www.FiberArtFest.com

After our successful first-time October two-day festival (even with the bad weather), we discussed the possibility of having a sheep show in 2010.  We toured the barn and it appears to have everything we will need.  At this point, we are startnig to work with folks interested in putting on a sheep show and working out the details.

On the farm, fall has definitely come in full force.  The apples dropped with the leaves this year.  Our Icelandics really enjoy eating up the dropped apples.

We lost our dear Lunetta with what was likely a bacterial infection.  Harley also appeared to have it as well.  However, since we saw similar symptons in Lunetta, we were able to treat Harely.  He looks a little skinny but appears to be recovering well.

We started putting together breeding groups for the sheep last week.  Moving sheep around is always an experience.  Rarely do they ever go exactly where you want them to go.  If someone not from around the farm were to watch the humans running around herding the flock around, I am sure they would be completely amused.

It is hard to believe that the June festival is right around the corner.  Everything is basically on auto pilot now until just before the festival.  The ads are out and the signs have been ordered.  We’ve posted signs in businesses around Marshall.  Our spot on the Michigan Farm & Garden show will air June 6.  We’re even on their website now! 

Here is a list of times:

Lansing and
Mid-Michigan
Fox 47 WSYM
Saturdays at 7:00 a.m.

Kalamazoo and
West Michigan
CBS 3 WWMT
Sundays at 6:00 a.m.

Northeast Michigan
Fox 45
Saturday at 7:30 a.m.

Northwest Michigan
Fox 33
Saturday at 7:30 a.m.

Northwest Michigan
Fox 54
Saturday at 7:30 a.m.

Upper Peninsula
Fox 64 (Pickford)
Saturday at 7:30 a.m.

Upper Peninsula
Fox 61 (Sault Ste. Marie)
Saturday at 7:30 a.m.

We’re going to get a copy of the show and post our segment on the website.  The owner of the show, Jody, has been very gracious in letting us publish it.

Side Track is creating a special menu for all the exhibitors this year like with other years.  It is designed to fit in a small, covered box that a person can easily put away or store when customers arrive but won’t go bad if left unattended for a short period of time.  On top of that he prices the box lunches special to keep the costs to the exhibitors down.  He’s really gone the extra mile for us year-after-year.

In other news, we had two large ram lambs about a week ago.  They’re doing great along with all the rest of the lambs this year.  We have hay being cut and will bale some of it this weekend.  Fencing is going in this week.  Hopefully, it’ll be done by the end of next week.  It’ll be nice to finally pasture the critters out in the field.  Next year, we’ll fence the rest of the pasture.

An empty 20 cubic yard dumpsterA full 20 cubic yard dumpster

 

A full 20 cubic yard dumpster

All the while we were cleaning barns, the sheep shearer arrived.  Over the weekend, she sheared about 30 sheep.  The wool clip this spring turned out to be better then expected in terms of quality and quantity.  We had increased our hay quality over the winter and it appears to be paying benefits this spring.

Now we get to skirt all that wool and get it ready to go to the processor.  I know we are going to have a queen size quilt batt made.  That’s going to be one warm quilt.

In other news, we are now on Facebook.  You can find us either by looking for our June 13 event in Marshall, Michigan or by our festival name: Fiber Arts & Animals Festival.

Lambing starts in another couple of weeks.  To be ready for lambing, we need to at least finish most of the barn cleaning.  This is going to involve a bit more shovel work for us and without the extra help (probably).  Once we get a quarter of the barn all done, we can put down new bedding and setup the lambing pens.  We are expecting 10 - 20 lambs this year.