Seasons Bleatings from Herbal Maid Fiber Farm!

May Day

It's May and we celebrated May Day with a permanent May Pole which was placed and decorated by family and friends this spring. It will mark the start of a backyard beautification project planned for 2007. The old car has been towed away... a falling-down garage scheduled for demolition... and dead tree removed. THAT is my summer project this year.

Farms are places of business... and have a way of getting filled with equipment, parts, manure piles, fencing supplies... all that stuff that is not very pretty, but oh so necessary. Somehow, I need to keep the balance between "beautiful countryside home" and "working farm"... not an easy task, but I am going to try!

Can you believe that my twin granddaughters are already a year old! It seems like just yesterday I was reporting their birth... My two older granddaughters are growing up fast too... Sammi turning 4 this month and Hannah will be off to school this fall!

The new pasture fence is almost complete! We have hung the gates and are working on the final stretch of fence. I can hardly wait to turn the sheep and goats out on the new pasture this summer. Our female Pyranees , Annie, has already been out to survey the new pasture and has claimed a high corner of the pasture for her vantage point.

And speaking of pasture: The American Grassfed Association in partnership with the Animal Compassion Foundation (a whole foods market foundation) is offering a Grazing Missouri Grass class with top speakers from the University of Missouri. See Upcoming Events below.

I am still working on my shearing (sheep , goats and rabbits), but I'm getting there! Erratic spring weather dictates when it gets done...and the fencing project has taken priority to get it finished by deadline, but even on a rainy day I can pluck rabbits!

For Sale this month: RABBITS (the big list of available bunnies) Dairy kids LAMBS (the big list of available lambs) and one bottled and tame meat kid More of those great hoof shears (on ebay). Lots of gorgeous fleeces on ebay . As I begin to separate and wean the kids and lambs, I will be posting additional sale animals through the summer months.

Fiber Faire May 19, 2007 Marshfield, MO helengrace1@netzero.net Small fiber festival with lots of charm and fun events I can deliver rabbits to this festival

Sheep & Goat Workshop "The Basics and Beyond" June 2, 2007 Houston, MO at the Texas Co Fair Grounds. Intro to Sheep & Goats, How to Select the Correct Animal, Pasture Management for Sheep and Goats, Handling Facilities, Parasite Management, FAMACHA training & certification, Internet Marketing, Predator Control. $35 includes lunch. To register contact totorcd@hotmail.com

Heart of America Sheep & Fiber Festival June 1-3, 2007 Sedalia, MO www.moncwga.com I will be teaching workshops on Angora Rabbits, Hypothermic Emergencies, and Marketing at this festival. Rabbit deliveries possible to this festival.

Grazing Missouri Grass Class June 8, 2007 Whole Foods Market, St Louis, Mo $25 for the day includes lunch. See www.americangrassfed.org and click on Grass Class

Estes Park Wool Market June 14-17, 2007 Estes Park, CO www.estesnet.com/events I will be the guest speaker at the Goat Breeders dinner and will be judging the angora goat show this year. Hope to see you there! Sorry can't deliver livestock to this one.