Comfrey

I finally got the comfrey planted. I was trying to figure out where to put it because I was told they can take over pretty quick. So I had put them up under this cedar tree since I got them. They seemed to do well there. It's shaded most of the day and I read they don't like full sun. But can handle it if watered well. So decided to put them right here. I was going to buy some good soil but realized I have the best soil ever right here in the chicken-sheep yard. It's amazing stuff. I used some to plant the mints and rosemary in in the trough planter. And they are doing great. I also got 2 surprise tomato plants growing in with them!

I put this fencing up to keep the chickens out til they get established. I know they will grow huge and spread, so I'll have to see which way they go.

This is the soil from the sheep manure and chicken manure plus old hay the chickens are composting for me. I have 2 stalls that look like this, plus the chicken coop too.

Can't wait to start using this amazing plant. I'll make salves and soap with it. Plus let the animals have some too. Supposed to be really good for them.

1st sunflower!

I was out milking the other morning, and noticed this beautiful sunflower in the garden. The first one so far! I love sunflowers. I have really babied these guys too. Watered them a lot. They are in the middle of the bean rows. I didn't even water the beans much. Just the sunflowers.

I am trying yogurt again. I got the milk a little hotter and added more yogurt, plus some of the thin yogurt from the other day. After 24 hours wrapped in the blanket, I'll put them in the fridge. I hope this will work and I get thicker yogurt. I did use the other that I made last week in a smoothie. It was good. But I want nice thick yogurt.

Alpaca

I have been afraid to spin alpaca by itself. I have blended it in with wool while spinning and I love how soft it makes the hand spun yarn. I'm knitting a hat I spun with white wool and black alpaca. It's so soft and pretty. But I have never spun alpaca by itself yet. It's so fine.

But yesterday, after I finished plying the wool-alpaca yarn, I got down the little tote full of the black alpaca I had carded last year. And I started spinning it. And I could do it! And it was fun and pretty easy. It only broke once so far. I am spinning it just like I do my wool, fairly thin. I am loving it!

I already have 2 totes of my alpaca's fiber washed from 34 years ago. I have used the white fiber in with my wool. But never have used Misha's red fiber yet. I threw last year's bag of fiber in the washer yesterday and now it's drying on the rack. After I spin all this black I will start spinning more. I need to wash the 2 bags from this year too.

This should be really pretty when it's spun. And I guess each year will be different.

I still have all of this years wool to get washed. I did wash half of Cameron's wool so far though. She's the black sheep. It really was not all that long though. And after handling alpaca, sheep wool is really rough and course. I may just have to buy some more alpaca from my friend Susan.

And my yogurt did not turn out. I did put it in the fridge just to see what it would do. I'll check it later.