Almost there....

Well, after lots and lots of planning and hard work, our mill is all but ready!  You know it, you've heard it, if you fail to plan, you plan to fail.  Boy did we plan and now the fun is starting.  All the electric is finished, the equipment is hooked up, and we've been playing with some of the fleece we've hoarded all this time!  Let me just tell you, the equipment makes some good stuff!  

On Sunday, we worked to finish hooking up a lot of the finishing touches, belts, grease, protective cages, and a few other things.  My mom was really nervous about turning on the big carder, but we held our breath, flipped the switch, hit the button, and we were off an running, well, almost.  We struggled a bit with figuring out how to bring the carded fiber through the roving deck.  Once we got that under control, we had roving, lots and lots of roving, beautiful roving, garbage cans full of roving!  Did I mention we have roving?

Later today, we're going to give the pin drafter a try and then onto the spinning machine.  We'll keep you posted on that, but boy is it fast, and lots of fun!

One can of roving

Getting it ready for the carder

Me helping get the picker ready!

One Slippery Goat...

Hello Everyone!

I have really been busy lately with everything going on.  I am very excited to have received a great gift from someone. I received three amazing Angora goats from a friend of this family, Eric. He also brought a rabbit to help with my breeding program.  I am excited to get started with a new line of Angora goats and rabbits.   

I wanted to tell you all about an adventure I had with them on Sunday. I have been working really hard to gain their trust, I've groomed them a bit, and I trimmed their hooves. They are eating much better now, but we had a bit of a scare on Sunday. So - here's the story. I wanted to take them on a walk and the doe, Shadow-Cat, slipped out from my hands and took off! We put the bucks, Saul and soon to be announced, back and went after her, but she disappeared into the woods, with the halter on! My mom and I went around to all the neighbors and told them about her so they'd all be on the lookout for her. (we met some really nice neighbors who we didn't know before)

Anyway, my mom and Ashley continued to look around the house while my Nana and Papa took me a little further down the road to search for her. We had an all points bulletin put out for her. About an hour and a half later, one of the neighbors called, Ashley answered the phone, and they said, "There's a goat on our front porch." They tried to catch her, but she ran into their field. Right away Ashley, my mom, and my uncle all drove down to their field. She was there, but she didn't just stand there for them to catch her. They tried to surround her, but she ran to the woods. Mom thought she went deeper into the thick, but then she looked to her right, and there she was, looking at my mom like, "what's up?" They were then able to get her, loaded her into the back of Ashley's car, brought her home and fed her apples. (which she loved)

She's a slippery little sucker! I promise to do a better job holding on a bit tighter to her when I take them in and out. I'm just trying to get her, and the bucks, used to walking with me to go in and out during the day.

Even with all of this excitement, we are making hay, building buildings, and I have been working hard with my Miniature horse, Journey.  I am excited for the fiber mill to be up and running. I will keep you all up to date.



Shadow-Cat says, " Hi Willow!"

 

Shadow-Cat...

The bucks are checking things out...