Seasons Bleatings

Katelyn May (with grandma) and Amber Rose (awaiting her turn for a cuddle). Twins! Born April 25, 2006 . Grandma couldn't be prouder of these new additions to the Harbert family.

They had a rough start, but are catching up fast and doing well. Hope to be home soon. I am envisioning a row of FOUR pairs of little barn boots on the front porch next to mine!

In fact, it is pretty much of a miracle that I got two girls of ANYTHING this year! It is pretty much of a buck/ram year at Herbal Maid Fiber Farm. Out of 62 lambs/kids so far, only 17 were females! Well, at least there will be alot to choose from in the males department. So how to make lemonade out of this situation? Actually, it is not too hard....once you do the math. Check out the salelists and see!

Stormy weather delays mohair shearing

a late morning storm front that brought hail and buckets of rain!

The sheep were all sheared last month and the fleeces are available either from the farm direct (see April issue for the complete list) or via the ebay store as I have time to post them. Due to weather delays , I am still working on the goats, but should have them completed by the end of May. Most of the spring mohair gets processed since it is not as pretty-off-the-goat as the fall clip; but select fleeces will be listed here and at the ebay store, Herbalmaid Gallery.

We are having a record tornado season ! One night in late March brought over 120 tornadoes to the state of Missouri! We survived those March storms without any damage... but the April storms got me! I had been outside working all day and came in to get a drink and check my email. As I was at my desk, I heard thunder getting closer and closer, so looked out the window to see a BLACK wall racing at me from the northwest. I ran outside to put up a convalescing goat and just had time to get back to the house, grab the goat on the front porch waiting to be sheared and dragged him into the house, tied him to the dining room table leg and ran to the basement just as the storm hit. Horizontal hail pelted the back side of the house and the wind screamed as I huddled on the stone stairwell to the basement clutching my phone.

It was all over in about 5 minutes, but when I looked outside , a big oak had been brought down in the back yard and my patio furniture was strung out in a line across the front yard , over the fence , across the drive and into the pasture. A few pieces of siding came down, but otherwise no damage to the house, outbuildings, cars or livestock. Well, at least I have a jump start on my firewood for next winter.

I had an amazing experience with a small goat that never should have bred or carried to term. We do our best to NOT breed angora kids, but sometimes, goats being goats, they just have their own agenda. I share this story , but hope you never have to experience it yourself. In fact, my vet made me SWEAR not to tell anyone; because he does not want to have to do it again... but I think the story is worth telling because we all learned something (and we will just leave his name and number out of the story). <grin> See C-Section goat

This issue of Seasons Bleatings comes to you via the NEW mailing list which is now devoid of bouncers and spammers (at least for the moment). I was so delighted to hear from over 80 of you who wished to remain on the list and many of whom told me how much they enjoyed the newsletter from the farm. Thanks for all your kind words of encouragement!

Thanks and congratulations to Toni who has purchased our silver herdsire, Jupiter alongwith a few of my older ewes.... to Pat who purchased a lovely Hybrid Leicester ram lamb and yearling ewe, and is providing "Bunnie" with the retirement home she deserves... to Sidney who has purchased colored angoras: Lucien and Hortense... to Ruth, Sharon, and Janice who have purchased fleeces and processed wools... and to the many faithful ebay customers who keep this three ring circus in the black.