Monthly Archives: September 2009

Unknown's avatar

How It All Began: Part 1

by

This weekend is the Montpelier Fall Fiber Festival and Sheepdog Trials in Orange, Virginia. Every year, at this time, I am reminded of how we got into farming and I remember fondly our first year with sheep.

Hubby and I were both professionals in the Corporate world, living in the country on a few acres. Each weekend we would look for things to do, farm related, to learn about what was out there because I especially knew being an accountant was not my life long dream. When we met a farm owner/fiber artist from West Virginia at an Alpaca Festival in Charlottesville, VA, I knew we would follow much the same path that she and her husband were following. The next weekend was the Fall Fiber Festival, we attended and made the commitment. We purchased our starter flock of Romney x Border Leicester sheep. We were on our way to raising sheep for fiber.

I remember our trip to West Virginia to pick up the sheep. Autumn in the WV mountains was like nothing I had ever experienced in my life. Driving through the valleys, in a light snow fall, on our way to Romney and looking up the mountains, seeing all the the glorious colors of Autumns’ majesty, embracing us, let me know this was the right decision.

When we reached Tranquility Farm it felt like Christmas Morning! Sheep, sheep, everywhere..I couldn’t get out of the truck fast enough. Our new flock had been put up the night before, so we made the trek to the barn to see them. We had decided on a ram, Anthony, who was the “apple” of the farmers eye. A big dark grey boy with a black face and black stockings. The farmer had worked with him since birth, had shown him and they were obviously best buds. Katlyn, a dark blue grey ewe, was a wild child free spirit whos fleece had won several ribbons in competition and then there was Betsy. The most beautiful champagne grey sheep I had ever laid eyes on in my life. She was a beauty queen and she knew it. While we were in the barn talking and interacting with our new flock, one other white sheep kept coming up to us for scratches. She was so friendly, we figured she might be their pet. Well she wasn’t, she didn’t even have a name only a number 122. So, 122, a.k.a. Natalina came home with us that day too.

So began the most wonderful time of our lives and though were are now seasoned, that newness has never worn off. Each addition, each birth, every fleece, every year brings me back to the first day we had sheep on our farm. Though time has passed and flock grew with every passing Spring, our first four sheep will be forever in our lives. Those first four are gone now but as I look out into the pasture, I see all that have come since and with a tear for those lost, I have a smile for those gained.

If you get the chance to attend the festival this weekend, it’s worth the trip to see all the goings on. Be sure to take in some of the Border Collie trials, they are always exciting and fun to watch. If the “bug” bites you to become a farmer after your trip, be prepared for the ride of your life. There are so many words to describe this life, the one that comes to mind most with me is “joy”!

This is the first part in a series of first year stories that I will share with you – not daily, but over the course of several months.

Tomorrow will be back to the same old, same old.

“Love what you do..do what you love.”

Unknown's avatar

Shipment Updates & Co-op

by

For people who are waiting on shipments from us, they will go out this week. Sorry for the delay. It’s been a bit nuts here trying to get CSA orders shipped and dealing with soap cure time being off schedule but we’re getting it under control.

There are many of you who follow this blog that are members in the Fall Line Farms Co-op and have been our devoted customers since it began last November. I wanted to let you know that we will no longer be participating in the Co-op as a Producer. There many reasons why and this is not the venue to explain but I did want to let you all know that you can always order our products direct from us and delivery to the Richmond Virginia area will be free. Also, you can stop by the retail outlets we have  and find our full line of products, except the Wool/Alpaca Socks, they would need to be ordered direct through us. Email us breezehillfarm@verizon.net for a list of retail outlets or any questions you may have.

I will keep you all updated on events that we will be participating in between now and Christmas. You already know what great gifts our goats milk soap, lotions and socks make – and they don’t break the bank! Please know how much we value your business and want to keep as many of you as customers as we can.

Speaking of products and business, I need to get to work on making soap and lotion today. Orders are backing up again.

Unknown's avatar

Ricky & Holly’s Great Adventure

by

The other day we heard a song, “Sheep Go To Heaven…Goat’s Go To Hell”. Being the owners of both, we could definitely see how someone could come up with a song like this, however this morning our new Icelandic girls tried to make good on sheep going to heaven – sort of.

Yesterday marked the beginning of Ricky and Holly’s third week here. They have done very well, are hearty grazers, tolerate the other sheep and goat’s and they love us for “grain bucket”, you know. All has been right with the world. Anyone who has been to our farm knows that the fencing isn’t in real good shape and we have a fence fund that we use to add new sections. By 2020 we should have all new fencing so we can start all over again..I digress. Apparently, our new girls have been intensely working on the fence line trying to find a way out since they’ve been here and this morning they found the “magic hole” and off they went.

Usually when we’ve had escapee’s, it’s been the greener grass other side thing – not so with them. They were on a Monday morning stroll. Our neighbor called and said “your buddies are out” and shocked, I said “our sheep?”. She said they were on their way to her house. With Pj’s still on, out the door I ran. When I got to the clearing at the neighbors..no sheep. Hubby ran down to the barn to see who was missing, it was the Icelandic’s. He grabbed a bucket of grain and came up to join me. We looked all over the place for them. The fields on both sides of us, the field across the road, of course our fields..nothing. We checked around our neighbors outbuildings, still no sheep. Where the hell are they? At that moment, I looked over at the church and there grazing in front were our two girls.

You will have to visualize this because when livestock escapes, you don’t normally carry a camera not to mention, grain bucket makes them move quickly. This church is white clapboard, historic landmark that sits just downhill from us. It has the old cemetery to the side and a tall white steeple. You have no idea what a beautiful scene this was. Very spiritual..very serene. We enjoyed it for a moment and with one shake of the bucket it was back to reality. We got them back in the pasture, found the hole in the fence and repaired it.

At our farm, when the goats get out, they get into trouble and get arrested. The sheep go to church! I guess Ricky and Holly’s adventure just proved the song right..sheep must have a higher calling.

Unknown's avatar

Alpaca Farm Farm Tours and More

by

It’s a beautiful morning. Grey, rainy and cooler temps. Love it! The late garden seems to be enjoying it too. I will probably can tomatoes this weekend. Those will be most definitely appreciated this winter.

This weekend, all over the country, is National Alpaca’s Farm Tour. Our friends, Lois & Ken Pocock of Shady Nook Alpacas here in Powhatan will be hosting farm visits. Also, our new friends Katy (you know her as Alpaca Farm Girl) & Stephen Spears in Fairhope, AL, will be participating too, so if you’re in their area, be sure to check out their farm.  If you’re looking for something to do or are thinking about starting a small farm, it’s worth the trip out to your local Alpaca farm to see what it’s all about.

I thought in honor of these farm open houses I would share this website dedicated to handspinning. The site covers all fibers for spinning and even video’s. Never hurts to expand your fiber knowledge, even if you have no desire to learn how to spin. Oh, and by the way, if you don’t spin and would like to learn how, I am available to teach you. Did you like how I did that??

Well, I’m off to work. I haven’t milked the goats yet this morning. I thought in celebration of the rain, I’d let them sleep in this morning. Once I’m done with that and have made a batch of soap, I’ll be working on the grant proposal for our new endeavor on the farm. I can’t wait to share this with everyone but not yet. Don’t want to jinx it..don’t cha know.