Tag: bread

New kids are a coming…

Posted on by Melisa

We have not had any more recent lambs. But we have managed to get rid of some!! 🙂 My girlfriend, Marci, has bought Moo Cow, the spotted coloured merino/rambulette ewe. She is the only one of the four that still has not lambed, but Marci is watching her closely as she is getting rather close. She has also bought Frick and Frack, the two lambs that were saved when Brown Mama died. They are over 2 weeks old now and doing fine. They have spent the last couple of nights outside fully now, as Marci doesn’t have them in the house. They are however, not used to the cold, so they are wearing doggie coats that she normally puts on her Boston Terriers. haha. She is also going to take the black lamb and her mama but first we doing a vet visit to ensure that the mama is fine, and she will also be taking the white lamb in a few months once she is weaned as I am keeping the mom.

They have shown goats and meat sheep in 4H before, but this will be the boys first time showing fiber sheep. There is also a spinning classification for 4H, and her oldest boy has done some spinning and is looking forward to maybe entering that. Regardless of what category they show in, I know the sheep will have a good home as I bought my first goats from her as well as my livestock guardian dogs. I answered an ad in the local paper for a dairy goat and Marci and I have remained friends ever since 🙂

We have a black angora doe that is getting close to kidding, and several boer/togg goats, nubian goats, and the dorper meat sheep. I think that we will be lambing and kidding through July this year!! but we will have a lot in the freezer and some to sell for meat as well. wahoo. anyways, will let you know what happens with the new arrivals.

Chaz just got home this weekend. We have the first of his immigrations appointments on Thursday. He has applied for his green card, so there is a whole process and appointments. He got off the boat a week early to get to this appointment. With him home, maybe I can rest up a bit enough to start doing more of my crafts again. I have done some knitting one evening in the last two weeks, but that has been about it. I just can’t seem to shake this being sick with the sinus stuff 100% and when I was taking care of the ranch and all the lambs on my own, it was just dragging me down.

I have learned how to make bread, artisan bread, in about 5 mins a day. Started with that this week and adore making the breads. I have had a few less than desirable loaves but with the dogs, nothing goes to waste. Domino was actually in the dog house most of yesterday because he “counter surfed” and stole the best of the 3 loaves that we had done. so I guess that means the dogs approve of my making bread every day. just one more step on the road to making things all myself 🙂

A weave a way a weave away…in the jungle, the mighty….

Posted on by Melisa

All my weaving equipment has been ordered and should arrive next week.  I have my kid mohair yarn back from mill and another mill has some Lincoln, Wensleydale, CVM and a sample of Sammi’s kid mohair all to be spun up into yarn.  I will be able to do some weaving here shortly and this will be fun.  I ordered some books as well that will show me how to make various things.  I am considering scarves, placemats, napkins, towels, rugs, wall hangings, blankets, throws, skirts, capes, ponchos, hats, purses, pillow covers to name just a few things.  that might kepe me busy for a while.

On a grand note,  Bob was able to fix my antique stove today. wahoo!! and I now have a kindler that works again and all the knobs have been greased so they are not seizing up.  I spent hours cleaning it out, inside and out and there was an amazing amount of GUNK in there.  I have no idea how clean it may or may not have been when we first got it, but if it had been all clean, it has certainly gotten very dirty in the last couple of years.  Since it is now fixed, I see no reason for us to purchase another stove when we build our house as this one will work wonderful in it.  Well there is the reason that I just WANT the other stove from England, but it is really expensive and frankly what we have will do the job as good or better.  And it only cost about $300 or $400.  I can’t remember which.  for us to be able to use the other stove, we need to buy two stoves..one for winter and one for summer so that cost would be about $13,000.  hmmmm….I think my wee little stove is the better deal. 🙂

I have been baking a lot of pies recently and also made some jam with some of the rhubarb that I grew in tubs outside.  I noticed the other day that the rhubarb is getting big again, so I think that some jams and pies will be in order this month again.

The new herding dog, Todd, has been working our sheep and goats..breaking them in a bit so that they are more respectful of a border collie.  I tried Abbey on them the other day, but she would not herd. she only had eyes for the blasted chickens.  NOT the chickens Abbey, get the sheep and the goats!!