What a year for us to have decided to focus on getting more visitors on the farm, eh? We’ve given a lot of thought to the risk factors in having farm visitors this year. Matt has risk factors, so we know we need to be careful. But that said, visitors will be walking outdoors withContinue reading “Excited for the Great Northern Yarn Haul”
Category Archives: Yarn
Responding To A World Without Festivals
Recently, I wrote about our anxiety about the cancellation of VT Sheep and Wool Festival and Rhinebeck. I’m glad the festivals were cancelled – we simply cannot risk joining each other in crowds during a pandemic. We’ve spent several weeks reimagining our sales efforts. We can’t rely on folks to come find our yarn, touchContinue reading “Responding To A World Without Festivals”
Shearing 2020
We had the sheep shorn today. Though it feels early in the year, we know we need to have the sheep shorn before lambs are due. The forecasts calls for continuing mild weather, so we aren’t concerned about cold or wind for now. The ewes were eager to itch all of the itchy places theyContinue reading “Shearing 2020”
Our BFL Yarn is Here
I am so happy with the BFL yarn that came back from Battenkill Fibers this year. In past years, our BFL clip has been too small for me to send it to a mill. Bluefaced Leicesters are bred to have light fleeces. In the UK, this was done with the idea of reducing the fleecyContinue reading “Our BFL Yarn is Here”
The Yarn is Here
Most years, I have sent my wool to the mill with the expectation that my yarn might come back just a few weeks before the festivals I regularly attend. Usually, that was just enough time to count it and dye it while Mom might knit a sample or two. This year is different. Our mill,Continue reading “The Yarn is Here”
The Reality of Yarn
Don’t get me wrong. Playing with yarn gives me great joy. I love the texture, the sheepy scent, the slight dust of it. I love the whole sensory experience and I am always happy to have more yarn. This year, instead of having our yarn made into pre-measured skeins at the mill, we elected toContinue reading “The Reality of Yarn”
We Went to Rhinebeck
This post should have been part of a series of posts where we prepare for Rhinebeck, talk about our journey getting our stock together, and then go. I didn’t get that done. Picture me weighing and packaging just-finished roving from the flock the night before I left, because that’s about the pace things were taking.Continue reading “We Went to Rhinebeck”
A Big Opportunity
A while ago, I had thought to put in my application for a booth at Rhinebeck (formally, the New York State Sheep and Wool Gathering) because I had heard that it could take a decade to get a booth. So I figured I’d just send applications their way for a few years while I putContinue reading “A Big Opportunity”
Going to the Vermont Sheep and Wool Festival
It is that time of year again! We are headed to the Vermont Sheep and Wool Festival, where we have 350 skeins of Border Leicester yarn to sell along with many other fiber goodies. For starters, both my Northern Borders and Derby Line yarns have been selling well. Even though the Montpelier Farmer’s Market isn’tContinue reading “Going to the Vermont Sheep and Wool Festival”
Lessons from the Farmers Market
I had my goods for sale at Montpelier for the first time yesterday. I still have a lot to learn about effectively selling my goods. Don’t forget your tent! The market was on Saturday morning. On Friday evening that I realized that my pop-up tent was 150 miles away in Keene, NH with my parents. Continue reading “Lessons from the Farmers Market”