Monday, November 23, 2009

Yarn drying


Here is a picture of some of the yarn I've been spinning. This yarn is all single ply and I sell it at the WI State Fair. Some is Shetland/mohair, some Romney/mohair and 2 skeins are Polypay.

Thursday, November 19, 2009

Wool for dinner!?!

I work at Hidden Valley Woolen Mill and a customer bought 1# of washed wool. He works at a flavor factory and they are planning to use a blend of ( veg.) oils and the wool to make a chicken flavoring! They heat the oils to 1300 degrees Fahrenheit with whatever else, in this case wool, to get flavorings (the wool would completely disappear at such high temps.) The reason they are using wool is it is a source of carotene and they could not find a different source. The factory also makes liquid smoke as well as other flavors. Oh on environment he said that when they are running the factory only steam comes off-no smoke, and no oils escape!

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Holiday Open House

Hidden Valley Farm & Woolen Mill
14804 Newton Rd., Valders, WI 54245 (920)-273-1849
http://www.hiddenvalleyfarmwoolenmill.com/index.html


Is hosting a "Gifts from Nature" Holiday Open House
November 20-22 Fri. 1-7, Sat. 9-6, Sun.11-4

"Please join us for our holiday open house. Many finished products will be offered for sale; from beautifully hand-carved wooden ornaments and glass bead and buttons to wearable by local artisans. Demonstrations will take place throughout the event. The fiber enthusiast will find an exquisite rainbow of dyed roving, yarn, naturally colored raw fleeces, batts and llama clouds. Our farm and woolen mill is nestled in the gently rolling hills of north-eastern Wisconsin, just minutes from I-43. Please make your holiday gift a gift from nature-Paul and Carol Wagner"

I will be selling dyed Shetland/mohair roving, handspun yarn and possibly some finished products. I will only be selling on Fri. and Sat.

Saturday, November 7, 2009

Sick of breeding season???

I am!

One of my Shetland rams, Drummond, who was in a pasture far far away from the Coopworth's group came up and picked a fight with the Coopworth-Cooper. Poor Cooper's head is all red. I can't catch him to see if his skull is cracked, but he is not feeling to good right now. I just hope he'll be ok! (I did have a horned dairy buck kid who got in a fight with an adult ram and busted one of his horns off at the base. He acted sick for a while, but was ok. )

Update:

The Coopworth-Cooper is acting a lot better. He is eating again and is interested in ewes again. Thank goodness!