A fiber studio-shop. Right here at Outback Farm!

This is the little house next door. This is where we had to love til the bigger house was gutted and remodeled. We had to put a roof on this house. Plus fix the ceiling that had caved in. We lived here from July til just before Christmas. It's 500 sq ft. The whole right side is living room. The left is kitchen and bathroom. Then the best part is the front porch. It needs to be painted outside and in. I want to paint it a light green. And do something about under the porch. I can't put flowers or bushes around the porch because sometimes the sheep are in this yard.

I've used it as a barn the past few years, to store hay bales. It would hold about 180 bales in here. I also used it for raising chicks and turkeys in a big brooder. You can see it to the left. I had to take it apart to get it out the door. But, with 2 sides off, it will make a great work table.

                                                                It's a mess for sure!

                                                    I just got most of the mess off the floor.

So now, the plan for this house. I have thought about using it for a vacation home. Or for a couple who could help out on the farm and stay here for free. Or as a real barn.

But, if you look in our house, you'd see a sewing machine on the dining room table. Along with sewing stuff in the window seat and table. And side cabinets.

Also felting stuff in totes in corners.

Plus lots of totes of raw wool. And washed wool. And lots of bins of yarn and yarn paraphernalia, like crochet hooks and knitting needles. And unfinished projects here and there.

All this stuff is taking over our house! And it's not a big house at all. I need someplace to put all this stuff. And we have an extra house. So why not make it into a studio-shop for fiber and art and sewing, like quilts and stuff? Why not? Why have I not done this sooner? Huh?

Well, money is a huge factor for sure. There just never seems to be enough of it. For one thing, these animals cost a lot to keep! I make a little money and have to spend it on them.And when I do have extra money, there always seems to be something  that needs fixed. So it never gets done. It just sits there, looking so lonely and forgotten. And it has the coolest front porch, in the shade of the cedar trees, with a porch swing!

I sold 18 sheep last week. I have some money now that I WILL use to get this project going. And this will get the husband up off that recliner in front of that tv! He can help paint and make shelves and work tables. Yes he can! And he will too. This is what he needs right now. His ankles are completely healed. Just has one little tiny almost healed up diabetic ulcer on his right foot. Which is almost healed. So there is no reason for the man to be sitting around all day, right? Right!

I am just a little excited about this project. We are getting more and more traffic out here because of Mt. Cove Farm 5 miles south of us. There is a restaurant. A huge barn for events and weddings. There are motorcycles and bike riders all weekend, up and down the roads. We are also starting a farmer's market on Sunday afternoon down there. So I think a little fiber studio will be a good thing here. With yarns and wool and things like that from local people. And nice comfy chairs to sit and knit. Or make quilts. And there's a kitchen for making pots of tea. I think it's a great idea. What do y'all think?

Weaned! But NOT happy about it.

My 3 bottle lambs are weaned!! I started giving them less and less milk every day. Then just stopped a few days ago. It's SO nice to m=not have to bottle feed 3 huge lambs anymore! It was not fun at all. It was ok with just 2 of them. But 3 is a pain. And Cara is the biggest, but 5 days younger. She'd knock the nipple off the bottle and get milk all over more times than I can count. So they are done! They're eating grain, hay and grass, so they'll be fine now. A little over 2 1/2 months. I still have my little goat baby I'm bottle feeding, but she's ok.

And this is my little tiny flock of sheep. One of the little black rams isn't in this pic. I'll have only 12 after my friend comes to get his 2 lambs this weekend. And the shearer will be here Sunday to shear the ewes. IF the weather is good. It's been raining every weekend so far. But I am not complaining. We need the rain. These pastures should take off now, if it warms up. And with so few sheep, it should grow better.

See my 3 girls at the fence? They are so sweet.

Those 2 big lambs in front are leaving this weekend. My friend Ron already has Bilbo, the black Hobbit ram, at his farm up the road.

I just have the 2 ram lambs that are from Amarillo's quads. I'll castrate them in the next few weeks. They're not very big boys. They'll be 3 months in a few weeks. They are so cute. And will have some nice wool.

I am going to clean out the little house-barn today. I need to make it into a studio for my wool and sewing. There's a kitchen I can use for making jelly and salve. I'll probably take this computer over there and the tv too. So I think I have a lot of work ahead for me. I sure need more room. It's about 500 sq ft. Big living area. And a bathroom. So I can spread out and not have to put stuff away or move it from place to place, like I do here in the house.

I hope you all have a great week!

Such a relief!

I just sold 8 ewes and 10 lambs tonight!!! All my hair sheep and lambs. Oh my goodness, I feel so much better right now. It was really getting bad around here for me. I was dreading going outside any more. 32 sheep and lambs is just way too many. Plus 9 kids and 6 does. 2 alpacas. 10 hens and a rooster. 2 dogs and 6 cats. And now 2 hives of bees.

So now I have 6 Finn ewes and 6 Finn lambs. I still have 2 of the hair lambs that a friend is getting next weekend. I have all 4 of Amarillo's quads, 2 rams and 2 ewes, Adelaide's ewe lamb, Adele's ewe lamb. That's it.12 sheep. I will try to sell Adele and Darla. They are not full Finn. And possibly Annabelle and Buttercup. I'll see next week when they are all sheared, who I want to keep for their wool.

I'm going to castrate the  2 ram lambs in the next few weeks. And the ewes will be sheared finally, hopefully, next Sunday, weather permitting. So they should all be happy and have more to eat soon. I will not breed any of these sheep again. It's just too much for me.

I would really like to sell Zarah and her 2 beautiful doe kids. And Penelope. And 3 buck kids. And take my 2 borrowed does back to their farm. That will leave me with 2 does in milk and 4 doe kids. So much more manageable.

It sure takes a lot for me to learn what I need to do and not do. I was about to go crazy here. When it's not fun any more, something has to give. I still have some changes to make and animals to let go. I will get there eventually. Right now, tonight, it just feels good to know I only have 14 sheep out in the pasture.

Bees are back at Outback Farm!

Monday, my mom and I drove up to Arnold Apiary in Knoxville to get my bees. I had ordered 2 packages of Italian honeybees back in Jan. He said I could come up and get them Monday. I called and left a message on the way. He didn't call til we were almost there. He said he didn't have any packages ready. But that I could have 2 nucs instead. I said I'd take them.

I was using my husband's GPS. She was taking us to this big subdivision. Then said we were at our destination. There were houses everywhere. I mean close together houses. Then I saw 1 little bee hive in the front yard. So we got out to see if we were at the right place. We were. I saw a whole garage full of bee hives and wood for frames and more hives. Then Mr. Arnold came out. I said this was not what I expected at all. He took us around to his back yard. And there were all the bee hives, all lined up in rows. So we were at the right place.

I got my 2 nucs and came home. There were a few escapees on the way but they stayed in the back. Got home and took the heavier nuc to the garden. And the other lighter one out back. Glad I did it this way. A bee keeper friend was going to come Tuesday to help take the frames out and make sure all was well and the queens were in and working. He said to go ahead and open the little tiny doors in front. I did and bees poured out! It was amazing to see them all. Like clowns falling out of a little VW beetle. Cool.

So this is the garden hive. It was the heavier box. When Gary came to help get them out, we saw that the queen was small and young. No eggs in there yet. He said to check this hive in a week to see if there is anything going on. If not, call the apiary and get him to send a new queen. They just don't seem to be near as active as the outback hive on the hill. They stay pretty much in the hive.

This is the view from the garden hive. Lots of clover and dandelion flowers. And Pigeon Mt.

I open the top to check on them. You can see, they are in there.

This is the hive out back in the goat yard. Way back at the top of the hill. When we looked at this hive, the queen was huge and working at laying eggs! He also said these are a mix of Italians and Cerulian bees, He said that's a good thing! These were way more active. They went flying when we opened the nuc. I can see them flying around from the house, that's how many there are up there. So this hive should be a really good one.

If you enlarge this pic, you can see the queen. And you can see the difference in the 2 bees.

And some of the flowers in my "bee garden". I have lots of blue and purple flowers for the bees to enjoy. I love this garden. It's in the side yard, surrounded by 12 blueberry bushes. I have another bee garden in the garden up front.

I am SO happy to have bees again. I missed them so much. I feel better having them here.

In the milk room tonight.

 I took this picture tonight in the milk room. This is my bottle kid, Mary Piper. (I changed her name from Mirabelle.) She follows me all over. She was jumping up on stanchions while I was milking Jessie. Seeing which one she liked the best. She'll be a good milk goat in a few years, I do believe. Her mother, Zeeboo, is.

Mother's Day alpaca shearing

This is what I did ALL day mother's day. And it did take all day. I got there at 10 and left at 6. And there were 4 alpacas left to shear.

My friend Susan came Saturday afternoon and got Misha and Sugar to take them to her farm. This is them with the boys, waiting their turn.

                                                               Misha, being sheared.

                                            All done!I know he felt much better. And cooler.

                                                                        Here's Sugar King.

                                           He had some big fighting teeth that had to be cut off.

                                                 The boys, all done and back outside again! That light brown one on the left behind the white one, had the most beautiful wool ever. Like 3 different colors all over. So pretty and soft.

These are most of the girls, waiting their turn outside. Susan has some big girls! A few were rescues and hadn't been sheared in a few years. They had full bags when done.

 

                                   And here are my boys, back home again. Looking for their sheeps.

It was a very long busy day. I kept looking at the alpacas waiting to be sheared and it seemed like they kept adding more to the group! It was like a plate of spaghetti that never gets finished. I was the bagger. Susan had all the alpaca's names on baggies with 2 trash bags inside. One for the blanket, the good fiber, and another for 2nds. She had about 35 bags in a stall of hers. I wish I had gotten a picture of that. I brought home my 2 bags full.

I hope you all had a wonderful mother's day! And have a great week too!

I'll post about my new bees tomorrow.

Happy Friday, y'all!

Waiting...

My 4 does, patiently waiting to get into the milk room. To eat. And to be milked. I'm milking all 4 now once a day. I also have my friend's 2 does that I'm milking twice a day. Fun! And lots of milk again. I have enough to make cheese. And to give my daughter, who's dog Daisy, had 7 of the cutest puppies 3 weeks ago. And is now pretty tired of being a mom. So she's bottle feeding them with goat milk. Silly mothers. I guess if I had 7 babies at once, I'd be a bit overwhelmed too.

Much bette. Market. Bees.

Ada is much better already! After a few days away from those kids of here, her teat is getting smaller. I'm using my plantain salve on it and it's amazing! I love that stuff.

So now, I have so much milk, milking 6 goats. I made some feta Sunday that should be ready Friday. I'll cut it up and put it in jelly jars with olive oil and herbs to sell at the farmer's market Sat. IF I get to go. There's a lady coming from Atlanta to shear sheep sometime this weekend. We are hoping it's Sat. because Sunday, aside from it being Mother's Day and all, is alpaca shearing day at My Little Darlings Alpaca Farm. Susan, who I got my 2 alpacas from, is coming to get them Sat. evening to take to her farm for Sunday shearing. She has about 30 at her place and there are other people bringing their alpacas there too. So it's an all day thing. So I hope this sheep shearing lady comes on Sat.

Went to the market today. It was HOT! I had collards, kale, dandelion greens and flowers, radishes, mint and red and green mustard frills. Sold a lot but still brought home collards and some kale. Called a friend on the way home and she bought some stuff.

I'll work some in the garden tomorrow. I need to replant beans, squash, zucchini and corn. Plus cucumbers, okra and some butternut squash. I have 3 16' cattle panels that I'll use for the butternut squash and cucumbers. I want to make arches and let them climb up them. I might put a chair under it.

I've been working on a few bee gardens. I've gotten lots of blue and purple flowers and herbs for them. I'll go tomorrow and get some blue salvia. I'm going to Knoxville Monday to get my 2 packages of bees! He called and said I could come get them today, but I have market on Wed. Then he said these bees would be too old by Monday, so he'd have to get me more. That sounded kind of strange to me. I hope I get some good bees. And I hope it's not too late. My friend, who is getting Russian bees from him, has to wait til the end of May for hers. Something about the queen. So I need to get the hives set up where I want them and make sure everything is ready for them. Kind of nervous.

Off to bed. It's been a LONG day.

Ada Belle

Ada was born here on my farm 5 years ago, to my doe Ocho. Can't remember right now if she was a twin or not. Anyway, sold her to my friend at New Dawn farm up the road. She's been back and forth a few times. Right now, she's back, along with her friend, Jessie Belle. They both had twin kids about 2 1/2 months ago. For the past month or so, I've been going up there to milk them in the mornings.  But we decided the kids need to be weaned. And they were really not good on their udders. Jessie had some teeth marks from her kids, but on the left side only. I was putting bag balm on them and they are both ok now. But she does have a knot on the outside of the left teat. Not hard and small. Not too worried about that.

Right now, I am really concerned about Ada. This is the back view of her teats. You can see the left side is much bigger. I noticed yesterday, that side, on the inside, was hard. I was able to milk her and she did ok then. But this morning, it's much bigger and harder. And she raised her leg each time I tried to milk her. I know she hadn't let the kids nurse on that side at all. I had to use my left hand to milk this side and hold her leg with the other hand. I know it has to hurt bad.

Then, when I was finished, I decided to take a picture. Then noticed the blood. I didn't have blood on my hands. It's on the inside, not the back, where kid teeth would do this. So now I am wondering what it could be. I had put peppermint oil on the teat and udder a few times today. When I saw this, I just put bag balm on it.

What could this be? I have never dealt with this before. My friend seems to think it could be a clogged milk duct. I can get milk out and it looks fine, no blood or clumps. Could it be something serious, like CL? I have no idea. Just trying to see if anyone knows or has seen this before.

They are both here at my farm now. I'll be milking them twice a day. Kids are fine. Old enough to be weaned. When mine are old enough, they'll go down there.

Any thoughts? Suggestions? Help!

My mornings...

For the past month, I've been getting up at 6 am and milking goats. I have 4 of my own. Then I go down the road to New Dawn Farm and milk 2 of their does. But that will be changing today because I brought one home this morning and the other will come tonight. Their kids are 2 1/2 months old and are really doing a number on their poor udders.

I park down the hill and walk up to the gate. I love this old house. My friend's family owns all this land here. This was her grand parent's home place.

The does are usually waiting here at the chicken coop where we milk at the top. Jessie is first. She has horns and she knows how to use them!

Then it's Ada's turn. Then we go up the hill some more to let the kids out of the little shelter stall. They are always excited to see their mommas! Some mornings I have a few helpers, but mostly just Jennie. This particular morning, we had to spray kid heads, where they'd been a little rough with the head butting and their heads were quite nasty.

Then it's back home to bottle feed the 3 lambs with the warm milk I just got from these goats.

                                                           And feed the hungry masses!

Then it's inside to fix breakfast for me and the husband. Then do it all over again the end of the day. It's a never ending cycle, here on the farm. I did get to finally make some feta yesterday, because I'm going to once a day bottles for the lambs! Yay! Still feeding the doe kid 3 times a day though, but she just gets a baby bottle still. I hope to be selling most of the kids. I'll be keeping 4 doe kids this year. I'll probably take them to New Dawn Farm when they are ready to wean. They have a summer camp full of kids that love the baby goats. They'll be just weaned when camp starts. Then all the kids will be down there and I'll have all the mommas here. Making lots of cheese I hope!

Practice pictures from new camera...

This past weekend was the Springamajig at the main St. Farmer's Market in downtown Chattanooga. I got to bring my 3 bottle lambs. They were a huge hit with everyone, young and old. After awhile, I started letting a few kids at a time inside the little cage with the lambs. They got plenty of clover and loving from all of them. But poor girls were just worn slap out after a few hours and ready to go back to our peaceful farm.

I brought the camera with me to Mrs. T's Friday. Sat in her tv room with her, snapping photos of her. I got several really good pics of her hands. I love her hands. For 96, nearly 100, that woman has nice hands. She used to make the most beautiful pottery with those hands. And painted as well.

Some pics of Mrs. T's yard and sun room/ Just playing with the new camera.

Yesterday, my friend Julie and her grand daughter, came to shear some sheeps. This is Darla, the first to get sheared. She was SO happy to have all that heavy hot wool taken off. She was so good. Then we got Adele up on the stand and only got half her back sheared. Her wool was so think and full of lanolin, the machine kept clogging up. So we had to stop with her halfway sheared.

 

Last night, I went out back and took night time pics. Got some really good ones here.

Then awhile ago, went outside with the goats.  This is Aslan on the rock, with her sister Jewel and I think that's Woody. You can really see Sandy's ribs here.

So finally got the camera installed in the computer, so I can get pictures on my blog and my FB page. I think I like this camera, but really would rather have a small, not so intricate, confusing camera, just to take quick shots and be able to carry it in my pocket. But so far, it's a good camera. I would love to find a class some time to learn more. I learn more by doing, rather than reading.

Hope y'all are having a great Sunday! It's beautiful here. Making some feta cheese with goat's milk! I'm going to once a day feedings with the lambs, so now have extra milk to drink and make cheese. And for a few customers!

New camera and farmer's markets.

I found a camera. A Canon Rebel. I do not know how to use it though. Good grief, I'll have to take photography classes again! So bear with me as I learn how to take a picture.

Today was the official grand opening of the Main St. farmer's market. I took my 3 lambs with me. They were a huge hit with everyone who came by. And they got lots and lots of clover to eat! But oh goodness, were they 3 tired little girls by the end of market. First trip to the city and I think they were ready to get back to their farm. And this Saturday is the opening of the Brainerd market. They'll be going to that one as well. It's so good to be going back to the farmer's markets again. And I have actual produce to sell! Although I will have to replant green beans, squash, zucchini and sunflowers. I should know not to plant these things in April by now. All the rain we got a few nights ago washed so much away.

I will be back in a few days when things settle down here. I hope you all have a great week and weekend too!

Camera shopping

I dropped my camera right in the little pool I had just filled up for the sheep and alpacas today. Right after taking some really good pictures of them all on their new green grass in the yard next door. I'm so upset with myself for doing that.So I'll be looking for a new camera tomorrow or Tuesday.

This evening, right before feeding the bottle lambs, a car came up the driveway. It was a couple who had bought a buck several years ago. They had seen my CL ad about the sheep and wanted to come see them. Diane just fell in love with Clack, one of the quads. He came right up to her and loved all over her. She just melted. Even picked him up and he almost fell asleep on her shoulder. So she wants him and Cora. I'll castrate him in a few weeks. I noticed his brother, Click, is probably not going to stay truly black but I think Clack will. Click has some cream color underneath the black now. Clack is all black, all the way through and so is Cameron, the other black lamb.  I told her there's no telling what they'll look like in a few months. So I have 4 lambs spoken for. I'll be keeping the 3 bottle lambs. So that leaves 10 lambs. And 6 ewes. Possibly 7. I think I could sell Fiona in a heartbeat if someone wanted her. She's the instigator of the flock. She jumps a fence and they all follow her.

I got the new 4' welded wire fence put up this morning for the sheep yard next door. I need to take the 3' fence I took down and put it over the barbed wire fence the sheep like to go through out into the field they aren't supposed to be in. Then take the electric net fence and put down the middle of the big South pasture. Then they can go out there soon. It is greening up. And with rain in the forecast for the next few days, it should start to grow good.

I got to take a nap this afternoon! I love Sunday afternoon naps. I hope you all had a good restful Sunday.