Meeting Another Yarn Farm!

Underhill Farm At The Sewickley Farmers' Market

Wow - the colors in the picture are just great!  We visited the Sewickley Farmers' Market for the first time this summer ....... embarassing for this farmers' market fan, but the local Ambridge/Aliquippa Bridge has been closed for repairs since March.   Boy, are we glad we went.  We met Underhill Farm and got a chance to handle their yarns.  They have Leicester Longwool sheep & Angora goats.  What a great combination for their luster artisan yarns!

Underhill Yarn Colors Close-Up!

They said that the natural yarns are more popular in the spring, but that they start dyeing in the summer for the fall season.  Seems many folks love the rich colors in the fall.  I promised to keep in touch for the Waynesburg Sheep & Fiber Festival next spring & maybe schedules will mesh!  
Check out their web-site for upcoming locations to buy their yarn ..........

Bright Morning Sun At Wild Rose Farm!

Wild Rose Farm Ewes Grazing In The Morning

We brought the ewes up to the barn this morning for a little while.  Seems one of the yearlings was limping, so we had to check it out.  She got her feet trimmed, but nothing was there, no footrot, so she likely stepped on something or had a thorn that worked its way out.  With a shot of antibiotic to prevent infection, back she went to pasture with the rest of the flock.  We'll keep an eye on her to make sure she is walking ok and recheck her if she isn't.

Opening The Gate ........

If you know what you're looking for, you can spot 2 notable sheep in this picture.  Just under the pine tree with a full side shot is "U" ..... you can see her slightly darker color and face markings.  Then the 3rd from last bright white sheep in the sun glare is #401 ..... you can see her ratty fleece with the wool break & I can just detect her small horns.   Like I said, "if you know what you're looking for!".  :)

And Back To Pasture ......

New Wild Rose Farm "Outbuilding"!

Wild Rose Farm "Outhouse" - Before

Yes, I've always wanted an outhouse for a toolshed ...... If you look around, you'll still spot them in backyards and around the countryside.  There's even a "brick *#%*house" in one of local towns that I spotted once when we were detoured because of a parade.  I found this Real Outhouses web-site & there is a whole sub-culture of devotees.  Who knew?
Mr. WRF built this one with a solid floor, so it's not a working model, and it's portable if you have a skid steer loader to move it ....... it weighs a ton!


Wild Rose Farm "Outhouse" - After

The window is an antique leaded glass transom window that's been collecting dust for 15 years, just waiting for the right remodeling project.   In a stroke of inspiration, it's finally found a home!  Next will be a coat of linseed oil for the natural colored wood .......
Finally, a place to grow hollyhocks in a historically accurate setting!   Any other landscaping ideas?

Wild Rose Farm #401 Follow-up .......

Wild Rose Farm #401- Happily Grazing!

The light was getting a little low, but I finally got a unobstructed picture of WRF Rambouillet #401.  Here she is after recovering from "something" this summer.   See how shaggy she is?  That's the "wool break" that comes when sheep are sick or stressed.  In this case, we'll get all of this wool off of her and she'll be fine.  A closer inspection shows that her hooves are also regrowing out stronger.  Sort of like when you smash a fingernail and the new nail is pushing out from the bottom of the nail bed.  We hadn't noticed that until last week.  Although she was sick, she never "went down", which is when you pretty much lose them and they give up.   Just thought of this ...... I'll have to look at her horns and see if there is any sign of her sickness there .... hmmm.

WRF Lisa With Her Sheep!

Here's the sun going down on a cool end of summer evening for Wild Rose Farm Llama Lisa & her sheep ....

A Few More Bales Of Hay!

Neighbor Leon Square Baling

You really couldn't have picked a better day to make some hay.  We got some square bales of 2nd cut grass from our neighbor .... the wooded back ends of properties butt up against each other.  We got 2 trailer loads and picked the bales up out of the field.  The next day we picked up another 20 bales of alfalfa.  We don't really "need" alfalfa, but we like to keep a few bales around in case we need to tempt an animal to eat.   After a lifetime of farming, you see a new tractor & baler .... what a difference that makes for being able to make the rounds without constantly tweaking & tinkering to keep things going. 

A Pause In The Action While Raking ......

This field was an overgrown brushy tangle 2 years ago ....... lots of work went into cleaning it up and re-seeding. 


Loading The Trailer!

And then the short drive back to Wild Rose Farm to unload & stack the bales.   Always a great feeling to have your hay in the barn!