Fiber Farming Update

Jul2

Things appear to be taking off on the fiber front. I prepared materials explaining my fiber offerings for sale and sent them to a couple of potential customers and received good feedback from both. North House Folk School in Grand Marais, MN and Blue Heron yarn shop in Decorah, IA both expressed interest in buying rovings. I will continue to do direct market sales at fiber events but this will enable me to move more volume. The direct sales margins are better but the time invested is also seriously greater.

Brochures highlighting rovings for retail outlets and class materials use.

Brochures highlighting rovings for retail outlets and class materials use.

2015 Babydoll Sheep 4 Sale (Updated 8/3/15)

May24

The lambs received their second CD&T vaccinations on May 22nd and are separated from their moms now. It’s time to fledge some of them to greener, or at least different, pastures. Since I am nearing my capacity for overwintering animals, I will only be retaining Audrey.  The prices for lambs are:  $400 per ewe (Abigail, Adrien, and April), $250 for RR rams (Abner) , and $200 for QR rams (Amos). If more than one animal is purchased the second and any subsequent animals will be discounted $25. All of the lambs except the wether are NABSSAR registered.

Adult sheep: I also have a proven black ram for sale @ $250. J. C. (D.O.B. 2/15/12) is RR and has sired some wonderful lambs for me over the last two years. He also has the most gorgeous fleece. . . SOLD

Also from last year’s lamb crop, I have a pretty black ewe, Rachel (D.O.B 4/11/14) for sale at $375.  RESERVED

As of August 3rd, I still have 3 ewes lambs, and 2 ram lambs for sale.  Check out the page under Babydoll sheep to see the parentage of each and additional photos.  The prices listed there are for individual sheep – remember the quantity discount for additional sheep to the same buyer.  See also the page on how to reserve a lamb.  Ashley, the cost of health certificate is included in the price – sorry for my lapse.

Adam at 35 days

Adam at 35 days

Annabelle at 33 days.

Annabelle at 33 days.

P15-0794c Amos

Amos looking studly at 2 months.

P15-0789c Andy on mowing detail

Andy on mowing detail at 2 months.

 

Adrien at 2 months

Adrien at 2 months

Abigail at 2 months

Abigail at 2 months

Abner at 36 days.

Abner at 36 days.

!

Baby Annika at 2 months.

Baby Annika at 2 months.

J. C. looking regal.

J. C. looking regal.

Miss Rachel at 13 month.s

Miss Rachel at 13 months. Daughter of Hattie and J.C. and twin to Rhonda.

Shepherd’s Harvest Festival May 15 – 17

May11

This coming weekend is one of Minnesota’s big events for fiber folks. It’s held at the Washington County fair grounds in Lake Elmo, an eastern suburb of St. Paul. In addition to lots of classes on everything from fiber animal care to dying fiber for special effects, there is a LARGE assortment of vendors with their wares.

I will be selling my Babydoll and Shetland fiber at the Natural Fiber Alliance booth. It will be in all conditions from fleeces “in the grease” to spun yarn and batts. My first lot of processed wool will be back from Dakota Fiber Mill, so there are even more colors to choose from – think coated black lamb!!! Another new item is rovings made from a Babydoll/alpaca blend. Scrumptuous!

http://shepherdsharvestfestival.org/

A sampling of the fiber that will be for sale next weekend (or any day on-line). It does not include items yet from this year's shearing, like super black lamb and a wool/alpaca blend.

A sampling of the fiber that will be for sale next weekend (or any day on-line). It does not include items yet from this year’s shearing, like super black lamb and a wool/alpaca blend.

 

Organic Matter and Plant Nutrients

May10

This year I am applying a serious amount of organic matter to the vegetable garden and a new hazelnut growing field. My source is a dairyfarm over in Wisconsin that markets their composted dairy manure as Cowsmos. I have two 1500-pound totes of straight dairy manure compost and two totes of this mixed with biochar – a more persistant form of organic matter used as a soil ammendment.  I had help from a dear friend this week to get the material applied for use in vegetable production for my produce CSA and also to benefit the hazelnut planting going in next month.  The latter was carefully set up to help determine the relative benefit of biochar vs. simple compost. This will be a long term evaluation.

Making use of used feed bags to make paths among beds to be topped with composts.

Making use of used feed bags to make paths among beds to be topped with composts.

Transferring the moist compost to the front loader for transport to the garden.

Transferring the moist compost to the front loader for transport to the garden.

Five-gallon buckets full of biochar/manure mix (darker - to left) and simple manure compost (lighter brown - to right) in area worked up for hazel planting.

Five-gallon buckets full of biochar/manure mix (darker – to left) and simple manure compost (lighter brown – to right) in area worked up for hazel planting.

Veggie Action

Apr19

The season has begun for growing food! This post will telescope a few weeks’ worth of activities. I’ve been starting batches of seeds in the basement and my bedroom window over bottom heat.

 

Direct-seeded snap pea in the raised bed.

Direct-seeded snap pea in the raised bed.

A few of the earliest - kohl crops and parsley for transplanting into raised bed.

A few of the earliest – kohl crops and parsley for transplanting into raised bed.

A variety of tomatoes being grown for potential farmers' market sales.

Varieties of tomatoes being grown for potential farmers’ market sales.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A number of the batches are ready and have been transplanted to their respective grow-out locations in the greenhouse.  It feels good to get the seedlings launched to their ultimate sites so I can get the next batch started using the same heat mats and trays.

A pepper plant in the aquaponic syphon bed.

A pepper plant in the aquaponic syphon bed.

The aquaponic raft bed with the new LED lighting.

The aquaponic raft bed with the new LED lighting.

P15-0489e plant in raised bed

Kale now with roots in the raised bed.

 

I have three families I am serving with a fresh produce CSA (consumer supported agriculture) this summer. Scheduling harvest dates – not just “whenever” is a new challenge to the greenhouse and outdoor garden venture this year.

A Song for Annika

Apr7

Baby Annika, Baby Annika, will you come play with me?
Baby Annika, Baby Annika, we’ll be happy and free.
We will jump and play. We will jump and play, then we’ll lay in the sun.
We will jump and play, then we’ll eat some hay when the whole day is done.

2015 Lambing (Updated 4/9/15)

Mar28

Hattie and Fergie were just a couple days early delivering their respective sets of twins.  Hattie produced Abner and Abigail around 10:00a.m. Tuesday the 24th.  Fergie had problems with her first lamb, Adrien, who came out nose first and no legs.  She powered through, however, and Adam popped out within a minute or so around 2:00 a.m. Wednesday, March 25th.  They’re all frisky and already decked out in ear tags and tail bands.  I’m glad they were early, because the lambing jugs have been kept busy with the first-timers, who were supposed to be about a week later (https://prairieplumfarm.com/2015/03/28/sad-story-big-boys-in-little-ewes/).  Nina gave birth to little Alyssa on Friday morning, March 27th.

Hattie with Abner and Abigail at 1 day.

Hattie with Abner and Abigail at 1 day.

Fergie with Adrien and Adam at .5 day.

Fergie with Adrien and Adam at .5 day.

Nina with Alyssa just learning to suckle (< 1 hr old).

Nina with Alyssa just learning to suckle (< 1 hr old).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The tide has turned to the off-white colored lambs. On Monday evening, March 30th, Claire gave birth to Amos, a whopping 9 pound ram. Within an hour Iris produced a set of twins, Andy and Annika. True to the vet’s prognostication, Iris didn’t produce milk, so I’m caring for the spunky twins for now. They are well traveled, having accompanied me to work and my uncle’s funeral. Penny broke the “bad news” streak and was the first yearling ewe to have a live birth delivering April Saturday morning, April 4th. Her twin sister, Paula, reportedly lambed successfully earlier in the week at her new home.  

All lambs except April are available for sale. Alyssa has already been reserved by a new family. Andy will be wethered and is one friendly little dude for companionship, mowing, and fiber.

 

Amos at 4 days.

Amos at 4 days.

Andy and Annika basking in sun while I work.

Andy and Annika basking in sun while I work.

 

Audrey is the latest addition to the flock and last lamb of the season. She was born to Rhonda (and Winslow) Saturday, April 11th.  She’s doing great but looks miniature next to the twins born 18 days earlier.

 

Newborn April in warm-up jacket.

Newborn April in warm-up jacket.

Shearing Day 2015

Mar28

Saturday, March 21st, was a beautiful sunny day and a fine day for shearing the flock.  The work crew assembled for lunch prior to the activity and final set-up for the maturnity pens was completed.  We had a crew of six plus the shearer himself.  One person fetched the sheep, one shut opened and shut the gate, one flipped the sheep on their rump, one scooped up the fleece, one folded and bagged the fleece, and the final one swept up the belly wool between animals.  It was quite the circus.  I was the one fetching the sheep, which also entailed removing and, when time permitted, replacing coats on the yearling ewes.  The fleeces look wonderful and I’m hoping for some time between Lamb Watches to get some skirting done. Preliminary weights of unskirted greasy fleece are: 35 pounds off-white Babydoll, 31 pounds colored Babydoll, 2.5 pounds silver Shetland and 2.75 pounds black Shetland.

Fred with Noir on deck for shearing.

Fred with Noir on deck for shearing.

Mature ewes awaiting shearing.

Mature ewes awaiting shearing.

Sara with newly completed runs for expectant ewes and new families.

Sara with newly completed runs for expectant ewes and new families.

The harvesting of J.C.'s megafleece.

The harvesting of J.C.’s megafleece.

The newly shorn yearling ewes with coats reapplied.

The newly shorn yearling ewes with coats reapplied.

Yours Truly with bags of fleece hung for drying in the greenhouse.

Yours Truly with bags of fleece hung for drying in the greenhouse.

 

Sad Story – Big Boys in Little Ewes

Mar28

The last few days have not been the best for lambing. . . 3 still-born ram lambs.  Two of these were from the ewes (Sara and Rachel) I had tried to prevent from breeding last fall due to their small size. The third was from my dear Olivia, who was the largest of last year’s lambs. But when the rear instead of front legs – plural, is presented with the nose, all is not going to go through the birth canal properly. Rachel’s had NO legs presented.  I wasn’t around for the birth of Sara’s ram so don’t know the circumstances.  The good news is the ewes appear to be fine – though I’m watching them closely. My vet had an interesting insight – she said in about 90% of difficult births she has assisted with – whether it be goats, cattle, or sheep – the infant is a male.

Babydoll batts now available

Mar5

Yesterday I picked up the first batts made from the wool of my Babydoll Southdown sheep from the fiber mill. They are wonderfully lofty! Each weighs approximately 12 ounces and measures 24″ x 36″ x 3″. Because of the layering manner in which they are made, they can be easily split to half that thickness (1.5″), if desired. I’m planning on playing with one myself – not sure if I’ll make a vest or a lap robe insert first. The rest are available for purchase at $18 each.  I have 5 off-white and 2 dark brown. 

P15-0269e individual batt 24 x 36 P15-0270e batt closeup P15-0272e 6 batts