoke schools were spent sliding down the many hills in Chesterfield. 

I still love going to Chesterfield, my Grandfather and many family members are buried there and I love  picking blueberries every summer at my cousin’s blueberry fields..  The memories of those wonderful days in Chesterfield are cherished by me, I was such a lucky child.   

SHEEP

The sheep have done well over the winter and they were sheared by Aaron last Thursday.  He is an expert shearer and they were done in less than an hour.  Glad that its done before the warm weather hits

 

WILLOW BASKETS

I plan to make some small willow baskets similar to the one I bought in Ireland for shows this year.  I have a small supply of willow I bought some years ago to get me started and cut what I grew some years ago to add to that when its dry.  I think next years willow crop will be better.

I made this soaking tub with a gutter.  It will work out well.

Many thanks for reading my blog an I hope you have a lovely day.

 

THE EGG MYSTERY-SHEARING-PEAS PLANTED

GREETINGS

I am back after a long absence.  Feeling more like my old self again.  I am now taking a yoga class which is helping me so much.  Spring has sprung and tulips are coming up .  Today temps will be in the 80’s!!!!!!  The Farmers market starts in Greenfield the first week of May so I am busy getting ready for that..

THE EGG MYSTERY

 

Egg production this winter has been good, but recently has slacked off.  The new girl Molly should still be laying  but no eggs were found.   Morticia the black bantam slept high up on a shelf all winter long.  So yesterday while cleaning the coop I decided to check the space and give it a clean and lo and behold I found all these eggs!

I will be check this spot every day now.

THE SHEEP

The sheep have been shorn and look good.  My shearer Steve is retiring  so I have gotten a new shearer Aaron Loux for next year.    We are both on The Massachusetts Sheep Breeders Board.

MAUDE

 

 

 

LUCY, CAROL K. AND SALLY

 

PEAS

It’s pea planting time here on the farm.  I had them soaking for 24 hours and now they are going in the ground.  I plant to put another packet in soon.   The hot peppers and basil are doing well and I plan to repot them soon.   My regular supplier of veggie starts is taking a year off and I will miss all the heirloom starts she had.

Many thanks for reading my blog on this beautiful spring day.    Carole

 

 

 

 

IT’S FIBERUARY IS COMING

GREETINGS

Sunny and glorious today.  The chickens are out  and it may be in the 50’s on Sunday.  Not normal winter weather but I do love it and on top of  that oil prices are low.

IT’S FIBERUARY IS COMING

I have been reading Wovember for the past 3 or so years and thoroughly enjoy everything about it.  I have learned many new things. met many new people and learned about fiber life in The British Isles.  British Wool and Farmers are promoted in each article.  

We here in our local, Western Massachusetts area have such a diverse farming community but its relatively unknown.  I had been thinking of something for us to do in the cold winter months to promote the same thing here.  I spoke with Liz of Sheep and Shawl Shop in South Deerfield about my idea of It’s FIBERuary and its a go for this year.  

In the month of February we hope to have an article each day about people who work with fiber and animals.  Some of the articles will be Rug Hooking, Raising Sheep, Angora Rabbits, Alpaca’s, Pygora goats and other fiber animals, Shearing, knitting and weaving, needle felting, dyeing  and so much more.    Please join us on FIBERuary on WordPress.

Sheep and Shawl Shop will offer speakers on each Sunday of the month of February.   Times  and directions will be announced.  There will also be a Valentine contest made out of fiber at Sheep and Shawl  and information will be forthcoming .

The following is a list of the talks.

Sunday, February 7th

Stories From The Farm – Carole Adams

I have raised sheep for over 20 years and have a book full of interesting stories and have lots of experience in farming with sheep in a small way.

Sunday, February 14th       Three presenters that day!

Chris Pellerin – Dunroamin Farm

Pygora Goats

 

Hilary Woodcock-Woodcock Farm

Hilary will give a talk on Alpaca to Yarn

 

Jenny Atkins Angora Rabbits

Jenny will talk about her beautiful Angora Rabbits

 

Sunday, February 21st

Margaret Russell

Weaver of Rare Breed  Wools

Be Sure to put these events on your calendars.

Many thanks for reading my blog today and I hope you will be able to attend some of these events or read about them on the blog.  Have a wonderful day.  Carole

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NEW BATCH OF SALVE -BARN 1 BOOTH 13-MASSACHUETTS SHEEP AND WOOL FET

GREETINGS

Yesterday morning was cold and windy, the sun helped warm up the booth some and I was glad that I had put up plastic on the windowed area.  Today will be a lot nicer and a busy day at the fest

NEW SALVE

I made a new batch of salve last night, I sold out yesterday.  Look for me in Booth 13, Barn 1

SKIRTING DEMO TODAY AT 11 AM

BARBARA SHOWS HOW SKIRTING IS DONE

Barbara Goodchild will be giving another skirting demo today at the fest.  This is not to be missed if you want to buy, sell or send out fleece to a mill. I am giving tips at the demo on fleece preparation.  Come join us.

My thanks for reading my blog today and I hope to see you at the fair.  Carole

 

 

MASSACHUSETTS SHEEP AND WOOL FESTIVAL – JUDGING THE FLEECES

Hello

JUDGING THE FLEECES

In past  shows judging the fleeces was an easy job, there were clearly winners and  those that didn’t place.  I was pleasantly surprised yesterday.  There wasn’t one fleece that shouldn’t have placed.  Farmers have learned that cleaner and well skirted fleeces bring in more money.  The prices for fleeces went from a low price to over $10. per pound.

While judging I met a wonderful person Alice.  She works with the sheep at the University of Massachusetts.  She and I are going to work on a skirting and rolling up fleeces day at the University Farm.  A chance for farmers to learn  to add more money for their fleeces.

It tool me over 2 hours to do the judging.  Each Fleece has to be tested for strength and illness of the sheep.  If a sheep was ill during the previous year the fleece may be weakened.  Checking the length of the staple, the crimp of the staple and how clean it was.  People still have to work on skirting and presenting their fleeces but all in all it was a 100% improvement since the last time I judge.  On each fleece I wrote comments.  All of them were good comments about the fleece and if there was a flaw I would let them know how to fix it.  I feel there is no sense in just judging the fleece without helping people improve them.

 

 

 

 

 

 

After the ribbons were put on the fleeces I came back from my booth and gave a talk about the judging process and answered questions.  There was a good crowd.  I felt good about the whole process.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The weather was brutal.  Heavy rains and some winds with temps in the low 40’s.  Even though I had woolen clothes on I was chilled to the bone.  Cindy and the boys surprised me with a visit.     A hot bath and a warm bed revived me for another day.  Rain this am  and sun this afternoon with warmer temps.  Hope to see you at the fair.