Signs of Spring

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“Spring has returned.
The earth is like a child that knows poems.”
~Ranier Maria Rilke

Not quite sure if you can see it or not, but there is a slight hint of red in our mountains, a sure sign that spring is finally arriving.  Flocks of starlings are flying through, coltsfoot are blooming by the roadside, bluebirds are back at the nest boxes and maple tree buds are swelling. 

Hermione

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Saturday found Hermione seeking a spot to rest and stretch out a little in between eating massive amounts of hay.  Sunday morning she spent a lot of time coming in and out of the barn, checking on Hannah and her twin rams.  Her lambs had dropped so we checked on her several times during the day, hoping that she would have them in the barn so that it wouldn’t be too difficult to get them in a lambing jug. 
In the end, she chose to have them out in the field, where it was warm but cloudy and a little windy.  Only a second-time mama, we managed to get Hermione and her twins into the barn with only a little crazy running and not so gentle head butting of the shepherdess.  We had the lambing jug all set up with a big feeder full of second-cutting hay and a bucket of molasses water. 
The first born, a ram, weighed 10 lbs 5 ozs, and the second, a little ewe, weighed 6 lbs 14 ozs.  We were a little worried about the ewe at first and made sure that her brother didn’t hog all the colostrum.  She was up and going strong last night when we went back to the barn to check on them.
Hermione was the other ewe that was caught during the October Snowicane.  We now have about 10 – 14 days until lambing begins in earnest.

Surprise

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You may remember the big October snow.  All the interior fencing was down for weeks, as we waited for enough snow-melt to dig out.  It was inevitable that the rams would find the only two ewes that were not to be bred this year.  Really, who could resist the romance in this snowy October sunrise.
And so… while lambing will not begin in earnest for another couple of weeks, Hannah surprised us with beautiful twin rams yesterday afternoon.  When we went to feed yesterday morning, she was the only ewe at the top of the hill, so we suspected that it might be the big day.  Last evening she had her boys tucked snugly in the barn when we checked on her.  Hannah’s twins were large – 1301 weighed 11 lbs 7 ozs and 1302 weighed 10 lbs 6 ozs.  Mama and twins are doing well and snugly tucked into the first lambing jug… an early nudge into lambing season.

Fiber Artist Spotlight

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Handspun Yarn in Aquamarine and Orange

We thought you would enjoy a peek at this beautiful Knox Farm Fiber art yarn which includes little Mister 1244’s curly, white locks.
 
Handspun Yarn in Raspberry Red

Here is a little bit about Knox Farm Fiber in Judith’s own words –
“KnoxFarmFiber began in 2001 as a cooperative effort to promote the presence of fiber animals–sheep, llamas and Angora goats who lived at Knox Farm State Park in East Aurora NY. Various volunteers–children, families, park workers, spinners, knitters, weavers–have supported activities such as sheep shearing, fiber processing, fiber classes, natural dyeing classes using Park plant materials, an on-site Gift Shop, spinning demonstrations, and–since 2005–an annual regional Fiber Festival. All proceeds were shared with the animal care fund.
Then in December of 2010 the Park closed for budgetary and other reasons. The animals were adopted into private farms.
KnoxFarmFiber is now owned by me–Judith–a yarn-maker. I still have several seasons of fiber from the Park animals to spin and dye. I also spin the wool from sheep with names who live locally or further whose care is loving and whose care is organic. I hope you enjoy working with this yarn.”

We really enjoy seeing what our customers produce with our wool.  Thank you, Judith, for sharing your beautiful work with us!

And, thank you all so much for your kind and thoughtful words on the loss of our girl, Raven.  It really means a lot to us. 

Our Dear Raven R.I.P.

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Our Raven was a rescue puppy in the truest sense of the phrase.  She and her siblings, their umbilical cords still attached, were left on the doorstep of a shelter during the night.  The shelter workers saved all but one of the eleven puppies.  They were moved to a private shelter, and when we went looking for a puppy, there was Raven sitting off in a corner by herself, the quietest little thing there. 

She grew into a beautiful dog, so full of love.  A fierce protector of her family, if we had to go down over the hill, she would wait at the pasture gate until we returned.   The finder of lost possessions, she would bring you things that belonged to you – a glove, a credit card, even an ear of corn out of an open trash can.  She loved to ‘help’ you put on your shoes, and paw at your leg while you were eating breakfast.  She loved to play Sit, Shake, Lie Down and would do the whole routine whenever she saw a treat in your hand.   She was loved by the barncats, especially Muffy who definitely considered Raven, her dog.  She was our buddy, our sidekick; she loved to ride in the truck and was always ready for a trip to the feed store.  A happy dog, her tail never stopped wagging.  
  

After battling for weeks with prescriptons, diet, new routines and finally hospitalization, we lost our battle against kidney failure and had to put Raven to sleep on Monday.  We held her and surrounded her with love until the very end.  She was our constant companion and is deeply missed. 

Spring Shearing

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Saturday brought beautiful spring weather for shearing.  Everyone waited patiently for their turn with the shearer.

We are so grateful to all of our helpers.  Joe and Melvin were fabulous as always. 

And, of course, as usually happens in March, one beautiful day was followed by a blustery snowstorm moving in Sunday afternoon.  It didn’t have much affect on the crowd at the feeders.