"Away in a
meadow all covered with snow
The little old groundhog looks for his
shadow
The clouds in the sky determine our fate
If winter will leave us
all early or late." - Don Halley [sung to the tune of Away in a Manger!]
I always find this time of year to be uplifting even thought
the weather can be up and down. Any day the lambs and kids will be
arriving, the rabbits are breeding, the hours of light are noticeably
longer, and WHOO HOOO the chickens have begun to lay eggs
again! What could be prettier than those first two fresh farm eggs? ...
not pasty like storebought eggs... but glorious , brilliant orange yolks that
stand up in the pan. Ahhh ... it is the simple things. I
guess I am a simple woman at heart...
This reminds me of something that happened to me
recently: a guy was bulldozing out my pond and he came down to the
rabbitry where I was working and asked me for a date . He prefaced his request
with this bizarre and somewhat disturbing comment: "Kathy, you don't look like a
very high maintenance woman, would you like to go out to the movies with me some
time?" I have to admit I have never heard that one before... I
wonder if that line actually works for him? Anyway, after regaining
my composure, (and reining in the impulse to say something evil to show him just
how "high maintenance" I could be) , I declined his "kind offer". But
I have to admit he had me wondering if maybe I needed to buy some new clothes or
dye my hair or something. Good grief. Maybe I have been out with the goats too
long.
Lambs and kids are due any day now. While I am
waiting for them to arrive, I am working on my taxes ... Did you ever notice:
When you put the 2 words 'The' and 'IRS' together it spells 'Theirs.' ?
Hmmmmm Anyway, I am pleased to report that farm income constitutes 26% of
my yearly income now. Its not just a hobby farm anymore. (I always knew
that). and I thank all my customers for helping my business
grow.
FOR SALE: 1992
F150
I love this truck... it
has been good to me, but I have just put too many highway miles on it using
to go to work. Good condition , needs a new engine. ( has about 350,000
miles) Never in an accident. Interior still good. Non smoking owner. Sliding
rear window. A/C still works. Great heater. Towing package. Tires still good. Can
send lots of pix. Asking $500 as is. Someone with the wherewithall
could drop in a new Jasper engine and have a good truck... I just don't have
the mechanical skills to deal with it... maybe you do.
Special features this
month
BRED EWE for sale in February!
See the sheep page
for details. Take an unrelated ram to go with and receive a package
deal!
Also on the sheep page you will find a
question from one of our customers about
"antibiotics in the feed" and
"coccidia".
See a January tornado weather photo
on the rabbit
page along with the latest news on rabbits. No babies yet,
but should be soon! If you are looking for angora bunnywool, I am posting
quite a bit of it to my ebay store again. Go to http://stores.ebay.com/Herbal-Maid-Gallery
for all the latest.
I have decided to sell my spotted Boer buck
this year... he is a beauty! See the goat
page for information about him and other sale goats at HMFF.
MoKnitwits
"The world needs Mo' Knitwits" ! ...thats my new
motto. And to prove it just check out this link http://www.knittingoutloud.com/stories.html for a good laugh! But seriously, I have
set up a discussion list for knitters and crocheters. It started as a
special place for my local Knitwit group to keep in touch... but has expanded to
become an OPEN discussion group for Missouri knitters (and you other folks are
welcome too!). Hopefully , it will provide some inspiration, some
shared links, photos of your work, questions and answers from the collective
brain, and maybe keep us on track with our knitting. (I know I need a prod
or two with a double pointed needle from time to time). So, if you
would like to join us: go to yahoogroups.com and search for
MoKnitwits
Kathys Calendar
FIBER RETREAT is coming up March 9-11 Check out the program by
visiting http://extension.missouri.edu/fiber/2008/index.shtml Sign up for classes ASAP... they fill up quick! I am teaching
a Knitwit mittens workshop this year using one strand
of smooth handspun and 1 strand of designer yarn (purchased or handspun).
All Retreaters will be receiving in their goodie bags a 10% off coupon from HMFF
for any purchase at my ebay store too! There are LOTS of doorprizes at
this event and HMFF will be contributing one of them
Shearing
School March 12th at GW Carver
Conference Center and Research Farm, Jefferson City MO. Taught this year by Guy
Grazier of Hallsville MO and Alex McKenzie of Midstates Wool Growers of Kansas.
Graded wool samples will be available for comparison and marketing will be
discussed. Contact swartzh@lincolnu.edu or
573-681-5551
GOAT DAY is also coming up March
28. For more info on Goat Day 2008 in Jefferson City, MO, contact
swartzh@lincolnu.edu to get on their mailing
list. University Extension events are always worth going to! I am
teaching a workshop at Goat Day on Hypothermia and Neonatal Goat
Care at the request of Helen Swartz, the state small livestock
specialist. I should be in the midst of kidding at that time and will bring
along a bottle baby if I have one.Location: GW Carver Conference Center and
Research Farm, Jefferson City, MO General goat topics plus Dairy, Meat
and Fiber breakout sessions.
AI Clinic March 29, 2008 GW Carver Conference Center and Research Farm, Jefferson City ,
MO Contact swartzh@lincolnu.edu
or 573-681-5551
Jacobs Cave Swap Meet June5-8
Tentative plans to attend with small livestock. I went to check this out
last summer and I had the best time. It is HUGE and well attended with
incredible selections of unusual poultry, rabbits, reptiles, waterfowl,
peacocks, pets, sheep, goats, plus flea market items. See www.jacobscave.com Located
between Versailles and Gravois Mills in Missouri.
Looking forward to an exciting crop of lambs and kids and
bunnies VERY SOON!
Kathy Barger-Harbert
Herbal Maid Fiber Farm
