German Angora Rabbits

We have been very busy this year. One of my newest ventures has been to purchase 2 German Angora Rabbits from Sue Mezzanote of Stow, Maine. The one pictured is Olga and once Oliver's coat grows back I'll put up a picture of him. Oliver and Olga both came from Lesley Sampson who wrote the book Completely Angora, which is a wonderful resource for any Angora rabbit breeder. I also did a breeding with another buck owned by Sherri Cormier of Augusta, Maine who purchased another wonderful buck from Lesley. The kits are just beautiful. These rabbits are known to produce up to a pound of Angora every 3 months, which is hard to believe. Your Cashmere goats produce 3 - 4 ounces of fiber each year after their fiber is de-haired.

We also were invited to attend Common Ground Fair. Bill and I were very busy and had to much fun. The only draw back was closing time is 5 pm and at this time of the year it gets dark fast. Next year we will take lighting! The Angora goat kids and the Babydoll lambs were well received. Thank you all for your business and interest!

I also had a wonderful time at the New York Sheep & Wool Festival in Rhinebeck, NY October 18 & 19. I had a chance to volunteer for IAGARB (International Association of German Angora Rabbit Breeders) and got a chance to judge fleeces with an assistant who has had years of experience - Thank you Joe & Judy Miller. What a wonderful experience and a fun loaded fiber weekend. Need to take pictures next year to share. They also had book signing. I purchased 3 books and the authors were there to sign them. One of the books I purchased was "101 Designer one-skein Wonders" This is a great resource. I have used it 3 times so far.

This is a picture of Bette Boop (red doe) and Midnight (isn't he handsome!)

What else is new - My colored Angora buck, Midnight, has 2 girlfriends visiting and one to visit soon. He has a beautiful black/gray fleece. It is one of those coats to die for. So far for a 3 year old he has a wonderful personality. Thank you Julie Patterson for selling him to me. His other 2 girlfriends are hopefully bred, Magnolia and Bette Boop. Boy did they holler and carry on for him. It is so nice when they let you know they are ready to be bred - nice red flag on my calendar so I know when they will be due!!

My final event was Artistee. Talk about talent. I have met so many wonderful ladies and men. Check them out on the web under Artistree. They have a huge following. This event took place the day after Thanksgiving!

Now I can slow down and enjoy my family and pets. I am know making a Jane Austen Dress that has a knit bodice for my 20 month old granddaughter, Charlotte - sure wish it was safe to show a picture of her. She is of course perfect. The pattern is from another book I purchased at the signing in New York and it is called Mason-Dixon Knitting Outside the Lines. It is fun just to read let alone all the new ideas it has on knitting. Take care and see you in the new year - Spinnakees' Farm in Augusta, Maine 207-622-5343 or spinnakees@yahoo.com.

Penelope & Sweetpea

Penelope was given back to us (thank you Martha) and we bred her with Figaro. Her dad was Roy Orb our first stud muffin. I bred her very late and figured she was not bred. Then she started to form an udder about a week before the date I wrote on my calendar that she could possibly have a lamb. We started checking on Penelope every 4 hours the day before her due date. She seperated from her buddy, Unise (is she bred also? No lamb yet and no udder). Penelope kept hanging next to the barn wall and in the old goat barn. Around 4 am on the 19th I asked my husband, Bill, to check on her. He came back and said you have a lamb. She had delivered all by herself, which is wonderful as Babydolls have large triangular heads!! Her lamb, Sweetpea, is very tiny and black, which are both good things for Olde English "Babydoll" Southdowns. We plan on showing them both off at the Common Ground Fair, September 19, 20 and 21.

So much has been happening here! Monika brought her mother and sister to learn how to spin. She shared some of her sheep's wonderful fleece. On her second visit she showed me her spining she did on a drop spindle. She shared her blog with me. I gave Monika a colored Angora goat, Hermonie, and she put a picture of her on her blog. We made an arrangement so and I get 2 doe kids in return, and we use my stud, Midnight. Talk about beautiful fiber (both doe & buck - thick and soft and tri colored, Buck has a very, very thick fleece, check out Monika's blog http://www.wildermirth.blogspot.com/. Monika is a wonderful writer and she shared a story about her partner, Joe, who tried to save a couple of chicks and I almost cried. All we can do is try!

Champion Masada Spinnakees' Cameo had a litter of Keeshonden May 2. Our last Kees is going to Carol's August 5th. Thank you so much Carol. I know he will have a wonderful home. I had them all sold when they were born and a lady couldn't care for this boy and Carol came to the rescue. I'll share a picture of him and you'll find it hard not to want one of these babies.

When done I'd like to share pictures of a chicken I am rug hooking with yarn and making into a pillow. My next project will be a rug hooked American Flag I'll attach to a footstool. I am also working on a mobias Wrap. The yarn is from my "Babydoll sheep, Angora goats and Angora rabbits and spun by Diane Knowles in Otisfield. It is so soft, warm and strong. So much to do and so little time. Thank you God for giving me the talent to make so many fun things.

This is Woody, my newest ram. What a fleece - downy, soft, white! I have some being processed into roving at Friends and Folly Farm. They can process anything, if it is clean. I know this for a fact. I've had the vet do some testing for me. I had CAE tested on all my goats "negative", and OPP tested on my sheep "negative", and CL on my buck "negative". Makes me feel good to sell healthy animals. I also bought a microscope and am doing fecals. That is a job and a 1/2!! So far so good. Would like to work with someone to get their opinion on identifying parisites.

Off to feed my animals and my human family.

Halcyon Locker Hooking Class Pictures Continued

Great lighting!

Hard working class!

Lots of energy and new ideas! Thank you all for attending!

Locker Hooked Sheep Bag class at Halcyon Yarn in Bath, Maine 4/19/08

What a wonderful group of ladies attended my Locker Hooking class at Halcyon Yarn in Bath, Maine, April 12, 2008. Locker hooking is so much fun and easy. Following are pictures I took of our class.

Goat Feet - OPP and CAE Testing

Angora goats are wonderful fiber producers. I love blending their fiber with my shorter Olde English "Babydoll" Southdown sheep and German angora rabbits. I have been busy clipping feet. This should be done monthly and is a check to make sure they are healthy. I have been using a drop of LA 200 between the hooves as a preventative to any hoof rot. Tomorrow my vet Tammy is coming to give Rabie shots and test for OPP and CAE. I am a little nervious about this, but would rather be sure my animals are healthy. I already have them enrolled in the Scrapie Program so why not go a little further. I figure it will also be another good selling point and you don't want to sell any animal that is not healthy.

I'm off to Newport this weekend for the yearly spin-in. A lot of spinners go to this event to see old friends, share new ideas and just have fun. I'm hoping to sell alot of my fiber. I'm trying to create the softest, strongest and warmest yarn.

I offer beginer spinning lessons - using a spindle or a spinning wheel with the purchase of 5 oz of roving. I have some really nice blends that spin up easily. My friend Kelly at Romney Ridge Farm showed me how to update my website: www.spinnakeesfarm.com. Please check it out and let me know what you think. Now I'm off to spinning up samples of my roving I wish to sell into little skeins of yarn. Wish me luck!

Winter - Goat Feeder

This is Bette Boop, my colored Angora Goat. She is in my goat feeder so she can eat in peace without the bigger does picking on her. The funny thing is, is that this is suppose to protect the feed from the goats. The little ones go under it and the bigger ones can get in it or pull the hay out of the top. The bottom part is suppose to hold grain or spilled hay. When it gets soiled they don't touch it. So - - - Bill has promised to build a frame around it and make a shelter over it. Maybe this spring or if I'm lucky in a week or so. Will add to his to do list.

Lilly, Hybrid Angora Rabbit (1/2 Satin, 1/2 German)

Lilly is my "old lady" and had a hair cut 2 days ago. She will live in my house until her hair is at least 1 1/2 inches long and we have some warm days. She gave me 4 oz in 3 months and it is a beautiful off white color with brownish tips. The cuffs of the knitting needles are the beginning of a pair of socks. I am using yarn I had spun at Green Mountain Spinnery. It is a blend of wool 60% and Mohair 40%. I am using tuffs of Angora around the top, strips and for the toes and heels of this pair of socks. I am hoping to keep this pair of socks and testing them to see how they hold up. The wool gives me the elasticity, Angora Warmth and the Mohair is for strength.