After spending some days regaining my energy (I slept a lot and had sheepy dreams of all the wonderful things I’ve seen and done since I left home last fall), I ventured out of my quarters here in Hopeless Junction. What should I find awaiting me, but a couple of kitties. They were very happy to meet me.
They were mostly polite, except that Beth did take some liberties I didn’t like.
Although she said she didn’t mean anything by it, I had to set her straight. I don’t think we’ll have any more of THAT while I’m here.
There is some kind of celebration planned. I’m told I’ll learn all about it. I think I’ll have a glass of beer and then take another nap before that starts.
This is pretty much what we have now - from the last week of June. We are actively eating zucchini, I am organizing my zucchini recipe collection in anticipation......
We have been so dry, I have had to water quite a bit, in fact we used up the rainbarrel water about 2 weeks ago and I have had to use tap water. I have a couple of garden tasks to work on this weekend -
blossom end rot seems to have set in the Roma tomatoes, probably because of the erratic watering - they kept predicting rain and it never came, so we had a drought followed by deluge scenario, the pototatoes had very few blossems, the spinach is not sprouting worth a darn, BUT I have the biggest radishes imaginable! They are not really repeling any
cucumber beetles, or maybe they are and if the radishes were not there, I'd have 3 times as many! I hope they blossom soon!
A Betty
Betty, Ethel, Aggie and Betty
Aggie says "Hi!"
Mavis says "What?"
Ok, so it happened MONTHS ago, but a recent article in Wild Fibers Magazine made me realize I wanted to talk about it and never got around to it.
That certainly sounds ominous, doesn't it? It's not, really.
Have you ever heard of a CSA? I have to be honest and tell you that I don't know what *all* the initials stand for, but the C is for Co-Operative. As defined below:
a jointly owned enterprise engaging in the production or distribution of goods or the supplying of services, operated by its members for their mutual benefit, typically organized by consumers or farmers.
Focus on the "farmers" part of this for a moment.
OK, now forget about the corn and wheat and other vegetables that just popped into your head. Think sheep and goats. Registered Angora Goats, registered Cormo, Cotswold and Babydoll Southdown sheep.
Now, think FIBER...fleece, roving and yarn.
OK, so you're with me now.
Susan Gibbs, owner of Juniper Moon Farm, started the country's first Fiber and Yarn CSA (http://www.fiberfarm.com/yarn-csa). When Bill found this in Food and Wine Maagazine, the farm was called Martha's Vineyard and Hudson Valley Fiber Farm. As a gift, he bought me a share. I had no idea what I was in for.
Since then, Susan's moved to Palmyra, VA and changed the farm's name to Juniper Moon. Susan used to be a producer for CBS. Now she watches her lovely ewes and nannies produce - adorable kids and lambs. Their coats are shorn yearly (sheep once, goats twice), and the fleece made into some of the most amazing yarn I've ever had the pleasure to smoosh.
So let's back up. Susan sells shares in Juniper Moon's "harvest". You can get either a spinner's share - which is a pile of lovely fleece that spinners turn into even lovelier yarn - or a knitter's share, which is several skeins of the most amazing wool yarn you've ever handled.
Bill bought me a share last year. It's pricey, yes. But so is really good wool yarn. The difference is, the money you spend on a share from Juniper Moon goes toward sustaining the farm and perhaps helping increase your "dividend" at the end of the year. And by the time you get your share, you're fully invested in Susan, the farm, and her flock. You know all their names, and which babies belong to which momma. You've met (so to speak) the human staff - Susan, Erin and Maggie, to start - and emotionally, you're a goner.
In April, Susan invites all the shareholders to the farm for open house and shearing day. It's called the Shearing Day Celebration, and it's an amazing event. This year's was my first one. I saw a slight, but strong woman handle a 400 lb. sheep named Ernie as if he were a featherweight. I saw the fleece she took off him laid out on the floor in the perfect shape of a sheep. I was amazed.
I met all the lambs and kids whose births I'd read about through Susan's blog (which she updates with amazing regularity) (http://www.fiberfarm.com/blog), andI'd already even seen some of them on the lambcam (http://www.fiberfarm.com/lambcam). I became part of the group of "Aunties" who are the most amazing, helpful, talented people I've met. I bought more yarn in the adorable on-site shop, where you can also get pure beeswax candles and the most AMAZING bread mix (Beer Bread), also made on site. I enjoyed food that was made and brought by the Aunties and their families(everyone is asked to bring a dish for the meal), and wished I could have stayed longer (we had some familial issues that meant for the good of the group, we left long before I would have if I'd been there myself. Which I plan to be next year!).
OK, so maybe this isn't your thing. But it's mine. When I'm at home, 7 days out of 10, you'll find me with a hook and a skein of yarn, crocheting. Or leafing through patterns for my next project. Or reading articles in a beautiful UK crocheting magazine I just had to have. Or opening a box the mailman just brought that could contain anything from new yarn to stitch markers, to a set of beautifully made, hand-turned, wooden crochet hooks. Or some amazing hand-blown glass buttons (http://www.etsy.com/shop/ButtonsbyLars) I learned about from my Auntie friends while reading Juniper Moon's board (http://www.ravelry.com/groups/juniper-moon-farm-virtual-flock) on Ravelry (http://www.ravelry.com) which is the most AMAZING website ever if you're one of us - knitters and crocheters and spinners and others who indulge in the fiber arts. It's a terrific place to be, and I'm glad I ended up there.
Hi, everyone — Ramble here. I’ve finally arrived in Hopewell Junction and I’m heading right to bed. I’m exhausted. I had a fabulous time in Connecticut and at the arts center. I’m looking forward to seeing more of the Hudson River Valley. Here’s a picture of me getting ready for a nice nap. Please notice my new summer neckwear — very Mystic.
Have a great holiday weekend, folks!
Hi, everyone — Ramble here. I’ve finally arrived in Hopewell Junction and I’m heading right to bed. I’m exhausted. I had a fabulous time in Connecticut and at the arts center. I’m looking forward to seeing more of the Hudson River Valley. Here’s a picture of me getting ready for a nice nap. Please notice my new summer neckwear — very Mystic.
Have a great holiday weekend, folks!
