Tranquil Morning Farm

Summer Salads

2010-07-12T09:35:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite summer foods is a summer tossed salad. With a kitchen garden overflowing with choices, there is no end to the combinations you can create. I made a great salad last night. I started with some lettuce, australian spinach (left over from the farmer's market I sold at yesterday), cherry tomatoes, cucumbers (I love the pickling kind for salads, so crisp and even the skin tastes awesome), green peppers, nastertium leaves and flowers (kids get a kick out of eating flowers), tarragon (love that herb, use it on all sorts of things), and a little cranberry vinegrette dressing...yum!

Other days I add zucchini or summer squash, fresh peas, green beans, or just about anything you can think of. I love fresh fruit in a salad. Wether it be strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, peaches or apples....all add a nice touch of sweetness to this summer treat! Truly one of the great joys of summer...a fresh picked garden salad.

Fruits and Vegetables

2010-06-03T10:52:00.000-07:00

Well, our garden is almost completely planted. Our garden was inspired by ones we saw when visiting Old Sturbridge Village in Massachussetts. We planted small beds of various plants with walkways between them, so we do not have to walk on plants to tend to them and we can focus on one bed at a time, so the large garden does not become overwhelming when time to weed. We have planted two types of zucchini, yellow summer squash, dumpling squash, cucumbers, tomatoes (3 types), radishes, spinach, many types of lettuce, rhubarb, various herbs (medicinal, tea and cooking), asperagus, red potatoes, pumpkins (large and sugar), strawberries, green bush beans, yellow bush beans, green vine beans, peas, lots and lots of carrots (3 kinds)....that may be it.

We also are putting more attention to our fruit trees and bushes. Our 6 blueberry bushes are abundant with baby fruit. Our grape arbor is over loaded with grapes and has extended across the clothesline (I'll need to put up a new line somewhere else). Our three apples trees are full of little apples (we have red delicious, macantosh and I think golden delicious) so we can be busy making applesauce this fall. Our raspberry bushes (we have red, black and pricker-free red) are overtaking everything, but full of fruit.

It has been a lot of hard work, but we hope to have a plentiful harvest to enjoy this summer, share with family and friends, and freeze and can for winter enjoyment.

Homesteading....

2010-05-12T21:08:00.000-07:00

Homesteading seems to be quite the trend lately. I suppose it fits in with all the "sustainable living" philosophies. I love the idea of homesteading. Maybe because of my fascination with life in the mid 1800s. Maybe because of a greater understanding of where food comes from and how it is grown/raised. Maybe its the "romance" of the idea. Or maybe Homesteading is just a word that describes how I had already decided I wanted to live, before I found that there was a term for it. Whatever the reason...our family is homesteading.

The dictionary (meriam-webster) defines homesteading as "To aquire or settle on land under a homestead law". That is what the definition is historically, but it doesn't describe how the term is used in modern days. Wikipedia defines homesteading as "a lifestyle of simple, agrarian self-suffiency." This is a much more appropriate definition to describe the modern idea of homesteading. It certainly fits into our idea of what our homestead is.

There are no more homesteading laws as there were when our country wanted to encourage movement to the uncharted west. Modern homesteaders are not exploring uncharted land looking for a new start to life, they are instead exploring new ways to live on the land they already have.

So, what does this simple, agrarian self-suffienct lifestyle entail? Well, we have dabbled in it the past few years, but his year are making a harkened effort to become significantly more self-suffient. We have long raised chickens for eggs, sheep for wool to make yarn, and goat's milk to make soap. We moved into this house with its old apple trees, blueberry bushes, grape vines, etc. and have used these, but not to their full potential. I grow herbs for cooking and I have attempted in the past to grow vegetables with varying degrees of success.

So, onto our "new" plan. We are almost finished rototilling (gosh, I wish I had my horses at the house...I'd surely have gotten an antique plow) a very large garden (with plans to double it the following year if we survive this garden). We will move our rhubarb and asperagus to the new garden, where we will attempt to grow a plethora of colorful veggies. We will expand the herb garden and grow some herbs specifically for making our own herbal tea (having made the decision to join the Mormon church, I have made the switch from coffee to herbal tea). We will work at better tending our grapes, blueberries, raspberries and apples so that we can make applesauce, jam, etc. to have in the winter. We will can or freeze much of our extra fruits and veggies to enjoy in the winter months. We are utilizing our alpaca/sheep/goat manure to fertilize our plants and gardens.

We will continue to raise layer hens for eggs, but we have added a small flock of cornish-cross chickens for meat. I don't know how we'll like this, but I have a couple friends who have expressed how easy it is to process your own chickens. And, after learning more about how the chickens in the grocery store are raised (ewww, is all I can say) it may be worth the emotional struggle to raise and slaughter chickens to feed my precious family a healthier meat (and happier meat from what I've heard) We will also make more use of our goat milk for drinking.

This is a start...we have a long way to go....but we are heading in the direction of a more physically and emotionally healthy lifestyle. I'll continue more on that topic at a later date. I'll let you know how this all goes.

~Kristen

Summer resolutions

2009-06-15T20:02:00.000-07:00

I know resolutions are supposed to be made at new years- but it just never seems like the best time to start anew. Its cold, snowy, icey...just not the kind of weather that ignites my emotional and physical drive. Now, this time of year- I'm motivated to change, fix, work on things. So- how about Summer Resolutions, or End of the school year Resolutions. Makes more sense to me.

Okay- so what are my resolutions?

Riding- I am resolved to focus on my riding skills this year. I have really let that lapse- just no time to ride...I spend all my time feeding, cleaning, grooming, driving (the car) back and forth to the barn, and no time to just have fun with the animals. I miss riding. About 5 years ago I resolved to take riding lessons and learn how to jump. Well, I did that- and it felt great. Then I got a horse that was "nuts" and put the fear of God in me. Killed my confidence. I now have the most wonderful horse (Lady Felicia) and I need to get my riding legs back (and my confidence) so that is my number one resolution. (yes, it is Prancer in the picture- he's an awesome horse too)

Children- I resolve to work on being more patient with the kids when they don't do what they are supposed to (I can be quite a nag), or when they are whiny and difficult (like when Markie repeatedly throws his shoes on the floor and then screams for them, or when Lori is out grazing on the lawn- or eating maple leaves = which look surprisingly like the "tree stars" of Land Before Time ) That said- Lori has a great imagination. Some days she is a dinosaur (eating tree stars) or one of the goats (grazing on the lawn- yuck!!) of a pirate (complete costume going on here- the back of the couch is her ship) or on occasion, Spiderman (luckily she has not figured out how to walk up walls- but I"m sure she's tried). I need to laugh more and get frustrated less.

I also resolve to spend a little more time with the teenagers- so I don't lose touch with my boys.

Home- I should resolve to focus on housework, dishes and laundry...but I won't. I really don't like housework, don't like being indoors at all...so why bother. It appears that no one else in the house really cares either- or they'd offer to help.

Husband- I resolve to find more time for "us". With the farm and the busy lives of 7 children- we rarely have time alone together. I'd like to spend more time together. We have lots of "family time", but not enough "couple time".

Okay- sounds good. So...what's your Summer Resolution?

Having fun with farming!

2009-06-06T15:13:00.000-07:00

I'm exhausted again today. So much work to do to keep up with the farm, if only days were twice as long!

As I was raking out the goat pens I was thinking about all the farm tasks and how some are truly fun, and others are not so much fun. I started making a mental list of each and thought I'd share my thoughts.

Fun Farm Tasks:

Babies!!!!!!! Holding baby animals, feeding baby animals, holding them again. Watching baby animals spring through the air. We've had lots of babies here this year, more than we normally do, and it makes it all so much more fun...chicks, bunnies, kids, lambs, crias...

Milking goats and sheep. Yeah, some days you just don't feel like doing it, like rainy days... but otherwise it is an enjoyable task, makes you feel so "natural" gathering your own milk, sort of like picking apples or harvesting veggies from your garden.

Shearing sheep. I find that is such fun, exhausting, but fun. I love the feel of the different wools and fibers, thinking about what I am going to create with the particular fleece...will it become yarn and then a sweater or scarf? will it be felted into a necklace? will it be sold to someone who will create something special with it?

Collecting eggs. Much like milking the goats...it is harvesting the fruits of your labor, and brings a smile to my face and a warm feeling to my heart. Of course, that is if I get the eggs before the girls do. My daughters love to collect the eggs.

Farmers Markets. I love farmers markets. Talking to people about our farm, our animals, our products. Seeing the interest in the customers. Hearing about what they are going to make with the skeins of yarn they just purchased. Hearing about their grandparents, or great grandparents farms of yesteryear. Chatting with other local farmers. It is such a fun way to get our farm products out to the public.

Feeding the animals in the morning. They are so happy to see me, I feel loved. :-) I talk to them, tell them about my day, ask about theirs. Give a little scratch behind their ear, or under their chin. Kisses from the horses and baby kids and lambs. Just starts the day off right.

Not so fun Farm Tasks:

Cleaning up manure. Ugh. Goat and sheep poo isn't too bad, llama and alpaca is easy...they make a nice pile for me to scoop up. Chicken poo, is gross and I dread having to clean chicken coops. Horse poo, doesn't smell bad and scoops up easy...but I just don't understand why horses that are free range and not closed up in stalls, feel the need to back into a stall to relieve themselves...rather than take a walk through the 4 acre pasture and find a spot off in the distance! Then there is rabbit poo. I hate cleaning rabbit cages more than anything else!!! but, I love rabbits, so I'm stuck with that chore.

Rain. Rain makes everything on the farm less fun. It makes mud. I hate mud. I get my feet stuck in mud. They get mud in their wool (which I then end of washing out), on their fur, in their feet.

Buying hay and grain. It just costs too much, but it is inevitable. Hubby does the human grocery shopping, I do the farm grocery shopping...I hate the money I have to spend, but it is worth it to have the opportunity to enjoy all the wonderful critters that live at our farm.

4H- A Family Affair

2009-04-28T09:34:00.000-07:00

I never had the opportunity as a child to be a part of 4H. I never really knew anything about it until my boys were born and I started taking them to visit local fairs. As soon as Johnny was 7, I signed him up with a club about 40 minutes from us (this was the closest rabbit club to us). After a few meetings, we decided, with two other families, to start our own club. So, in 1999 I became a 4H leader. Our first club was just rabbits and cavies. The following year we added a poultry group. Things grew each year, we later added sheep. I am now a leader in a different club, in a different county, with a good friend of mine. Our club has again grown quickly and we have a very devoted membership, and very involved parents. We have kids working on Sheep,
Goats, Llamas/Alpacas, Poultry and Rabbits. We have a large Community Service component for our club- which the children and the community are benefitting from.

What do I like most about 4H? Hmmm. Maybe its sharing a love for farm animals with a great group of children. Maybe its the time I get to spend with my own children enjoying their animals. I love the fact that both boys and girls, of all ages, can do an activity together (unlike scouting- which my kids also enjoy- where sexes and ages are separated). I think one of the best things about 4H is that the parents can enjoy it along with their children.

I so often hear from parents in our club (and unlike my first club where most kids were dropped off and picked up- these parents more often stay and take part in the meetings) how they "are having as much fun as their kids in 4H!" What could be more wonderful than an organized activity that is truly fun for the whole family...pets included!

Want to find out about 4H clubs in your area? visit http://4-h.org

Shearing Time!

2009-03-17T17:03:00.000-07:00

I don't know why, but this is my favorite time of year. It may be exhausting and busy, my back may hurt, I've nicked my hands a few times, and I think there is still a piece of wool in my right eye- but, I love this time of year!

Besides spending more time with the sheep, goats and alpacas (which is a welcome time for all of us, as we rarely saw eachother during the winter- other than to feed and water. It was a cold and snowy winter...not conducive to playing with farm friends). So, we get quality time together. There is just something about physically shearing a sheep, goat or alpaca that brings one back to their roots. Well, maybe not one's individual roots...I wasn't fortunate enough to grow up on a farm. My grandparents had a small farm...but no sheep. I'm thinking more like the roots of our ancestors...for whome farming was a way of life for them and their neighbors.

This is the first year that I've had electric sheep shears. I've had goat shears...which work great on goats, and okay on alpacas...useless with sheep. So, I've been shearing my sheep for the past 6 years with hand shears and/or sharp scissors. What a delight it is to shear with electric clippers!! I called my mom that first day to tell her that I had sheared 8 sheep in one afternoon!! What you need to understand is it often took me two days to shear one sheep by hand. Today I even sheared my first alpaca. His first time being sheared as well- the two of us made quite a team. I was rather proud of myself, but poor Sam was horrified. (by the way- to the dear friend that told me that alpacas only spit at eachother and not at people- that may be true- unless you are the person who is restraining them and shearing them- they DO spit at people! LOL). We did finally come to an agreement, I'd shear quick if he'd stop spitting green goop at me. Sam is shorn, not that pretty show cut that you see on people's website. More like the cut that a 3 year old does the first time they find scissors left in their reach. Let's put it this way...when I put him back in the pen and the other alpacas came over to check out his "new do" He spit at them! I can only assume they were laughing at him, and he wasn't at all amused. He'll get his payback, though, they all have the same barber!

The goats didn't look half bad- I've gotten good at them, and they are much more willing to stand still and let me cut. The sheep looked better than last year, and only the first few suffered clipper nicks. Overall, I'm pleased with my shearing. Not fancy, but effective.

Now my wool is moving its way from the wash sink, to the dye pot, and eventually on to the trampoline. Yes, the trampoline. Much to my children's chagrin, the trampoline makes the idea wool drying tool. Large, raised from the ground and black to attract the sun, the trampoline is made of some sort of a woven material, so it allows the wool to breath underneath, and dries it in record time! Don't worry, kids, in a few weeks you'll have your trampoline back!

Bottle Feeding Goats

2009-02-28T11:15:00.000-08:00

This has been our first experience bottle feeding goat kids. I shouldn't say that, we tried once years ago, and the kid died, and it broke my heart. I didn't plan on ever trying again. Well, when Lilly's first kid came out stillborn (a little buckling) with irregular looking amniotic fluid (looked infected), I grabbed the feet of the next two doelings and pulled them quickly out and got them cleaned up. Mom was not looking so good, so we put her on antibiotics. I am pleased to say she is coming along nicely and hopefully will be fine. The two doelings are over two weeks old now, and just thriving! We are bottlefeeding three, as that same night Sarah, one of our angoras, gave birth to a little nubian/angora buckling. I figured I'm bottle feeding two, might as well three! I have to say, I've never had such friendly goatlings!!

When I bottlefed that first goat years ago, I used the goat formula you mix up. I was worried about having the same results as before, so I looked up online to see what other people use. One website that I have always trusted the information on suggested whole cows milk with corn syrup mixed in (of course, fresh goat milk would be ideal, but I knew I wouldn't have enough to feed three kids). I decided, hmm, makes sense. The site http://www.fiascofarm.com/ said "real cow's milk was better than fake goat milk" which made perfect sense to me. Als0- no mixing needed. Easy to get. If you run out in the middle of the night- it is sold everywhere.

What I ended up doing is using whole cow milk, adding whatever goat milk I got from the mommas, adding a little goat drench to some of the bottles, and a little corn syrup to the milk. About once every other day I add a tiny bit of sulmet for coccidia. The goats are doing so well. They are growing daily and have doubled their birthweight at 2 weeks. They are active and healthy. And, I am still sane! (In spite of the one night they decided they were STARVING at 2am!) I have learned, feed them a little extra right before bed, and turn off the light! Then they just might sleep.

Would I do it again? Absolutely! The goats are bonding to the humans, and hopefully will make awesome 4H projects for the children! It didn't take all that much extra work, and it was kind of fun! With two more does to kid this week, I am hoping that those kids will stay with their moms, though, and three kids are keeping me busy enough! But, if I have to bottlefeed, at least I'm not terrified of it anymore!!

New Yarn!

2009-02-10T10:45:00.000-08:00

Spinning yarn is incredibly relaxing, as many of you know. I never ever thought I'd be spinning my own yarn, that's for sure. I used to play with my grandmother's spinning wheel (she didn't spin, it was just a decoration) when I was a child, but spinning was something they did in the old days, not in the present. I did love to crochet (and quilt), not knit, though, in spite of my nana's wonderful instruction. Knitting took too long, I could crochet something in record speed, LOL.

Many, many years later, I got a few sheep. I had no idea what I was going to do with their wool, but I wanted a couple pet shetland sheep. I enjoy shetlands tremendously. But- then I had all these bags of wool stocking up. So, I bought a little antique spinning wheel, got it working, and decided I was going to make my own yarn! But, how? Well, I figured if women, and young children I found out, for centuries were able to do it, so could I. Those colonial women didn't go to the yarn shop for spinning instruction- they just did it! So, that was my plan.

First- okay, you have to wash the wool. No problem. I skim the info, got it- you put the wool in a pillow case and put it in the washer on cold. I should have read further to find out that I didn't want it to go through ALL the cycles (like spin). But- it gets better. How do you dry the wool? Apparently NOT by throwing that wool filled pillowcase into the dryer!! My first, beautiful, deep back, shetland lamb fleece...became garbage. Went back, reread entire instructions, and now know how to wash wool.

I bought hand carders, carded the next fleece, and sat down at my wheel. About a week later that wheel went into the basement and the wool back into a bag. I could not do what a 6 year old colonial child could do!

A few years, and many more sheep later, it was time to learn to spin. This time I bought another wheel, hated that one, bought yet another wheel (this time and older Ashford traditional) and woo-hoo!! I learned to spin yarn! I now use that same wheel, and also an inexpensive electric wheel (the least expensive of the babe NW flyers, that runs on a sewing machine motor.) I love that little wheel also. I am hoping to fix and get running my aunts big antique wheel (a classic Canadian wheel) in time. Spinning is just such fun! I am so proud that I can spin as well as a 6 year old colonial girl (at age 41,LOL)

My latest batch of yarns include some lustrous dyed and natural color mohair skeins, a few soft and fluffy alpaca skeins, and some various wool skeins from our many breeds of sheep. I hope to try spinning some angora (bunny) yarn later this week...a first for me, I have't yet spun straight angora. I also have plans for using some colorful cotswold locks to make some "fun" yarn. I can't wait!

Angora Rabbits

2009-01-28T06:28:00.000-08:00

I had forgotten how much I enjoy angora rabbits. I used to breed and show them, for a short time. This was back when my older kids were little and we had a lot of rabbit breeds, and they enjoyed showing their breeds, but were not quite old enough to take care of all their rabbits themselves. I had trouble finding time to work with my angoras, so I sold them and worked with mini rex instead.

Now that my kids are older, and my girls take care of all their rabbits themselves, I have time to focus on MY rabbits...so, I have angoras again.

French Angoras...I started with French. They are by far the easiest to work with (other than the jersey woolies and fuzzy lops- which are angora fibered, but don't generally produce enough of, or long enough of, useable fiber). I have French again. Two bucks and a doe. They are a very sweet natured breed. They don't matt as easy as some of the others. They naturally shed their fiber, so every 3 months you sit them on your lap and just gently pluck out the loose shedding fiber. I brush them on occasion, maybe once a week, maybe longer. They don't have wool on their faces and ears and are fairly easy to maintain. Definitely the breed for those starting with angoras, or children who are interested in angoras.

Giant Angoras...I have three French/Giant crosses. These, too, I am able to pluck, though in the summer I often shear them. They have much more fiber, I find, than the French. They do have wooly faces and ears. They need to be brushed more regularly than the French, as they will matt. One doe doesn't seem to matt much, but my buck likes to matt (well, I don't think he LIKES to, but he does anyway). My girls do work a little with them and show then at 4H, so for someone who understands the grooming needs of angoras, Giants are great.

English...I found out one of the does that my friend gave me is a purebred English angora. They are smaller, have wooly wooly faces. I am told they matt easily, but so far Honey Bunny hasn't been much of a problem there. She can be plucked or shorn.

German Angoras...I recently aquired three Germans. One is pure, the other two are hybrids. Germans are very different than the others, in that they do not shed out their fiber, you HAVE TO shear them. Okay, well, one of my hybrids seems to shed out a bit (Germans are naturally all whites, so they are crossed to get color- I'm guessing my Licorice has some French in him- as he does shed a bit). So, you shear them. They have lots of fiber. It seems to be a different consitancy than the other angora breeds. What I found really neat is the color in the hybrids- much deeper color than my colored French. The color is more consitant across the body, the wooly face fiber and the body fiber is all the same color. The fiber doesn't seem to have the same amount of fluff as the French...maybe it is a larger diameter? But, is still incredibly soft and I'm anxious to spin some. They do matt very very easily and need to be brushed very regularly, as the matts are not fun to remove and you lose a lot of fiber. I would not recommend Germans for someone beginning with angoras, unless they are really ready for lots of grooming. They are, though, incredibly sweet and docile.

I have to say, though, that I am thrilled to be back immersed in angora rabbits, their fiber and their personalities. If you can't find me one day...look in my bunny barn (different place than the kids' bunny barn ) that's where I probably am!

Mending Fences

2009-01-18T17:06:00.000-08:00

I always wondered, when watching western movies, why the cowboys spent so much time mending fences. C'mon, you put the fence up and your good forever, aren't you? Oh, no, you never are finished. I hate fixing fences. It took me forever to figure out how to install this fence in the first place. While I use cattle panels at home for the goats, I couldn't afford to fence in 4 acres with panels. I bought a fence charger and a bunch of electric fencing stuff, and went to it. I made a few mistakes along the way- including finding out how strong the charge is when I, without thinking, touched the bolt coming out of the charger while the charger was on (prior to attaching the fence). I guess that is one way to find out the charger does work!

I found out that, yes, they do mean it when they tell you you need more than one ground pole, the ground pole needs to be long, and the ground pole needs to be somewhere where it is wet. I found out that you do need to trim the brush around the fence, branches will fall on the fence during a storm and you actually have to walk to fence line right after the storm, or your animals may go for a long walk and the neighbors will not be happy for the visitors.

I found out that sheep cannot feel the shock through their wool, horses don't like to be shocked and once is enough to keep them far from the fence and anything that resembles an electric fence for the next 30 years. Goats will be somewhat respectful of electric fence ( as I now know to introduce each new animal to the shock of the fence before setting them free). Teenage boys LIKE to touch the fence or dare eachother to touch the fence, all to see what will happen and show how "tough" they are.

I learned to turn off the charger before fixing the fence. I learned that llamas may go through an electric fence to get out of the pasture, but are not so quick to go through that same fence to get back in, no matter how loudly you shake the grain bucket. Sheep go both ways- out or in, if there is food involved, who cares about a little zap.

But, most of all, I found out that the cowboys were always mending fences because fences always need mending. I spent a lovely time out in the snow (with my leg in its imobilizer brace) hobbling around mending first the electric fence (which the llamas went out of but didn't care to walk across to get back in) as well as repairing the back up fence (cattle wire, going around the outskirts of the property) that keeps any fence skippers from visiting the rest of the neighborhood.

*I found that picture on http://fineartamerica.com/featured/mending-fence-cynara-shelton.html

Beware of Sheep!

2009-01-08T08:33:00.000-08:00

Tuesday was not one of my better days, LOL. Oh, yes, I can laugh about it now...not so the other day. My mother is always giving me a hard time about going up to the barn alone at night. It is about 7 miles from my house, down in a gully, and not so close to any houses. There is no electricity there either. I don't listen though.

So, Tuesday night, Addie (my dog) and I head up there to feed the animals and unload some hay. All is going well, we get grain to all the animals, throw some bales of hay out there for them. Addie did a marvelous job moving the sheep to where I wanted them. I have a couple of horses, llamas, alpacas and sheep in the pasture. We are just about to switch to unloading hay, when I realize that a couple of the sheep have left the group and are trying to get into the horse's grain. So- I send Addie around the barn ahead of me to "get the sheep". Apparently one of the large ewes (the romney) got spooked (most of the sheep aren't overly intimidated by the dog, but this one is) and comes flying around the barn at full speed. At that very moment, I'm walking innocently around the barn to make sure everyone is back to their right spot.

It was dark, and the ewe being black...I didn't see her until the instant before she hit me. I had no time to react, though, and she slams head first (you know- those rock hard heads that sheep have-argh) into my left knee. I hear a pop, and feel my lower leg go in the wrong direction, and I go flying through the air. Sheep keeps running...without care that she just tried to kill her foodsource. (Okay- now, I know sheep aren't the brightest animals on a farm, but this one is especially dumb, and if she wasn't my sister's sheep she wouldn't even have been there.)

I could not believe the pain I was in- I thought for sure I broke my leg (which I didn't- but I did seriously sprain my medial collateral ligament in my knee- apparently an injury that football players get a lot- great). I layed there yelling for help for a good hour before someone heard me (like I said- there is not really anyone around there). A jogger heard me and with the help of a flashlight, found me and called an ambulance. I'm so thankful for the jogger. We were expecting an ice storm to start in another hour or so, which would have been horrible.

I did have my english shepherd dog (farm collie) with me. She was so good. Not as good as Lassie (wasn't my dog supposed to go to a neighbors house and bark in morse code to dial 911?) but, she did stay right with me, with intermittent runs to the middle of the pasture to bark for help, and then right by my side. She wasn't so sure she wanted to let the ambulance people near me, and went into protective mode, but once she saw they were there to help, she let them work on me, going back and forth licking them. But- I'm thinking next time I go up there late at night...I'll bring a human buddy as well!

Moral of the store...watch out for psycho sheep!

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-26T09:59:00.000-08:00

Christmas this year was the most wonderful one ever. For the first time all of our family was together for Christmas morning. I have to say, I have the best kids ever. Our two oldest, both just turned 16, are going for their drivers permits this week. Gosh- that's a scary thought. I don't know how they got that grown up! It is going to be really weird to be sitting in the passenger seat while my sons' are driving! My one daughter is getting into wearing make up, another sign that the kids are growing up. This is just amazing- especially since there is no way I am old enough to have teenagers, LOL. Wish that wasn't so, but alas, I apparently am.

Anyway- Christmas was wonderful and very busy. Wednesday we spent the day cleaning the house, moving out toys the kids no longer play with to make room for new toys, etc. As we all know- Santa only stops if kids rooms are clean! Then we went to church where the younger kids (Camille, Ruthie, Lori and Markie) were all angels in the pagaent. From there we went to dinner at Mom and Dad's house where the children exchanged gifts they bought for eachother or made for eachother. I gave all the kids their Christmas pajamas I made- they looked so cute!

Then we went home, got the little one's to bed and hung out waiting for Santa.

Christmas eve ended at 3am when Mark and I went to bed. At 4am there was a sweet 12 year old telling us it was morning. How confused she must have been-LOL- it couldn't possibly be morning yet. We sent her back to bed with instructions not to return before 6am. Luckily the kids gave us until 7am and then they were all up and anxious to see what Santa had brought. The boys were thrilled to get a new xbox360 and can't wait to get live with it later this weekend. The boys also got model rocket stuff, so I"m sure NASA will be jealous of the happenings of our backyard in a few weeks! The girls got dolls, dolls and more dolls, doll houses, doll beds, etc. etc. Camille, of course got make up. Both the older girls got their own sheep and goat grooming supplies (yeah- I won't have to hunt through the backyard looking for my supplies anymore!) Little Markie got all sorts of trucks, cars and trains- so he is in his glory vrooming around the house!

We then went to Grammie and Fafa's house (in our jammies) to see what Santa left there. After a wonderful breakfast, we came home to relax, play with our new toys, and take care of the farm chores. Later in the day we went to Auntie Melissa and Uncle Jon's house for dinner (yum) of ham and turkey and all sorts of stuff. By the time we got back home, I was exhausted and fell sound asleep- leaving the kids to Mark. What a good Daddy...when I awoke later in the evening the little ones were in bed and everyone was all settled.

What a wonderful holiday it was all around!

Snow Day!

2008-12-20T09:00:00.001-08:00

We got about a foot of snow and the kids and Addie are having a blast! The goats, on the other hand are not at all happy. They can be found peeking their heads out from their shelters waiting for it to end. The ducks and geese don't seem to mind much. The alpacas don't seem to mind snow- they were running around outside in it yesterday and we waiting by the fence for their breakfast. I love snow days... a good excuse to stay home with the kids, make crafts, bake, watch movies, and snuggle together. The little ones (ages 2 and 3) made the cutest little frames for their grandparents out of bowtie pasta dyed with food color glued onto popsicle sticks. They were so pleased with their creations. The girls are busy crocheting scarves for their family members.

The girls (10 and 12) spent hours outside in the snow playing, sledding, etc. Then after dinner (which was delicious and easy to make- chicken breasts baked in mushroom soup and chardonney) so tasty. Add to that green bean casserole (Mark's favorite) and roasted potatoes with italian seasoning. Mark and the kids finished off the 6 dozen cookies I had made for the cookie swap at church which was cancelled due to the snow.

Thanksgiving

2008-11-29T17:44:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving is a time to think about all the blessings in your life and to thank God for those blessings. When times are tough, with layoffs and the problems with the stock market and high prices on necessities and so forth, it can seem overwhelming and you wonder if your life is blessed or not. But, if you look closely at what is truly important, you will see that your blessings far outnumber your troubles.

What am I thankful for? First of all, my relationship with God. Without my faith I never would have made it through those tough times in life, nor would I really be able to appreciate the wonderful blessings I have had. I am thankful for my wonderful husband and incredible children. I am thankful for my loving parents, in-laws, siblings, aunts and uncles. I am thankful for my home and my farm. The precious animals that have been intrusted into my care. I am thankful for my health, and the health of my children and family. I am thankful that I live in a country where I can be a farmer, or a teacher, or anything I would like to be. I am thankful that I have food on the table, insurance to see a doctor when I'm sick, a warm bed to sleep in, and a car to drive. There is so much to be thankful for. My life is far from perfect, but it is a truly blessed life.

As for the rest of Thanksgiving- The turkey was great! Gobbles (our pet turkey) was glad he wasn't on the menu, LOL. The animals all had their special Thanksgiving meal (their grain mixed with chopped carrots, mashed pumpkin, molasses and oats).

In Memory of Duke

2008-11-02T08:13:00.000-08:00

Duke, a black lab mix, joined Mark's life in 1990, and left our life on November 1, 2008. After about 18 years of loving companionship, this is a hard loss for Mark, and for all of us. He had a long, happy life, with lots of love. And, we know that he is waiting for his Mark at the Rainbow Bridge, to one day be reunited in order to spend eternity at eachother's side.

The Rainbow Bridge

Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge. When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge.

There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together. There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.

All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor; those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by. The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.

They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent; His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.

You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.

Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together....

Author unknown...

Needle Felting Classes, New Animals, 4H

2008-11-01T16:55:00.000-07:00

Beginning next month I will be able to offer classes in needle felting at Cupola Hollow Farm in West Suffield. Our first class offering will be a beginner level class and we will be creating holiday pins/ornaments. If all goes well, we will continue to offer various classes there, including other beginner needle felting classes, intermediate classes, "painting" with felt classes, wet felting classes and more. Our November Newsletter (you can sign up on the http://www.tranquilmorningfarm.com/ website) will include dates and information about available classes.

We've added some new fiber animals to our wonderful farm. We have two new llamas who will be arriving soon, Nicole and Peek a boo. Both females, who we plan on breeding to Dominoe of Henson's Menagerie. We now have 3 female alpacas (one of whom was born on our farm recently) and four male alpacas. We have settled on breeding shetland sheep, shetland/icelandic crosses and cormo/cotswold crosses. The crosses have been carefully thought out to achieve a particular type of fiber. We are presently breeding our colored angora goats, nigerian dwarf goats, and nubian dairy goats for early spring kids.

Our 4H club is off to a running start this year. We have already had a couple of community service projects and have a couple of big ones planned for this year, including bringing 4H activities and our animals to a housing complex in the city. Our club, at last count, has 19 members doing alpacas and llamas, dairy, meat and fiber goats, sheep, rabbits and poultry. Sounds like a fun year!!

Farmer's Market

2008-06-12T15:47:00.000-07:00

Our booth at the Farmer's Market at Billings Forge in Hartford has been doing well for us.

The market is open every Monday and Thursday from 11am- 2pm through October.

We have been bringing our wool batts, mohair, angora, etc. for our handspinners, Felting supplies and "learn to" felt, knit, spin etc. kits for children and adults, Fresh Goats Milk soaps, Needle felted jewelry and gifts and more.

On Mondays we offer free "mini- classes" where you can try your hand at various fiber arts such as spinning, needle felting, and more. On Thursdays we do demonstrations of our fiber arts such as needle felted wall hangings, teddy bears, spinning, etc.

Come join us! There is so much else to see at the market: fresh vegetables and breads, plants and herbs, farm fresh milk, cheese and ice cream, handicrafts, music, and so much more!

We also set up our booth at the Nutmeg Spinner's Guild in Enfield every other month, and at area craft fairs.

Fiber Art - Pink Dogwood Tree

2008-05-20T10:20:00.000-07:00

I've been working on quite a few needle felting projects. We now have needle felted barettes, necklaces, bracelets, earrings...and now landscapes.

After studying watercolor painting for a couple of years under an outstanding teacher, I used some of what I learned about color, light and more to create these "paintings".

One of the things I really love about these felted paintings is the texture that can be created using different kinds of fibers.

New Craft Kits Available!

2008-05-07T06:13:00.000-07:00

New craft kits are available now! Choose from Needle Felting starter kit, Make a Felted Soap Bar, Felted Ball Toy, Felted Bead Jewelry, Make yarn with a drop spindle kit. More kits are in development.

All kits come with:

*Complete Instructions with Color Pictures

*Plenty of beautifully dyed wool (some with mohair as well) from our farm

*Everything you need to complete the project(s)

These kits can be ordered through our website www.tranquilmorningfarm.com or email me for more information tranquilmorningfarm@hotmail.com

A typical day on the farm

2008-05-07T05:57:00.000-07:00

This is a busy time of year for us (and most farms). I do this pretty much by myself, while taking care of the kids, so things are slow-going quite often. We start each day with getting big kids off to school, and little kids fed and changed, dogs fed and let out for a while, and then finally, I get to sit down with my breakfast and coffee to check my emails and handle any online business I need to do.

That finished (two cups of coffee are necessary for my proper functioning, LOL) the toddlers, dog and I head out to the morning farm chores. We give hay to the sheep and goat pens, feed the chickens, ducks and turkey, give water to the rabbits (they get their grain in the afternoon when the girls come home), empty and refill the duck pool, bring fresh water to all the various animal pens, collect eggs and milk Pearl. The toddlers get to have their fun playing on the climbers and swings etc. in the yard.

By the time this is all finished, it is time for the littlest one's nap, so in he goes. I pasturize the milk and put away the eggs. My 3 yr old and I (and the dog, of course) head back out, she to play, me to tend the sheep and goats. The pens are let loose, one pen at a time to graze (which is a good thing when the lawn tractor is broken, yet again). Addie helps keep them in check, that they don't wander past the borders. I take this time to work with the sheep/goats with whatever is needed- hoof trimming, shearing, worming, whatever. If that is done, some time can be used to clean cages, pens, etc. On a good day, I may even have time to play with the kids a bit!

Then its lunch time. We head in, the little one wakes up and we all relax for lunch. After lunch we hop in the car and head to the big pasture where we keep the horses, most of the sheep, and llama. Luckily the other horse owner there does the early morning feeding. We tend to the animals there for a couple hours. Feeding, cleaning, shearing (oh, I try to get some time alone once a week to ride the horses, if I'm lucky).

Then we head home and the older kids are all home from school. Time for homework, housecleaning, making dinner. The kids have some animal chores at home they do after school, which is a big help to me.

After the little kids go to bed and the older ones are settled watching TV, I take some time to wash fleeces, dye fibers, process fibers, spin, whatever needs to be done so we have plenty to offer at the farmers market.

Oh, and then at some point, I go to bed, LOL.

Hard work, often dirty work, but I love it!

Welcome

2008-04-24T06:48:00.000-07:00

Welcome to our farm. Here at Tranquil Morning, we raise Icelandic, Shetland, Romney and Cotswold sheep (and crosses therein); Colored Angora Goats, Nigerian Dwarf Goats, and Nigora Fiber Goats; Angora, mini rex, holland lop rabbits; chickens (ameracauna, mixed egglayers, bantam cochins and silkies), ducks (muscovy, call). We also have two wonderful dogs and a cat: Duke, a 17 yr old lab mix; Addie, an English Shepherd (farm collie) puppy; and Oscar, a wonderful mouser! Mark and I have 6 wonderful children and a terrific life!

We sell fiber, yarn, drop spindles, and goats milk soap- all grown and produced right here at our homestead. We can be found at the Nutmeg Spinners Guild meetings, Ct sheep and Wool Festival, and the Billings Forge Farmers' Market. You can also order our products online from our website, www.tranquilmorningfarm.com or www.localharvest.org

We hope to share with you here some of the special fibers and colors that we produce!
Thank you,
Kristen Engebretson