Change of Plans

Well, it didn't work out as I had planned. Couldn't move the blog over. Actually had fits with the other blog layout and language. Almost deleted the entire website. Thank goodness I knew enough to stop before I really did severe damage. Wish I was not so computer illiterate. Head hurts as if I had been banging it against a brick wall... geez ...trying to figure out all the technical stuff, by no means as easy as they make it seem. No just click here or click there. Imagine if my 13 year old great niece were here she could move it in a heart beat, not struggle in a continuous 2 week effort as I did. Unfortunately she is not. So here we are and here we will stay.

Hey - Happy Fall Y'all!

The weather here has been amazing! Just Beeeeuu Ti ful! Love It!

Mornings are brisk and cool. Even a little frost out on the pumpkins. Afternoons are sunny, bright and warm. Perfect for working out and about the farm. Have accomplished much in the last couple of weeks, a bit of yard work, mowing, raking, re-potting plants to bring in the house for winter and turning garden spots under. Sorted through the remains of a couple old out-buildings. With the help of a neighbor we recycled the scrap metal. I cleaned up downed limbs and branches from previous storms we never had time to totally remove.

Last weekend was spent shearing the Angoras. Hooray they are done! I skirted as we finished each goat, now need to re-skirt and decide which fleeces I want to sell. I will list them on the website as soon as I can.

I have started two new craft projects. A rug from twisted roving and a felted wool blanket. I really should have taken photos from the beginning, didn't, but will as I continue through the processes to post at a later date. Have been washing and drying fleeces while the weather is warm. Hoping to have all nice and clean, ready for working over the winter months.

Now to the happy, happy, joy, joy news...saving the best for last...

Not sure if you remember back when we first decided to add the Shetland sheep to the farm I only intended to have wethers. Was not interested in breeding them. Thought I could have a nice spinners flock with just wethers. We started with the 4 woolly boys, Angus, Aberdeen, Kelly and Kirby. Loved all the little guys so much... we then had the opportunity to add Selena with her beautiful fine crimped fleece and Jackdaw our handsome spotted ram to breed to Pitty Pat and Scarlet. Deciding Jackie boy needed another Shetland ewe in his flock we added Lark and her son Jasper. Jasper was to be wethered but when Jim went to do the deed the little guy at a very young age was too large to band. Jim also loved Jasper's spotted fleece and gentle disposition so we kept him intact. Ok, I know....all this rambling just to say we are hopefully adding 5 more to the Shetland flock in a few days. 2 beautiful ewes and 3 wethers. More info and photos to come...stay tuned :-)

Moving Week

for the blog that is. Our new farm website has a Wordpress blog option which I have decided to use. That is if I can figure the thing out. The thought and plan is that I will blog a bit more since I work on and check the website daily. I hope to have all files, photos and info moved by weeks end. So my dear blog friends and followers please come on over. www.southardfarm.com/

I hope everyone is doing well. I see I have lots of reading to catch up on.

Life is busy good here on the farm. We just had our annual big, fat, Irish family get together for the Southwest Missouri Celtic Heritage Festival (Sept. 10 & 11) Had a good time with family, saw old friends, met new friends and enjoyed the festival. Sales were enough to cover expenses (gas, food, plus a little bit extra). Peacock feathers as norm were the top seller. I had made a few small bars of goat milk soap and felted wool balls, both sold out. A new item we added this year were our custom designed T's shirts, sold a few of those too.

The highlight of the weekend came when a visitor to our booth (we had a booth in the beastie barn with 2 of our Shetlands boys on display) ask to speak to owner of the sheep. Everyone pointed at me. Low and behold she was an event PR person for the Warrensburg, MO Celtic Festival. She invited the Shetland boys to participate at their 2011 festival. Woot! Looks like we may be traveling with the Shetlands!

We took Jasper our little 6 month old ram lamb and Angus a two yr. old wether. Jasper was the crowd favorite and a little ham. Angus was very selective of when or whom he would allow to touch ... no one in a crowd, nor if they wore brightly colored clothing, especially not if they were hyper children. I can't blame him there, I can't handle hyper children either. The boys were also able to visit with Tammy from Fairlight Farm (their previous human mom). Tammy had a booth and two of her beautiful wethers at the festival also. We were hoping to be able to combine efforts and set the booths up side by side. Didn't work as we had planned, the festival powers that be set the sheep stalls in the middle and our booth areas on opposite sides. We still managed a visit here and there when the foot traffic slowed.

I don't know about you, but I am so ready for Fall, my favorite time of the year. Things begin to slow down, cooler weather arrives and the holidays approach. I don't feel so rushed. Sure there are still the daily chores, milking, feeding, etc. Still lots of house work, yard work and clean up though it just seems to come at a slower pace. I am so ready for slow.

Shearing the Angoras is penciled in for the last weekend of the month. I started working on the breeding groups. Waiting to breed the sheep and Angoras til a bit later, don't want babies in the dead of winter. I did decide to breed Barb and Maybelle (2 dairy does) a bit earlier than planned. We put the buck in with them last week and will take him out on the 26th. That puts us at kidding in Feb. which is OK due to our bringing the bottle babies in the house.

Til next time, have a good one!