Ranch Update

Post date: Nov 30, 2016 8:1:56 PM

It has been so long since I blogged last - we have been that busy! - it seems like I have time for email and to do quick postings on Instagram. But, finally, here is a ranch update for those of you who are interested which is, I hope, as Google says, Everyone in the world -

On November 18 we left in a rented minivan, to attend the annual Wool Symposium of the northern California Fibershed. I went as a vendor this year - last year (our first) I was a speaker, subject Santa Cruz Island sheep. The symposium was in Pt. Reyes Station, and wonderful friends Sandra and Rob at Black Rock Ranch let us stay in their beautiful home at nearby Stinson Beach. This year Jim was kind enough to go with me and did most of the driving, and dear friend and neighbor Devon was kind enough to ranch-sit for us. We took scads of wool as roving and raw fleeces, as well as some llama/cotton blend drum-carded batts, some yarn, and a few loom-knitted hats. Sandra brought Santa Cruz Island wool batts, an herbal smudge stick, home-grown eggs, and some lavender arrangements. The weather forecast for Pt. Reyes Station included 100% rain prediction for the Saturday (19th) of the symposium so instead of the planned 10 foot by 10 foot space, we were limited to an 8-foot long table with a little space in front. Most of the fleeces and roving had to stay in the van parked outside. The llama/cotton batts sold very well, and the Santa Cruz Island wool yarn, and one Navajo-Churro fleece sold (thank you beloved customers!!!!!!!!!!!) and the rest of the wool etc. came home with us and most of it is advertised on Etsy right now. A couple items have sold already, wonderful, and thank you beloved Etsy customers!!!!!!!!!!!!). Sandra sold a batt and some eggs. We had fun, and the talks and panel discussions in the symposium were VERY interesting and timely. Amazing what folks are doing. Fibershed is awesome.

Speaking of vendoring and selling stuff (or not) my plan is to have a booth at the San Miguel Christmas parade and craft fair on December 17 from 2 pm to after dark. So if you are in the area come on by. We didn't make it last year as Jim was ill and it was raining and cold. No way am I going to let my spinning wheel get wet. So if it rains this year I will not take the wheel(s) but will bring knitting instead. Always plenty of that to do.

In the normal course of doing business, I had taken some photos of the young Santa Cruz Island rams - born in 2015 - several of whom are casually for sale (meaning I haven't officially listed them yet!) to serious breeders or future breeders of Santa Cruz Island sheep.

This is Buster, ear tag number 30, handsome dude, wouldn't you say?

This is Thirty-three (ear tag 33, naturally).

This is Thirty-five (35), through the fence.

Here is Twenty-One (21).

There are more, some of the photos won't upload, don't ask me why. Feel free to inquire if you are in the market for a very nice Santa Cruz Island ram!

There is a group photo, Blake with the black legs is not for sale, nor is Peabody who is a member of the same cohort.

Other than the aforementioned, we have had a little rain - a little over an inch in late October which I already blogged about, 1.6 inches on Sunday Nov. 20 (after returning from the Fibershed symposium), and last weekend 0.3 inch from a couple quick storms. The hills and especially the canyons are greening up. Jim is looking at next week to plant our barley fields, in the meantime the ewes, lambs, and wethers along with Georgie the llama, are in the west and middle pastures to eat down the stubble and green grass which volunteered. The young rams, some of which pictured above, are in the east field with Sahne the llama, doing the same. We are in a bit of a dry spell now but hoping for more rain after next week.

And that's enough blogging for now. If you haven't already be sure to check out our Instagram posts.