Seasons Bleatings!
 
Its April and normally such a happy time on the farm, although bittersweet for me this year...but, we are getting lambs now to add to the baby goats and rabbits... so new life abounds! 
 
 April is also when the spring show season kicks off, starting with the Fiber Retreat in Jefferson City, Mo. This marvelous event really gets our creative juices flowing!
 
 
I had a booth there, but instead of teaching workshops this year, I took them!  I took a class with Gail White of Ozark Carding Co. and learned Rainbow Dyeing with centerpull balls. I came home with gorgeous skeins of rainbow dyed yarns and look forward to sharing this technique (and others!) at upcoming summer workshops on the farm. For more pictures of the 2005 Fiber Retreat see http://extension.missouri.edu/fiber/fiber_retreat/picsfr2005.shtml
 
I also attended the wool grading workshop at the university research farm on March 19th. Then on the 20th (perfect timing) , Arthur Hernandez sheared all my sheep . We love Arthur!  He has been shearing for 50+ years and still going strong. Our local guild arranges a farm-to- farm tour of duty for him every year . We put him up and feed him and in turn, he shears our animals and shares all the trade gossip. His wife is a spinner and he knows the value of a properly sheared fleece. Look for "Arthurs Pick" on the fleece page.
 
I have some of the prettiest fleeces ever this year!.. and since I just took the wool grading workshop, I can tell you that they range from a Bradford 40-48s for the Border Leicesters and the BlueFace Leicester hybrids are Bradford 54s  This is a reflection of how many "hanks" (560 yards) of wool yarn you can get from 1 pound of wool. The higher the number the finer the fleece. Since I sheared late last year and early this year... these are about 8-9 month growth fleeces.  This issue includes our fleece list from this years harvest. I am still working on the mohair fleeces and hope to have them done by the end of April.
 
I am always on the lookout for items that we can all appreciate. New find this month: Two vintage mohair sweaters! (handknit by someone with love and in perfect condition) . If you wear a medium to large size sweater, take a look at these lovely one of a kind sweaters!   
 
Remember that livestock deliveries can be made to select shows on my Events listing.  Hope to see you out and about!
 
Included in this issue :
 
 
No time to write poetry this month, but I will leave you with this little gem from James Whitcomb Riley:
 
Spring is sprung
the grass is riz
I wonder where
them flowers iz?
 
Here they are!
 
 
Kathy Barger-Harbert
Herbal Maid Fiber Farm
Rosebud, Missouri