Fall is Around the Corner

The sheep are preparing themselves for fall breeding season and fattening themselves for winter. The ram, Guthrie, has started testing the ewes to check if they are ready for breeding, as sure sign that fall is just around the corner.

This is Guthrie, our BFL crossed ram. And a pic of his fleece, on the hoof.

I've replanted the garden with cool season crops. Lettuces, radishes, sugar snap peas, chard, and bunching onions.

I've finished spinning Moonstruck's spring fleece. It turned out very nice. I'll probably wait until fall cleanup chores are done outside before I start on the shawl I intend to make with it. But, in the meantime, I've been experimenting with blending alpaca and wool. I combed the alpaca and wool (lincoln lamb) separately, and then hand carded 2/3 alpaca and 1/3 wool into mini batts. I spun up 2 oz on a bobbin and then my friend that has an Ashford drum carder, let me come over and card the rest on her drum carder. The batts were so much faster to card on the drum carder. Makes me wish I had the money to go out and buy one!