Milking and Sheering Days on Bachar Farms

Its been a while since we have posted any new and exciting happenings here at the farm.  The summer kept our hands full with the drought.  The Finger Lakes region suffered like many parts of the country with little or no rain.  Our pastures were reduced to crunchy brown stuff that no honest law  abiding sheep would look twice at :0.  Everyone scrambled to find hay in the middle of July and keep the water buckets filled, a feet not so simple when you are running water to a barn through three or four sections of hose!!! ;-)
But by the grace of God, we had no losses to heat or disease.  A couple of the lambs suffered with a bout of  anemia but all in all we made it through unscathed.

Milking was exceptional! I milked every morning and managed to collect enough pure raw sheep milk to keep me in yogurt and soap for a full year! LOL  I'm sure hubby will be thrilled.

Speaking of soap, Bachar Farms will be introducing its line of pure sheep milk soaps very soon.  I have been playing around with the recipe and tweaking it to perfection.  We have done extensive testing in the last few months to get to the stage we are at now and in doing so I can tell you that the eczema I suffer from on my hands has improved greatly.  No, it is not cured but I can say that the high buttermilk fat of the sheep milk has had a lot to do with the improvement.  I can't wait for you all to try them! 

We also had our Sheering Fest at the farm this past weekend.  Great BBQ (thanks to Georgie) the man can make a mean pork roast (or two or three)! My mom chimed in with her Cuban black beans and rice (deeeelish!!) My  little contributions were fresh pumpkin bread and hot cider! After all I had to be in the paddock with the sheep being sheered.  We did have a lot of hands on deck so a big shout out to Cathy who reminded me I wanted to write the sheep names on the burlap sacks!  Yikes! I would have kicked myself after that.

This is Arna the most gentle giant! And the most beautiful fleece!

 Our Sheerer John is amazing!!! Finally someone who understands the Icelandic temperament and can handle it!! He managed to sheer Arna in one whole piece!! I dreamed of such a moment! After the sheering was over we plied John with good food and drink in order to entice him to return next year to sheer our little (but growing) flock.  We think it worked!

Now they look like goats for a little while!!!

 Kids didn't want to miss any of the sheering!! Well, in between climbing into the hay loft!!

 My mama and our Emma

 Workin, workin, Workin

Our girls with their grandpa and Uncle Rob...oh and the Guard Donkey Radar!!

The Sheep "Don"!  Hahaha Pacino got nuttin on my hubby! This was while he waited for his roasts to cook to perfection.

And that's me, Sandy...your friendly neighborhood sheep farmer!!

God Bless and have a GREAT day!!!



Spinning a yarn!!

WOW!!! What a feeling! As of yesterday, I have officially been spinning wool fleece into yarn.  It may not be the the prettiest right now but it sure is nice to see it winding up on the bobbin. 
I started taking lessons after two years waiting, last week at the Philadelphia Handweavers Guild in Manayunk, PA.  Every Saturday from 1:30-4:30.  After the first class last week, I really thought I'd been in Spinning 101 for the next 10 years.  It seemed hopeless.  Each time I began to treadle, it seemed like my foot had bionic speed and my poor hands were impossible to keep up. 
There I was, attempting to keep my "drafting triangle" steady, treadle slowly....ahhhh I threw my hands up more than once.  It was like patting my head and rubbing my tummy at the same time....it just doesn't work.


But then our instructor Deb, patience and humor of a Saint just kept encouraging me. 
The second class was getting started and I sat before my wheel and was resolved to continue spinning commercial yarn onto the bobbin (a bobbin which I was certain cried out for real warm wool wrapped around it).  Suddenly I felt a little push and I offered up a silly little prayer. 

And this is what magically happened!!!

OK like I said, not the prettiest but it felt so good to finally "get it".  Then I came home and amid all the usual hustle and bustle of family life I tried again and this is what I have so far.

When I ran out of the Coopworth roving that I got at class, I tried the next batch of Shetland.  I have to say its not as easy to draft and spin as the first was.  Maybe its me (always a possibility) but I just think its a little rougher.  I need another bobbin and I might give plying a try!!! Did I really say that?? Wow, life is good!

So there you have it.  The joys of a newbie handspinner! I can't begin to express how silly and giddy I felt when I first realized that I was actually spinning this raw wool into something that could soon be used to knit with.  I see a future filled with warm woolly socks for my kiddies! Heck I think the pooch might need a pair!


And now it is Saint Valentine's Day and I have a house filled with little sick ones and one sick Nana that I have to tend to.  Spinning will have to wait until they are all tucked in for the night.  If I don't fall asleep at the "wheel" first! LOL that was spinning humor in case you missed it :-) !


Happy Saint Valentine's Day to you! Share your love not only with that special someone but with all those, near and far who bring love into your life every day! And that means your sheepie too!


God Bless you always.


Sandy
Shepherdess

Sheepy New Year!

Happy New Year to you all! I trust everyone had a great holiday and are already busy planning the many projects that will be completed this year!  We were fortunate to spend most of our time at home with family and friends this past week leading up to the the new year. 
I spent some time fluffing up the sheep living quarters as they have been spending many more hours in there than usual.  Though we had much snow still covering the ground I moved some straw to the rams barn that they aren't using right now to store it.  For as soon as the snow begins to melt (like today) the mud pit will be enormous.  Its all I can do to keep the mud to a dull roar so the fleeces don't get packed with it. 
The Chickens are still laying between 5 and 6 eggs a day with their little heat lamp keeping them toasty. I went in and fluffed up their coop as well.   We are looking to get Icelandic chickens this spring if I can find a breeder.
All in all the chores were minimal and it was nice spending some quiet time with the Icelandic crew.  The lights on the sheep shed were a nice touch I thought!! LOL.
Oh, and did mention I was on a yet another felting frenzy?? Yes indeed! Let me know what you think of my latest cobweb felted table scarves!

 Above is from our black lamb Ania with a little Eliza and some dyed red wool.

 Above is a mulberry silk/merino blend with a cobweb texture you can't really see in the picture. Its so light and smooth with a great sheen to it.

This is my fave!!! I wish the picture was better so you can see the cobwebbing through out the felting.  I am not tooting my own horn, I am just amazed at what this Icelandic fleece can accomplish when played with just so.  This is just way too much fun!!

Many wishes for a happy healthy and a sheepy new year!!! (I know corny)  :)

Sandy

Shepherdess

Needle Felting

George and I had a ball Trick or Treating with the girls last night! Guess what I dressed up as...a SHEPHERD!!! LOL couldn't resist it! Little Bo Peep wasn't an option as most of the costumes were in the "adult" section of the Halloween shop. So instead I tried to pull off a biblical shepherd. Emma our oldest was Wonder Woman and little Abigale was Cinderella.  We had a ball.  Then after sorting candy and waiting for the them to crash from their sugar rush it was time for book and bed! When all was quiet in the house, I realized I had received a package on Saturday and hadn't opened it.  To my joyful surprise it was my new Ashford Carders!!!!

So I grabbed a baggie of freshly washed fleece and began loading up my carders (didn't have a clue what I was doing but just couldn't wait)! On went the fleece and a carding I did go!
Some of the fleece I used wasn't very smooth and if you ask me looked a little felted but I really am not sure how to gage the quality yet, so as I carded I noticed how nice and smooth the fibers became.  The more I carded the smoother and straight they became!
Now I rolled them off the carders as the little instruction sheet told me too and I placed them in a pile.  As I oogled my handiwork...dreamed of spinning (which I can't yet do), I decided I just had to play with this white fluffy stuff!!!
I quietly snuck upstairs tip toed past the sleeping princess and super heroine and found my bag of supplies.  Back down in the breakfast room I unveiled my new felting needles and not knowing one from the other except for what I have learned on YouTube began to felt up some of my very own sheep wool!!!
With no initial idea of what I would make, the inspiration just popped into my head to make a wee little snow man!  Not the greatest but no too shabby for my first "stab" at it!! ( i just crack myself up)! It took me about 30 minutes start to finish.

I guess its part of the addiction to sheep, fiber and fun! If you can't spin it, felt it, if you can't felt it, use it as stuffing...as long as you are having fun with your fleece that's all that matters!! Hope you enjoyed my little snowman!!

Happy All Saints Day!

Our Icelandic Sheep

George rastling the lambs into the truck.

Does the look of pure joy show on my face!!? We are finally bringing them home!

These are three of our 5 sheep the day we brought them home last month!! In this picture are two white sheep, the yearling ewe in the front is Eliza Jane and the white lamb is Aniella.  Still mulling over what name for our sophisticated little black ewe lamb!

This will be the very first of many posts sharing our Icelandic Sheep farming experience!  So far nothing has matched the joy of having this gorgeous ancient breed of sheep on our farm in Skaneateles, NY!

Just looking out the window at any given time and see them dotting our little landscape, grazing peacefully brings such a sense of calm.  I will be sure to keep you posted on all of our Sheepy Adventures!!

Sandy
Shepherdess