How We Spend Our Weekends

 Most of our weekends when I am home are spent running animals in off the pastures to check them for parasite loads. Above, Marc is luring in the angora goat adults. Seems like every two weeks in no longer often enough. This past Sunday we lost a Merino yearling ewe. It is very discouraging since they seem to fail overnight.

 Based on how expensive and time consuming it is to keep up with the herds, I am in the process of selling a lot of gorgeous animals. The two chocolates here are keepers, since they have become pets. Now is the time to come look, because by the end of October I will be down to the chosen ones. My herd is now at 150 and all of the animals have stupendous fiber. Wish I could keep them all, but I am constantly being reminded that I have too many.

 On a happier note, my barn renovation is awesome. Let me know if you are looking for someone. I can only recommend the guys that did the interior work. I am now designing freeform yarns since I am feeling a burst of creative energy. Fall shows are coming and I am looking to fill my shop with new colors.

We lost all of our pea chicks despite having them in a very secure area. The loss is in perspective since it happened during the storm that hit Ellicott City. Beauty must have a strong maternal instinct because she has at least three eggs under her and she is sitting again.

Upcoming events:

Spin in here at the farm this Sunday from 1-4. Bring your wheel and whatever you are working on. Temperatures are dropping!

Knitters' Day Out in Summerdale, PA Sep 16-17, 2016. Check out their site for more info. Class registration closes Sp 9. I am going as a vendor.

 I try to finish a new pattern for each show. This dusty gradient shawl was designed in time for the Maple Sugar Festival in Virginia last month. It is available on my etsy shop as a pattern with lots of gradient yarns to choose from. The finished shawl is available on my Artweaving page.

My next show will be the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival the first weekend of May. I will be in the last row of tents just before the sheep dog trial area. Come visit and fondle the  new yarns!

 The outside barn renovation is almost complete. The barn roof still needs a few patches and then the walls will be repainted red. We already have someone lined up to start working on the inside.

  

 I am starting to schedule classes here at the farm. May 14, 2016 will be my Art Yarn Spinning Class and May 17 will be my Freeform Art Weaving Class. Email jmarckathy@aol.com for additional information. I am offering private sessions on all of my classes for the same price as the workshops. I can teach most of what I have for sale. In a few cases, like the classes above, you will need your own equipment.

 Baby season is almost over. I have three more does left to deliver and about 8 sheep. With the warmer weather, they are scampering all over the front yard area. I am going to be selling most of my colored angora goats and a few of the white. Let me know whether you are interested. I am looking for spinners rather than a lot of breeders, but don't hesitate to contact me/

 If you are looking for gorgeous sheep with very fine fiber, Merinos are the sheep to have. They are placid and easy to move with a bucket of grain. They have been taught to come for grain and move away from clapping hands. I still have a few Shetlands for sale. They are a lot smaller, but I have to admit flightier. Most will come when called. The Merino Shetland crosses are a lovely combination. They are smaller, more docile than Shetland and have super soft fiber. They tend to be more parasite resistant than the pure Merinos.

Storms just seem to love the channel beside the house and to the left of the barn. When the locust tree came down on Saturday night, we decided to take out any threatening trees near the house. Two photos above you can see how cleared out the area is next to the house. We now have doubled the size of our wood chip and firewood piles, but the reward is how much quieter the wind is. Amazing how noisy those branches were! I had a hard time sleeping. Now I can barely hear the wind.

I encourage visits to the farm. Just call or email to be sure that I am here. Don't wear your best shoes, since the goats and sheep pasture rotate and don't be surprised when I charge $5 for adults and $3 for 4 year olds and up, if you are not coming to shop.

Check out my website: www.uniquedesignsbykathy.com for additional information. It was just updated.