Second Generation

This morning the youngest grunties were down by the driveway, so I was able to get some pictures.  While the herd hangs out together at night, they do separate by generations quite a bit during the day.  Maybe the old folks don't want to hang out with the young hooligans.

Nagu (left side), Kaba (top right) and Dawa (bottom right)

Dawa

Loony

Little Boy 

Under the wire

It's Rhinebeck Eve!  

Ok, for everyone else in the world, it's a regular Friday but for fiber people, it's a pretty awesome holiday.  Better than Christmas and Halloween and Easter and all the other things where you might get presents and/or chocolate all rolled into one.  Mostly because Rhinebeck involves yarn and fiber and apple cider doughnuts and sheep and border collies and goats and music and garlicky artichokes and people with amazing sweaters that don't look at you like you're a nutter when you ask what pattern/yarn they used.  People who understand that all the best wooly clothes can't be bought in a store.  

We got our job finished, just under the wire (we're happy with it and they seemed to be too, which is always a wonderful thing) so we're excited to hit up the fleece sales.  We're even bringing a second pair of hands to haul wool this year, someone who understands when you text her screaming RHINEBECK!! and is more than willing to dig through bags of fleece to find the perfect stuff to become the perfect sock yarn.  She's the perfect shop assistant.

And my sweater is down to half a sleeve.  So that too might come in just under the wire.  Only three more decreases and a cuff left to go.  

So Happy Rhinebeck Eve, everybody.  Hopefully we'll get to see some of you at the festival tomorrow.  

Just... you know... don't stand between us and the fleece sales.  

Start Finishing

So we're having one of those weeks in the mill.  One of those weeks where you start to question fate, and why she seems to have it out for you even though you don't remember doing anything to her, and when this current streak will end.

We are this close to finishing a job.  A big one.  A job we desperately need to finish to get paid so that we can buy wool at Rhinebeck (our land only holds so many sheep and yak; we have to supplement) so that we can stock up the shop and hopefully have an awesome Christmas open house.

This job was huge, and we're down to the very last bit, which is the rug yarn.  The easiest bit.  It just goes through the picker and then the carder and wraps around a cotton cord and voila!  Rug yarn.

There's 98 pounds of fiber total that needs to be made into rug yarn.  Adam got the white fiber washed before realizing that he couldn't wash anything else because our septic tank was full.  So we called the guys to come do that.  They couldn't make it out until after the weekend, so we had to wait on washing.  Then we had a carder snafu that took an hour and a half to fix.  Then he discovered that we're going to run out of cord before we finish the job.  And the place we have to order from isn't open on Saturdays or Mondays so we have to wait until tomorrow.  And now the washer is giving him fits.

It's one of those weeks.  We just want to finish what we started.

I'm having a week like that with knitting too.  I went stash diving a week or so ago (to find yarn to cast on yet another project, if I were to be honest) and came across a sweater I started in 2011.  That was a bit cringe worthy.  It's a beautiful sweater, in beautiful yarn and it's an easy pattern, so I'm not sure what the trouble was- other than miles of stockinette in fingering weight yarn.  I've been chugging away at this sweater in hopes it'll be my Rhinebeck sweater and made some great progress.  Got the body finished.  Got to picking up the sleeves.  Got to the point of looking for my size 6 16" circulars and...found one tip.  The other one has disappeared into the ether.  And when I asked Adam to bring home a circular for me, I got a size 10 24".  With all respect to him though, even husbands of knitters who own fiber mills can't be expected to know that there's a difference between size 6 and 6.00mm.  I don't even get why we have two measurements.

So now it's languishing on the windowsill waiting for sleeves and I'm waiting for the local yarn store to open tomorrow and wondering if I can get away with casting on some sparkly socks to beat some rainy day blahs.
Or, you know, finish something.


In other news, we will be at Rhinebeck on Saturday.  As shoppers, not as vendors.  However- we do have our application in for Maryland 2104, so keep your fingers crossed for us.  Also, got fleece?  Want us to process it? Got an overflowing stash closet full of roving or fiber that you need made into yarn?  Send an email to info@skirtedfleecemill.com and I'll get you our cell numbers so we can do a meet and pick up to save you some shipping costs.

Re-start

So the farm is still standing.  Really.  I promise.  Come out and see us even, we'll prove it.

But here's what happened.  The mill took off.  A lot.  We had some really great tours come through and clean us out a bit.  We got an article in the local newspaper and the local farmers took notice.  And between trying to process orders and keep things on the shelves and keep the sheep from escaping their fences and keep the garden alive and the animals fed and us fed and the lawn mowed and the house from collapsing into madness and dust bunnies and unwashed socks... we sort of lost track of the last three or four months.  Has anyone seen June?  I'm sure it was here just a minute ago.

However, the one thing that the last few months really showed us is that Adam needed to be home.  A successful mini mill can be run with two people.  However, it helps if those two people are both able-bodied and, you know, actually in the mill at the same time. For the last few months it's pretty much been me, by myself, during the day.  And then Adam would get home from his full time job after a 45 minute commute, take care of the animals, shovel some food into himself and head out to the mill to try to get some more work done.  We sort of nodded at each other in passing.  Which is not a great way to live and not a great way to have a farm.  Clearly, we needed to make a change.

This week Adam quit his full time job to be home.  He actually picked up something local part time in the mornings, but as he's home by 10:30, it really feels like he's home all day.  We're so excited about being able to be together more, and especially about the fact that the mill is busy enough to need him to be home more. So thank you to everyone who helped us make that happen!

But I know that what you're really here for is cute pictures of fluffy animals.  And maybe some fluffy fiber? Let's get to the good stuff!

Our yak munchkins aren't so little anymore!  Some of the girls are getting as big as their moms.  And see that white and black puffball in the back?

That would be Loony.  At the end of May, I was on my way out to the mill and noticed a little white lump in the field next to Gaia.  (In other news, Adam has said that I am no longer allowed to call his cell phone and scream "Oh my god" in his ear as soon as he answers.  Even if it is because of a royal yak baby.)  Adam actually gave her a very long and beautiful Mongolian name, but it ends in -lune so I just call her Loony.  

Niobe

Nimbus and Nova

Sailor

Shop shelves

Cormo and Tussah Silk Yarn

Sparkle Batts!  These were a riot to make.  By the way, the one on the right is self striping!

After three years of waiting, our peach trees finally have fruit!  Adam does a happy dance whenever he passes them.  We can't wait to make pie!

So that was our quick catch up.  Hopefully with Adam home we'll actually have a bit more free time and it won't be months and months between postings.  And we're getting ready for a lot of exciting things- we're going to be putting in our applications for the fiber festivals for next year, so keep your fingers crossed that we get accepted.  We're also planning a Christmas open house and new sock yarns and pearlized knitting needles...

Kaba

Yesterday afternoon Octavia had a little calf.  Mom and baby are doing really well, although Octavia is a bit of a helicopter parent. Adam is about 99% sure it's a girl, although he hasn't been able to get close enough to confirm as the rest of the herd is being really protective.  

Meet Kaba

Thank you

Saturday's opening was better than we could have hoped- and we have to say a big thank you to everyone who came out to support us.  The response from the community was so supportive and overwhelming.  HUGE thank you to Camp Umpy's Bagels who sent us two platters of bagels to help feed our customers- and our volunteers.  Because of course, the day would not have been possible without the help of our family and friends who brought us cups of coffee and tea, cookies for fortitude, helpful advice and words of encouragement, took care of the dogs throughout the day and stood guard by the door to tell us "Another car is coming!"  Everyone took some fantastic pictures, so check out the Facebook page to see them all.

Now that we're open, we're excited for the next steps- restocking the shop (more sock yarn and lambs coming soon!) and starting to process for everyone who dropped wool off for us.

If you missed the opening but would like to stop by, the mill shop is open on Fridays from noon to 8pm and on Saturdays from 8am to 2pm.  If you want to drop off some wool, just shoot us an email or call and I'll make sure that I'm in the mill and ready for you.

Countdown

We're getting ready for the grand opening on Saturday- it's coming up fast!  I'm updating the website daily with pictures from the mill, so stop in at Mill News for sneak peeks of the shop.

Launching

The Skirted Fleece Mill website is now officially up and running! 

You can find updates on what we're making in the mill, our service price list and directions at

Skirted Fleece Mill

New Arrivals

So we've finally had some good happening around the farm.  For starters, our brochures for the open house were printed up and came in the mail, so we get to start distributing them around town.  The website should be up and running by the end of the week for everyone who wants directions for the open house and the price list for the mill services. 

We've been hard at work finishing a new batch of sock yarns:

I really really hope people like sock yarn, because we have about 60 skeins of it that I've been working on getting dyed up.  It's 100% Corriedale that we got from a small farm in New York and it's soft but sturdy.  I've knit my share of socks and it always bugged me to not know how much yarn I had left for the second sock or to have to drag out a scale to measure while I wound.  We're preventing that problem by selling the yarn packaged in two 200 yard skeins so that it's the perfect amount for each foot.  No guessing required!


The other (slightly cuter) new addition is Miss Maddie Ross.

 

Maddie came to us from Sweet Border Collie Rescue.  We had put in an application, assuming it would take a couple months to get a placement because Adam wanted a puppy and most rescues have older dogs.  But as luck would have it, Maddie and her siblings came to the rescue from a shelter at about the same time our application hit, and the rescue thought we would be a good home for her.  She's half Border Collie and half Blue Heeler cattle dog and all energy.  While no one could possibly replace Cisco, Maddie has helped to make the house feel less empty.  She's good company for Thora and has bonded like glue to Adam.  She follows him everywhere, helps out with the farm chores, and curls up in his lap for snuggles.

 

 

She's also a help in the mill...

 

 

I never have to worry about the fiber wandering off. 

 

 

Maddie is on top of it.





And now for something completely different

Adam and I both approach things the same way.  When the going gets tough, we think we can just put our heads down and bulldoze through it.  Sometimes this works, especially if it's both of us pushing forward together.  Sometimes it's just exhausting.  Last week was one of those.  But in an effort to move toward a more positive direction...


We are announcing the Grand Opening of the Skirted Fleece Mill and Mill Store!



The mill will open on March 23, from 10 am to 6pm.  Everyone is invited, so spread the word!  We'd love to see as many people as can make it.  We'll be giving tours of the mill and answering questions and I'm hoping to have some nifty door prizes to raffle off.  If the weather is cooperative we'll also be able to show off the yak herd and the sheep and bunnies. 



We have a lot to do, but we're really excited to be able to finally open for business and we can't wait to get started. 

Second Verse

Same as the first.  A little bit louder and a little bit worse.

So last week was...horrific.

On Tuesday we lost Cisco.

On Wednesday Maiden gave birth to a little ewe lamb.  All day that lamb was running about, yelling it's head off, seemed to be happy and healthy.

On Thursday morning the lamb was stone cold and not moving.  A friend and I spent the entire day trying to get warm milk and electrolytes into her and getting her warmed up and moving. By dinner time she was starting to stand and walk on her own.  Adam went to bed at 10 pm and when he got up for the 1 am feeding, she had died.

Saturday night a teenager wrecked her truck on a patch of black ice on the road in front of the neighbor's house and was thrown from the vehicle.  To the best of our knowledge, she is thankfully going to be ok.  But...

On Sunday afternoon, we lost one of our yaks, Eirene.  Adam thinks that the commotion from the fire trucks and ambulance spooked the herd and she got hurt when they bolted.  The only small blessing is that Dawa is now over 8 months old and pretty well weaned.  But that's about it.


I don't know if we maybe need to call in a young priest and an old priest, or perhaps walk widdershins around the farm burning sage or what, but this is ridiculous.  And exhausting.  Emotionally, physically, everything.  We're just kind of... eish.  Here's hoping this week goes better.

Cisco

This is one of the hardest posts to write, because it's been a pretty hard week here on the farm.  Earlier this week our Border Collie, Cisco, was hit and killed by a car.

He was constantly happy and full of life and love.  His loss has really been a blow to Adam and I and he will be incredibly missed.

A little bit of random

A couple shots of what's in the mill right now, whenever I had time and my camera handy and something caught my eye.

For starters, our sign!  I don't remember if the logo has been displayed here before, but this is the old Skirted Fleece Farm logo transformed into the new Skirted Fleece Mill logo.  It started with a pen drawing Adam made that was cleaned up and made official looking by our graphic designer.  My mom got us the sign for Christmas and Adam hung it by our shop door this week.  Pretty spiff, huh?

And now inside the door.  A tiny peek at the shop.  Adam's dad made the shelves and I can't wait to see them filled with yarn.

Who couldn't use sparkly needles to brighten up winter knitting?

The All Important Shop Dog- Thora- making sure no patch of sunshine ever goes to waste.

Three bags full?  Giant tubs of fluff are way more fun.  This is ready for the carder- and comes from a single batch of two fleeces!

A beautifully soft and squishy Merino/Corriedale blend coming out of the fiber separator.  This was part of today's project.

And this is what is waiting in the wings, ready to be washed when a drying rack opens up.  A lot of it is Corriedale, which will eventually become a line of stripey sock yarns.

I washed about four pounds of the Corrie today, to get it ready for the trainer.

The top is still in the grease, the bottom is snowy white and clean.  I can't wait to see it spun up and dyed.

Farm/Mill Update

So I didn't abandon the blog, but the holidays came and went, the world's nastiest virus came and went and a hellish cold snap came and went and the mill work is coming and going.  I want to try to post some pictures of how the shop is coming along and what we're working on but for tonight, a quick update.

Things are progressing.  Part of our issue at the moment is that there is a HUGE learning curve with the machines that takes a little while to overcome.  Even though Adam knows fiber and I've been spinning and knitting for years, there's a vast difference between how you think fiber will react and how it actually behaves once it starts going through machines.  We've learned that you can't fix bad, weak fiber- you can only put it in the felt table.  We've learned that some stuff just isn't worth touching- after we got a bag that was more burdock than wool.  We've learned that there is no substitute for properly skirting a fleece, as we've spent close to ten hours on just one machine with an otherwise lovely batch that had a million second cuts that should have been removed before it ever touched its first machine.  We've learned that beautiful fiber will only get prettier and a coated sheep makes a world of difference in quality.

So far the hardest machines to learn have been the spinners, as there are a million minor adjustments that can be made that have a huge effect on the yarn.  But luckily for us, Belfast is sending a top notch trainer who will be here Wednesday to help us sort out the kinks and get us more comfortable with the finishing machines- carder, draw frame, spinners and the rug yarn maker.  I can't wait to get hands on training on how to make a more consistent finished product.  In the meantime, we're trying to get as much stuff ready as we can so that we can spend days doing nothing but spinning up yarn.  Luckily we bought some really nice fleeces at the fiber festivals and we have some family and friends that have given us their own stuff to practice with, so we have quite a lot to learn on.

The other issue is that Adam is still working a full time job. There is a lot that I can do by myself, and we've set up the mill to be as wheelchair accessible as possible, but there will always be a few things that I will just need that extra set of hands (or another six inches of height).  We're starting an odd transition period where Adam still needs to work to full time but we need him home too.  It'll take a little bit to get adjusted and we're hopeful that we'll be able to bring him home for good sooner rather than later.

Pretty soon the Skirted Fleece Mill website will be launched and I'm really excited to show it to the world.  I think it's absolutely beautiful and it'll have all the information about classes, prices and when the store will be open.  As far as launching the mill, once we're done with training and feel more comfortable with the machines, we'll be having a grand opening for everyone to come and check things out.  We just want to put out something that our customers will love, and we want to know we can do that  before we take on business.

In farm related news, our lambs should start popping any day now.  Dutchess will probably be the first to go and she looks ready to burst.  We're keeping our fingers crossed for safe, healthy and easy deliveries.  And no bottle babies would be nice...

Also, Adam thinks that Gaia is pregnant, so we're looking forward to a new baby yak around mid-April.  I'm not sure what our current little troublemakers will do with a new playmate but I'm sure they'll find new and interesting ways to cause havoc.