Who knew??

I am just as ignorant about food as the next person. I was listening to a report on NPR about someone who was trying to re-create her Grandmother's pickles, with no success. As she read off the recipe, I thought to myself "there's no vinegar in that recipe." Little did I know that real dill/sour pickles are fermented in a salty, herby brine, not canned in vinegar. Who knew?

I don't have enough cucumbers from my wee patch to make a batch, but my local Farmer's Market was my source for a few pounds of pickling cucumbers, and I have everything else here: kosher salt, peppercorns, along with dill, garlic - and maybe a dash of hot pepper - from my garden. I even have a small wild grapevine to provide me with the supply of tannin (leaves) to keep the pickles crispy. So. I'm going to give it a try.

photo credit: http://crabappleherbs.com/blog/2009/08/17/summer-is-for-pickles/"

I've been on the internet looking up recipes and instructions. Here are a couple of the good ones:

http://www.learningherbs.com/fermented_foods.html

http://chiotsrun.com/2011/07/30/making-traditionally-fermented-pickles/

If it works well, I may try other veggies. I'll keep you posted. 

We've gotten a little blessed rain in the last few days. My frequent watering (I'm afraid to open the water bill) kept things alive, but it was just too hot to set fruit, especially on the tomatoes: "Daytime temperatures above 90°F and night temperatures above 70°F result in reduced flowering and fruit set. There is considerable evidence that night temperature is the critical factor in setting tomato fruit, the optimal range being 59° to 68°F." - source, Cooperative Extension Service. But now that the temps have cooled a little, I am noticing more blossoms.

I picked my first San Marzano tomatoes today, and half of those had blossom end rot. I worked lime into the soil when I planted them, so I am blaming the weather. Nothing wasted though, with the bad end cut off, they were a treat for the chickens.

Little Seraphina is getting better!!!! She has got movement and some strength in her bum leg, and with just a little support from me, she can stand! She has no balance though, and if she tries to stand herself, she falls over. That makes her mad, she squawks, and just keeps trying. She is determined to get better. I am really surprised her sisters don't pick on her, but they are very accepting. The "Mean Girls," Abigail and Gracie were mean to her (and all the Cochins) before, and still are though.

Getting 1 or 2 eggs every day. :)

Holly and Niko got plucked/clipped during the hot weather (even though they are inside and are nice and cool in the a/c) Niko peeled off the whole lower half of his coat to the skin, only needing to be sheared on top. Talk about looking like a rat! Holly was the opposite, plucked bald over her whole back. She turned on her "tude" before I could clip the rest. She was wasn't having it! She was done! So she has looked like a mushroom since. Maybe I'll give her another try today..........after I make pickles.

This Week at Wren Cottage

Is it just me, or is it starting to seem like Fall?  It's still hot, but my garden is definitely looking fall-ish.

This week, out came the broken-down pole beans.  In went turnips, beets, and radishes. I still need to find a spot for lettuce.  I salvaged enough beans for a couple of servings, so not bad.   I tore off the ratty foliage remaining on the chard, and hope cool weather will bring another flush of leaves later.   The replacement basil and eggplant, and the bok choy are doing nicely.

This is one of the Comfrey plants, allowed to flower.

In real life, the little bell-like flowers look exactly the same shade as the Petunias planted beneath them



The "roma" tomatoes are slowing down.  I've been calling them Roma all this time, but I looked at the packet and they are "San Marzano."  Still a paste-type tomato.  I've got enough to fill the dehydrator again today.  I've already got lots dried for making "sun-dried" tomatoes.   This is one recipe  I want to try with them.  

The German Pinks are ripening and I LOVE them.  I hadn't tasted a tomato that tasted like the ones I had when I was young, since I left Ohio.  I thought it had something to do with the minerals in the soil - and it might - but this one really takes me back.   The plants don't produce many fruits, but the ones that are there are really big - 1 to 2 pounds.  Meaty, not many seeds, with tender skin - they are yummy!   I think I'll enjoy all of these fresh, and if there are leftover green ones at the end of the season, I found a recipe for a green tomato relish here .  I like that it is salty and tangy - the way tomatoes should be. 

I know I am in the minority on this subject, but two things that should never be said in the same breath, much less put in the same recipe are tomatoes, and sugar.  I know your Momma put just a teaspoon in her spagetti sauce "to take the acid out,"  but I'm sure every Nonna in Italy would blanch at the idea.  Tomatoes are meant to be tangy.  Ragu spagetti sauce (and others like it)  must be the most disgusting things ever put in a jar.  One of the primary ingredients is .....high fructose corn syrup.  blech!  (stepping down from soapbox and changing subject.....) 

Before I had to have a new muffler installed on my car  (which really needed to be done, but didn't fix the problem.  Now I'm thinking tune up / points and plugs)  I bought some more silk from Wooliebullie on Etsy. (and since she gave me a 20% off coupon when she sent my previous order)  The hankies are called "Veggie Tales," which is funny but true, since they are exactly those colors.  I'm not afraid of the really intense colors, because once they are drafted thin and/or mixed with something, it tones them down.

The roving at the top is called "Maple" and is spectacular. I want to just sit and look at it.  I have some brown Corriedale I can mix with Truffle's beige fiber, and either spin this separately and ply it, or card it in.  It would go a lot farther if I did the latter, but there's really a lot there for only weighing 2 oz.

Lastly, on the bottom right is .....something about Titania and Midsummer's Night's Dream... I can't remember the name exactly, taken from a painting the artist saw.   I wouldn't have thought to use those colors together (I rarely mix 'cool' and 'warm' colors) but I really like it.  That might go with my black Angoras - which produce mostly gray wool. 



Whatever I do, I will be sure to save some shreds in case we have someone doing a wet felting class at KSFF next Spring.  Now to figure out how to have my rabbit booth and take a class?

No real news about the chicks this week. Looking more and more like dinosaurs. I'm pretty convinced I only have 1 pullet and 2 roos.  If I'm right, anyone want a bantam buff Orpington rooster?  They are said to have nice, laid-back personalities......

Until next time, from Wren Cottage .......     

Breakthroughs

There have been a few breakthroughs here in the last few days.  First, Abigail laid an egg yesterday!  Finally!  I was wondering if she would ever lay again.  For all I know, she could be a 'golden girl' chicken.  I don't know how old she is.  Last fall I got an egg every other day, so I'll hope for that again.

I've taken the chickens outside a couple of times, but they would just stand still, and not move.  They would look around, and seemed to like it, but were rooted to the spot.  I was going out to work in the garden this evening, and picked up Abigail to take out with me.  It took a while,  but she finally waded into the garden a little bit, ate some dirt, scarfed up some grit, and had a good time being a real chicken.  I know Dolley has never been out or on grass except the couple of times I took her.  Maybe Abigail has the same history - bantams are often cooped.

just like a kid on the the edge of a pool.....

" I don't know about this....."

wading into the shallow end.....

"Hey! This is all right!"  

Abigail being a real chicken...

"why can't we come outside to play?"  

(l to r:  Yoshi - Michu - Ciaran)        

Second, Michu got up on the bed!  "Huh?" you may be asking yourself.   My two newest kitties both have some strange quirks.  Michu loooooves to be petted, but only when she is standing on the ground.  She doesn't like to be picked up, and has never gotten up on the couch or bed with me, no matter what I did to encourage her.  Last weekend she came into my room one morning because she wanted me to get up and feed her ... well, that day she responded to me calling her up, and for the first time gave in to the niceness she found there!  She gets pets, ear rubs, belly rubs...and she's been getting up with me ever since.  Sweet girl!  I've only had her for two years.  Patience finally won.

On the bunny front, Ivy doesn't have any fuzz on her bare spot yet, but she is getting some dark patches of 5 o'clock shadow under her skin.  I think it's going to be OK.  The boys are going to get haircuts this weekend.  They have both slowed down on eating - not completely off - but that's my sign they've had enough, and want it OFF!  They are all so relieved when they get clipped down, even though they look funny.

In the garden, the beans, eggplant, tomatoes and more herb seedlings are in!   I might stick a few more seedlings in here and there, but overall, it's in for the summer!  Hooray! So far I'm seeing a definite improvement in my crops through companion planting, except the eggplant.  I put them in the planting bed this year instead of a big pot, and some kind of bugs are eating them to pieces.  I can't find a companion to ward them off.

These are some mighty happy looking strawberries - berries, blossoms and buds all over the plants.  These are the everbearing plants.  The June-bearing plants are looking very healthy, but no blossoms yet.     

That's the latest from Wren Cottage.  Until next time....



Another One Behind Us

Another KY Sheep and Fiber Festival has come and gone.  I'm tired, sore and my allergies are doing a number on me, but overall it seemed to have been a great success!

I was in the livestock area this year, and liked it much better in many respects.  Since I was there to promote Angora Rabbits as a luxury fiber source and the 'ideal' livestock for the Urban Farmer, it made more sense.  I think people accepted the rabbits in that way more too, seeing them right there with sheep, alpacas and goats.  It was a great spot - the side entrance to the tent was on one side of me, and the front entrance on the other - we couldn't be missed!   My posters were a little worse for the wear after getting soaked with rain last year, but I used them anyway.  They were more accessible to people and they actually looked at them and read them this time.

Truffle and Holly went with me the first day.  They were a big hit and a few people even remembered them from last year.  We had a nice breeze, but when it got really warm in the late afternoon I made some ice packs for them to lay on.  We were "on show" non-stop from before 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.  People were already around the booth before 9, and I heard "There she is!" and kids ran up to me wanting to pet bunnies even while I was carrying them to the table from the car!  

I didn't take fiber, and in the end I was glad.  Being in the livestock tent rather than with the vendors, some people asked about yarn and roving, but not like last year.   LOTS were interested in starting in Angoras though!!!  I gave out all my handouts and most of my cards the first day.   I was talking so much, I didn't touch my wheel the first day, and wouldn't have wanted to deal with money.  It was too hectic. 

 Susan Anderson  was our special guest the first day. She held a workshop, then in the afternoon, had a book signing of her newest book.  She was set up all of 15 feet from me but it took a long time before I got a moment to run over to meet her and have her sign my book.  She was so great.   As nice a person as you can imagine and "real," she is just the kind of woman who would be your next door neighbor, or in in your knitting group.   She even supported our vendors by shopping a little before she left the first day, and coming back the next day before her plane left, to shop for a few hours more!    

Ivy and Niko went the second day.   Probably the most asked question I got was about plucking the rabbits - could I hold them in my lap and spin right off them?   Ivy has such a strange coat.  The top is lovely and silky, but barely grows (she's nearly 2 and I've only sheared her on top once, right after I got her at 4 months).  She has a 'petticoat' that does grow, along with her belly wool, and it can be plucked.  Since she is my only 'plucker,' I decided to take her.   It was cooler, with a good breeze, so they were fine.

There were all kinds of fiber animals represented: 

There were BIG sheep (Wensleydale) ....  

 

And little sheep (the famous Lila lamby) ....... 

There were Alpacas....

Llamas ......

and goats with BIG horns!

But the most fun were all the babies! 

sleeping babies .......  (the second one is Luna)

eating babies......

and babies with looooong necks!

One of the disadvantages of being a "vendor" is there is almost no time to shop!  Well, maybe my bank account thinks that's a good thing.  It was so busy I had a hard time getting in even one meal the first day.  The second day had a MUCH lighter crowd, (we'll have to work on that) so I did get to do a little shopping.  I only went to a few booths, because I was too busy trying to get feedback from the vendors ("are you happy with everything?  Anything we could do better next year?)   I got lots of enthusiasm, and no real complaints - just some suggestions. I didn't get any photos of the vendors at all, so you will just have to visit the  Kentucky Sheep and Fiber Festival website and/or on Facebook for those.

All I bought was a pound of Cormo fleece I thought I might try blending with my Angora for some super-soft yarn, and some BFL roving dyed in luscious shades of pink, raspberry, orange, purple and olive. 

This photo doesn't do it justice.  BFL luster just makes the colors glow.

When I look at the photos of the booths on Facebook today , I think "Oh!  I missed that one ...and that one ....  There are some things I'm already regretting  not getting - like the lovely felted bowls (including some nesting ones!) by Tanglewood Farms   (Dianne is Luna lamby's "Mom")   She had great colors on her her yarns - really got some nice results on her dyeing.

Shortly before it was time to close down on Sunday, we got word that "some weather" was coming, and we could break down and pack up if we wanted to.  Mine took very little time, so I tried to help elsewhere, but I don't know if I was help or just in the way. :P   I took halters in the pens to round up Dianne's lambs, and Luna walked right over and stuck her head in!!  I guess she was ready to go!  The other lambs - not so much.   I chased and tried to corner them for a minute or two, but then stopped because I didn't want to stress them. But when I saw Dianne doing "sheep wrangler" all over them, maybe that wouldn't have been a problem!?!   Ya' just never know.  About then the skies opened up and it 'came a flood,'     It was wild for a few minutes with wind, thunder, lightning, and trying to load up in a deluge.  Then, about the time everything was loaded.......it stopped. 

What an end to the second annual Kentucky Sheep and Fiber Festival.  

We'll see you next year!!! 

Have I gone too far?

Yesterday I went to Tractor Supply to pick up rabbit feed.   These are 'chick days' at Tractor Supply, but the ones they got in last week were gone already, so there weren't any to watch and enjoy.  I mean it! Really!  I would have just looked!  While I was in that section, I saw a bag of  "freeze-dried mealworms."  They were cheap, so I picked up a bag to have as treats for Abigail.    Treats for the chicken.......too much?   

Actually, it's more like a bribe, since she hasn't started laying again yet.   I want to get her (and the bunnies, one at a time of course) outside in a pen if we have a nice day, but the grass isn't growing all that much yet in the backyard, and after two days of heavy rain this week, it could turn into a mud pit in a snap, so we're all staying off it. I think I'll throw down some grass seed this afternoon to help things along a little. 

Those mealworms are pretty gross. They aren't all shriveled up, but look exactly like the worms in the picture. I had read chickens love mealworms, but I don't know where they sell fish bait around here.  
Freeze-dried will have to do.  At least they're a little less disgusting.  I couldn't tell if Abigail liked them or not. I took her out of her coop last night and she was very content to sit in my lap and watch TV.  OK, maybe that's the point at which I went too far!  

While I was out, I bought a few more packs of seeds - yellow squash, zucchini (which I plan to grow on a trellis), Cilantro, regular curled Parsley, and lemon cucumber.   I would need a garden the size of a football field to grow everything I have seeds for.   Often I only grow one plant, though.  I haven't had the greatest success growing seeds either ( see  Boulderneigh  post for today) except those that go straight into pots or the ground.  If I could get a handle on growing healthy starts, it crossed my mind to put up a sign out front with the seedlings - maybe for fifty cents or a dollar.  If anyone paid any attention, I might get to know some of my neighbors better, but more importantly, encourage others in the neighborhood to garden too!   

Poor Truffle ....

He has an eye infection.   I hoped it was a scratch or other irritation like a piece of hay chaff caught, but after a couple of days of trying to doctor him myself, it wasn't any worse, but it wasn't any better, either, so we went off to the Vet last night.   He says it is pasteurella.   Given all the things it could have been, some involving surgery, that doesn't seem so bad.   The Vet checked him all over for abscesses, blocked tear ducts, runny nose, everything, but the goopy red eye seems to be the only thing he has.   We went home with an oral antibiotic (hmmmmm...how does one "pill' a rabbit, exactly?) and another antibiotic ointment to put in his eye.   They were all very impressed at the office, having never seen a French Angora (except the Vet) at how beautiful they are.  Truffle accepted the gushing with modesty.

Truffle wasn't up to having a new picture taken for this post, but otherwise has been a trouper.  He has been very good for me, and so good at the Vet's while we mess about with his eye.  He seems to know I'm helping him, and acts relieved when I soak the stuff off his eye and flush it with sterile saline.   One good thing about working in a hospital is they drill hygiene into you.  I'm practically washing my hands off  before and after I touch Truffle, and I'm keeping an eye on the other animals.  I think I read somewhere cats can get this too?

Another thing I have been appreciating, especially with this unusually tough winter we've been having, is how glad I am that all my animals are inside the house!  It's not only a relief for me not to have to 'suit up' to go out in the cold and ice, but I can monitor them better and no frozen water or dropping pans!    This urban farming thing has a few advantages!

Relationships - part deux

Picking up on Michelle's theme today of 'relationships,' I thought I would talk a little about my own peaceable kingdom.

Abigail is displaying some personality.  She is regularly laying an egg every other day.  When I come in from work each night, Fiona always greets me, and the other three kitties usually do.  If it's not an "egg day," there is silence from the coop as I come in, but if she's layed an egg, Abigail begins to 'chortle' as soon as I come in the door.  Wants me to come and see what she's done!  She seems to love being made over, and cocks her head from side to side while I tell her what a good girl she is.  None of the sounds or other animals seem to bother her, and she seems content in her little cage/coop.  If I leave the door open she doesn't even try to come out.  The indoor chicken thing is working out OK.  The shavings absorb the droppings and smell well, and are easily scooped out like a cat box.  It's no worse than having a Parrot or Macaw in the house, and she might even be less messy than the cats or rabbits.  She gets supplemental greens and vegetables, and I throw a tablespoon or so of scratch grains down for her from time to time. The former dropping pan of the re-done rabbit cage is the inner floor of the new chicken coop - thick and super-tough plastic, so she can scratch away!

Setting up the cage and getting Abigail installed in her new home - big mess then, less now. 

Michu seems to have taken a liking to Abigail.  The day I set up the cage, she parked herself in front of it, and can be found there much of the time.  In my split-level townhouse, the bedrooms are downstairs.  Michu is the only cat that won't come down and sleep - if not on the bed - at least in the room with me.  She stays all by herself upstairs.  I keep a small light on up there all the time.  Who knows - maybe she's afraid of the dark!?  She seems to enjoy the company of having another animal there with her. 

This is Fiona in a nutshell.  While she is very bonded to me, she hasn't buddied-up with any of the other animals, and here is perched on a favorite spot high above the fray, wondering what kind of creature Mom is bringing in now!    Poor thing, in the last year she's had a lot of new animals to get used to!  

Ciaran and Yoshi are buds, play-fight and chase each other all the time, and sleep tangled up together - very much what Yoshi was used to with her siblings at the shelter.   Ciaran is very lean - not an ounce of fat on him (I think of he and Michu as Jack Spratt and his wife) and does seem to get cold.  Especially on weekend mornings, when I get to sleep in and Yoshi has taken off, Ciaran will to crawl under the covers with me and snuggle up against me to get warm.  

Having the bunnies lead such solitary lives, each in separate cages, bothers me.  It can't be helped, but I do try to give them lots of "Mom-time" and attention to make up for it.  I've given some serious thought to spaying and neutering Ivy and Niko.  I don't want to breed either one of them, and if they were "fixed" they might be able to bond and play with each other out of their cages. 

I was such a bad Mommy last night.  I was clipping Bambina's nails and got one into the quick.  I didn't have any Quick-Stop so she bled all over me and all over the bed.   She was good about letting me squeeze her toe tight with a cloth to try to stop the bleeding.  She doesn't seem to hold it against me, but I felt like a heel. 

All the Mini Rexs, including the new one (who shall be Orion, 'Rion' for short) have gone into a molt.  It's nothing like when the Angoras begin to slip their coats, but they look pretty patchy.   Not very practical on a hobby farm, but they are cute and loveable pets.

Until next time from Wren cottage ......

My Day with Urban Farm Magazine

First, I must apologize.  Apologize to my "rabbit fancy" friends and acquaintances that have owned, cared for, bred and shown rabbits for years, and really paid their dues. 

A couple of months ago I got an e-mail asking me if I would be willing to be video-ed clipping one of my rabbits for Urban Farm Magazine.  They are a member of the Hobby Farms  family of magazines.  They are going to run an article in an upcoming issue about keeping rabbits in an urban or suburban setting, and the video will appear on their website as an accompaniment to the article.  They picked me because their offices are here in Lexington, and I had communicated with them about coming to the Kentucky Sheep and Fiber Festival last May, and mentioned that I have Angoras.  In other words, I was what they had available.  I didn't say anything about it, because I wanted to wait to see if it actually happened.  The date was firmed up a couple of weeks ago, and yesterday, I spent a delightful hour with Lisa and Rachel of Urban Farm Magazine, in Lisa's back yard .

It was a glorious day, sunny and temperature just right.  They had a table set up and I just clipped and talked about Angoras for an hour.  They will edit it down to about 5 minutes for the website.  I took Truffle to clip, and Holly to show how sometimes a coat will grow out at all different rates.  She has a patch on her back that is partly 1/2 inch and unchanged since the last time I clipped her in May, with some 1 inch patches of black outer coat (guard hair) and a very thick, long 'petticoat' of coat that could be clipped now.  Both of them behaved well - at the shoot.  Holly saw me get the transport cages out this morning, and she knew.   She bit me when I reached in the cage to take her out.  (I didn't tell them that)  Truffle was a trooper, but was embarrassingly more matted than I thought he was, given that I had been working on him regularly for over a week. Some of the wool came off in hunks, not wispy, floaty, locks.  It was apparent a week or two ago that his coat was going, and I have found that he really begins to mat then. It wasn't a real complete job - his belly wool was short and didn't need clipped but I went through the motions.

By the end, both of the girls seemed considerably more interested in Angoras than at the beginning, and they said they have gotten lots of positive feedback when they posted on Facebook that they would be doing an article about keeping rabbits. Terrific!  I really want to see Angoras grow in popularity here.  The author of the article is from California and will give an overview of the pluses of rabbit keeping - fiber, meat, manure/fertilizer - but the breed she keeps are not fiber rabbits.

So, if you go online to see the video later this fall, be merciful.  I couldn't say everything in an hour, much less the edited 5 minutes, and I just hope that as a relative newbie rabbit owner, I didn't say anything that was flat-out incorrect!

at the Auction this week

I didn't intend to go at all. (but of course I did)  Then I wasn't going to bid on anything (but of course I did)
I got a couple more Ball jars with zinc lids.  Pints this time, for storing dried herbs from the garden.  I also got a kerosene lamp converted to an electric that is cute and just needs a shade.  My real find was this though,

It's a pewter chamberstick, a Colonial Williamsburg reproduction made by Steiff.  No one else was interested because it appeared to have been dropped, and had a little dent in the candle cup.  I don't care about that, and thought I got a real bargain. 

In the 'ones that got away'  catagory, I went to a different auction a couple of weeks ago, specifically to bid on an antique standing skein winder.  The arm assembly was a tad wobbly where it attached to the stand, but it was beautiful.  I was way out of my league there, though, and it sold for more than twice the amount I could pay.  As it happened, I ended up in the "pay" line (I did get one hand blown goblet for $5) next to the guy that bought it.  Of course he had no idea what it was - they had advertised it as a Flax Wheel.  He has his Aunt's spinning wheel, which just sits, for decoration.   The winder was going to do the same.  When I told him I would have used it, as a valuable piece of equipment, he just smiled.  Grrrrr....   What a waste. 

They had 4 spinning wheels there that day, 2 that had all their parts, and 2 that didn't.  One huge 'walking' wheel sold for less than $100, and you could have stepped right up to it and started spinning.

Can you tell there's not much 'urban farming' going on at Wren Cottage right now?   The Angora bunnie boys will be getting clipped soon, and I'll try to post some 'before' and 'after' pictures. 

Kentucky Sheep and Fiber Festival

It's all over but the shoutin'.   By all accounts the first annual KY Sheep and Fiber Festival was a rousing success.   There were lots of vendors (over 60, I'm told) and we had good weather on Saturday - low humidity and not too hot.  The rain held off until after we were done for the day.  Sunday weather was chilly and drizzly, but we still had good traffic until it got serious about raining later in the afternoon.  All the vendors I talked to were planning to return next year.  There were a few glitches, but what event does not have those?   

This is my booth for UARC (United Angora Rabbit Club), as we opened on Saturday.  Holly is in a carrier on the table at the left, and Truffle was in his carrier on the ground on the right. 

        

this shows the few samples of skeins and garments I brought for people to see and feel. 

Truffle was a real trooper.  He calmly let hundreds of people pet him, and was one bushed bunny by the end of the day.  Holly (the Diva) did surprisingly well too. She loved the fresh air and cool breeze, and tolerated petting most of the day, but by late afternoon she got fed up and turned her behind to everyone. (bunny body language for 'leave me alone').  Niko came with me the second day, and did equally well.  Holly came back again (Ivy just didn't have long enough coat to be a good representation) and was none too happy about it.  She pouted almost all day, so I had to be a little more cautious about letting people pet her.   

The kids were crazy over the bunnies - especially the little ones.  I guess because they were smaller than the other livestock there and non-threatening.  Some families came by time and again because the little one wanted to 'see bunny, Mommy.'  The adults were only slightly less fascinated.  I really had LOTS of people stop to talk about them.      

There were a surprising number of people who had pet rabbits at some point, and a few who have Angoras now - but because they don't show, they were flying under the radar.  I think I achieved what I set out to do with the booth - get people thinking about Angoras as a fiber source, especially those who live in town, who will never have a farm. 

(For more photos, the Kentucky Sheep and Fiber festival has a page on Facebook, and are encouraging anyone who attended to submit photos.  They already have some good ones)   

Personally, it was a fun time, and of course I spent too much money, but with all those goodies, who wouldn't!?!   I was exhausted by the end though.  Truffle and Niko got haircuts on Monday, Holly and Ivy will get their bib and belly wool cut tonight.  I bought some Romney and Cormo locks in natural white, some Romney cross dyed roving, and some dyed alpaca locks.  It will be fun to see what I can do with that, and maybe blend agora with some of it. 

It will be nice to turn my attention back to the garden now.   

New Arrivals

This is Spang's Truffle - an almost 10 month old French Angora buck.   I drove to West Virginia this past Saturday to pick him up.  This is his "school picture," taken by his breeder after she had beautifully groomed and posed him. So far Truffle has been a sweet, very laid-back boy, and his coat is so dense I can't find his skin. He is my 4th French Angora, and the last for a while, unless I can get some folks interested in raising French Angoras themselves - then I could breed him.  I have now gone to three states (IN - OH - WV) to bring these buns into KY, and have some of the best bloodlines available for our foundation stock.  I am very grateful to Somerhill Farm, Spang's Angoras and Angora Eden for this opportunity.  BUT, even if I never breed them, and they stay precious pets providing me with luscious fiber, I'll be happy. 

The reason for going to WV was to meet up with the 'relay' person - a lady who was bringing him from the breeder, who lives in New England to hand him off to me.  She was there for a rabbit show.  Here is a picture of some of the Angora judging:  

   

The rabbit in the picture was astounding.  It had wool about 4 inches long!  It won it's breed class and also Best in Show in the UARC Angora Specialty show. 

There weren't just Angoras there - there were all sorts of breeds, so I browsed around to see what was there, and to learn more about rabbits.  There were a LOT of the two smallest breeds, Mini Rex, and Netherland Dwarf, being shown, and nearly everyone had some for sale.  Then I found this: 

 

She is a baby Mini-Rex, 6 weeks old.  She has short fur, and her color is called "Lilac" - a silvery or dove gray, which in some light has an almost taupe or light milk chocolate cast.   She is was the only MR I saw at the show of that color, either for sale or being shown.  There were 3 others in the same cage, and it was very hard to choose. They were all SO cute, and had pretty colors.  She seemed very comfortable being held, and even peed on me, so everyone agreed that was a 'sign,' and she was the one I brought home.  She will be called 'Luna' for her silvery-gray moonlight color.   Luna is so tiny she fits in my palms - probably a 1/2 pound or less - and will be 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 pounds at maturity.  She will live in one of my transport carriers for a while. 

So much for my big talk about 'no more pets' unless they produce something (like fiber for spinning) to earn their keep!   (In case anyone is counting, that is 9 - 4 cats and 5 rabbits)   Enough!     

   

Another one of the kitties....

This is Ciaran (KEER-an), Celtic for 'little dark one.'  He has been here the second-longest of my cats.  Two years ago this month, I suddenly got the urge to get a (then) second kitty.  I went to the Lexington Humane Society, and although my heart went out to all the cats, just didn't see one that spoke to me.  I was just about to leave empty-handed when I heard a cat meowing loudly.  I looked up at the upper row of cages, and there was a black cat 'hollering' at me, with his arm up to the shoulder out the bars, waving and trying to get my attention.  I didn't really want another black cat or a male.  My 'Max,' a black male, had died about 2 years before that, at age 17.   But this one was persistent, and though I didn't sense a bond, I found myself taking him home with me......and I have never regretted it.  SUCH a LOVER!!! 

It was St. Patrick's day week, so he ended up with a Celtic name, to go along with the girl kitty I already had, Fiona.   Ciaran was the only "male" (neutered, of course) in the house until last weekend, but is the 'nanny' of the bunch.  He takes care of everyone's appearance and grooms faces if they will let him, and loves to cuddle with the littlest one, Yoshi. He was the first one to check out the bunnies, including the new one - although Niko doesn't quite know what to make of him.    

      

He is a real sweetheart.  He is the only climber, but doesn't do that too often. I think he has Burmese or Siamese behind him, because he is VERY talkative, and is very sleek and slim (not skinny) even though he feels heavy, and his coat feels like silk ('a brick wrapped in silk' - the way they describe Burmese).  He looks black at first glance, but as you can see in the top picture, is really dark seal brown.  In strong light, you can see tabby stripes too.  

I took some pictures more of the new bunny, Niko. I think these might still be darker than he is, but the photo distorts if I try to change it too much.  His 'points' are really pale.  He is learning to like to have his head and ears stroked as much as 'the girls.'

 

The one above looks pretty accurate.  Isn't he cute!?!  

Holly and Ivy wanted new pictures taken too!

Holly - clipped about a month or 6 weeks ago, with her coat growing in. 

  

Ivy (also growing in new coat) nibbling on her piece of cardboard. They both LOVED their cardboard, but Holly was so enthusiastic about digging and chewing hers apart and eating it, that I was afraid it would effect her digestion, and took what was left away from her after a few days.  

OK, now that I have played 'proud parent,' and forced you to look at baby pictures, I'll stop.....until next time. 

Here he is....

Meet Angora Eden Niko

I drove to Indiana this morning to meet a very nice young man, Dustin Maschino, who is selling several French Angora juniors for his friend who is ill. Her rabbitry is where the 'Angora Eden' prefix comes from. I wasn't sure what his name would be, but when I saw him, none of the ones I had considered seemed to fit.  On the drive home, it came to me....Niko.  (Nee-koh)

He is the result of a brother/sister mating ( ! ), so I thought about Caligula  (ha - ha),  but decided not to do that to the little guy, besides not wanting such a gruesome name here.   Although that would be too close in most other species, I'm told that is done sometimes, but rarely, in rabbits for the same reason anyone would line-breed, to try to imprint good qualities on future generations. 

His color is a mystery.  Dad was a smoke pearl, Mom a lilac. In this photo from Dustin's blog, Niko's face and paws look very 'taupe,' but really he is quite a bit lighter.  His face and front paws are a light beigey/fawn shade.  He does have some gray mixed in on his nose, but lighter than the photo.  His back paws are barely colored, and his tail is the same as his body color.   His pedigree says 'lilac tort,' but Dustin says he is definitely a chocolate pearl.  The irises of his eyes are dark for sure, but I haven't gotten a good enough look in strong light to make out the color, and his pupils definitely are a red/pink.   His body color is a lovely creamy/white, and baby soft.  He is still a 'baby,' at four months old, even though he is every bit as big as my other rabbits.  (It's amazing how fast they grow)

He's a sweet little guy, who doesn't seem to mind being picked up - unlike 'the girls,' who still hate that - and seemed to take the car ride and new surroundings in stride.  He is very inquisitive, sniffing everything, and sitting up on his back legs to look around.  As  before, the cats took a look, but were otherwise unperturbed, and he doesn't seem to mind them either .  Niko is resting in his brand new cage now, getting used to his new home.  No, I'm not planning to breed him to one of my girls.  He will be a fiber producer.  But now the next one ........

Yarn and more

I finally got my first skein of angora done.  It was a blend of angora and Corriedale wool.  I don't have scales to measure exactly, but I would guess it was roughly 30% to 40% angora to wool.  I used hand cards for this.  I have fine fiber cards, but just used my regular ones, and it worked out fine.  I used the clipped angora, and since there were 3 or 4 lengths of coat in each 'lock,' I thought the shortest pieces would act like second cuts and pop out, but they didn't.  How much it will pill remains to be seen.  It was surprisingly easy to spin - because of the wool, I would imagine - and seemed similar to alpaca in the way it spun up.  I don't have a photo of the skein, but if I take one, I will add it later.  Not much to see at this point, just a light gray skein of yarn, but it is soft!   I could tell just as I held it while spinning, that it will be warm.  I spun it as fine as I could, and I normally spin pretty fine.  I found a lace scarf pattern that is supposed to be good for beginners, and thought I might use it for that.  This first spinning will stay natural gray, I think - plenty of time for dyeing later. 


Shearing vs plucking experiment:  Holly's  (the clipped one)  coat is growing in very, very dense, but at times I think to myself, "but it isn't soft....' (relatively speaking-I'm sure it's just my imagination).  Ivy (plucked) is very silky soft, but her coat has lost a lot of it's density, naturally, since plucking removed 1/4 to 1/3 of her coat, depending on how many she was growing in when her baby coat began to molt.   I haven't decided what to do in the future, but especially since the clipped wool spun up so nicely, and clipping is so easy..........I haven't thought about clipping Ivy down at this point, though.  It's too cold, and I want to see if I can get more length on it.  


Holly and Ivy are still loving their pets and ear rubs, but still hating going in and out of the cage.  I don't know where I would put it, but I may also have to resort to a grooming table.  They are far more interested in exploring and wadding up the towel I have them on, rather than be content to sit still for grooming.   And easing them onto their rump to tip them back enough to get the belly brushed - fu'get about it!!   Holly pulled a naughty one last night!  I had been petting her and touched her toy to move it so I could reach her better, when she growled, lunged and tried to bite me.  She did it twice, so I said NO!, took her toy away, closed the cage and left the room.  Later after she had calmed down, I came back, gave her the toy back and stroked her a while and she was fine.  Everything I am reading says this is hormonal, that pet rabbits should be spayed or neutered, but not to let any vet who is not a rabbit expert touch your bun.  I'm sure my vet is no rabbit expert, and I don't know if I want the expense of that anyway, so - since rabbits are supposed to be able to be trained, to some extent, I'll try to temper the hormones with that.   My bunny girls are funny, sweet when they want to be, but placid - they're not.  (can you say Diva?)


I'm searching for other Angora owners in KY, and think I may have found a couple, but none of them show, which is why they don't join the clubs or show up on member's lists.  Still, it will be fun to meet local rabbit people.

My first 'livestock'

It's official.  My 'urban farm'now has 'livestock.'  Last weekend I went to Lancaster, Ohio to meet  Lisa, a breeder of beautiful French and Satin Angora rabbits, to pick up two black does I had bought from her.   My girls are gorgeous, and sweet most of the time.  We had a lovely time in Lancaster, at a rabbit show there.  I was shocked to see so many people.  I had no idea there were so many people interested in rabbits.  It was such a nice day (in late November!!), the Angora people had set up their grooming area outside, so we sat around and talked, got to know one another.  As usually happens when I meet other folks I have 'met' on  blogs, it was very easy to get aquainted.  We already had a lot in common, we all spin, knit, love animals .....   I also got some lessons in rabbit grooming and husbandry. Everyone did very well in the show which made the mood even more jovial.  Congratulations, guys!!

Now that I'm able to tell them apart, I'm working on names for the girls (to the shock of some friends who love the naming process, and can't believe they're still nameless).  The girls come from a litter that were all named after poisonous plants!!  Their brother "Somerhill Nightshade" did very well at the show!  I'm thinking of Holly and Ivy (both toxic plants) since it's fairly near Christmas, and I've always loved the name Ivy (sorry if I steal it, Dianne) or Jasmine and Violet.  Jasmine (Carolina Jasmine/Jessamine) is toxic, Violets are not, but one of the girls is a little more 'blue' in color, while the other is a little more silver.  Sometimes they are naughty bunnies, like flicking water at me to get my attention (yes I made sure they weren't peeing!) so 'Stinker and Brat' might be more appropriate!  ha - ha.  Opinions, anybody?

They get along fine with the cats.  There wasn't a hiss, not a growl from the felines when I brought the bunnies in - unlike the pandemonium that ensued when I brought each of the two newest cats home.  I have been putting them on a towel on the bed to groom them, and both bunnies have been nose to nose with 3 of my 4 cats, and no one has blinked an eye.

The girls were purchased specifically to provide me with lovely, soft, angora fiber (I looked it up and it can be 10 -12 microns).  I will probably blend it with wool most of the time.  They 'molt' periodically and can be 'plucked' or shorn with scissors.  I'm saving every scrap, though, and already have a small baggie full after a couple of grooming sessions.  Even 'waste' fiber can be felted. At the show, Annette told me I will be surprised at how much fiber will come off those 2 bunnies.   Bring it on!