I know I've been lax - no posting in March, but I do have an excuse.  It's not a good excuse but it's the best I've got.... the weather has been crazy!  El Nino or whatever it is, one day it's freezing and the next day it's balmy.  What's a goat to do?  Complain - it's what I do best. So, since my last post, there have been some changes - wench bought a big horse trailer, a Brenderup (that is the brand) which is a danish designed cadillac of trailers.  I suppose if we go to SAFF this year, (the goats, that is) this will be the conveyance.  It was purchased for the main reason of transporting rabbits to the processing plant.  We try not to talk about that side of the business... but it is booming and wench has been pretty busy with it all.  So, here's the new ride:

Pretty cool, eh?

There's a new logo for the meat side of the business, too... and thanks to a grant from the Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Program, this logo will be affixed to all our printed media for Mountain Top Farms (not to be confused with Mountain Top Fibers, of which I AM the CHIEF, make no mistake) anyway - here's the logo:

of course it's sideways because the wench can't figure out how to turn it around on the computer.  oi vey, what am I going to do with her?

Anyway, moving on..... as you all know, Daisy is our giant angora ambassador around here.  Yes, we have Glitter and Schroeder too, but sometimes one bunny just emerges as the personality.  Anyway, Miss Daisy 

does have some exciting news..... a litter of her very own!

five little giants born on April 11th.  Daisy is good enough to take on one french angora kit that was born to Delanna - her litter didn't make it, so one little lilac kit will be raised in the land of giants.... I suppose it's name will need to be Gulliver because he/she has traveled to the land of giants.  (yeah, I know, I'm weird)

Anyway, in GOAT news (the important stuff) we are patiently waiting for shearing day.  Neptune is looking a little fuzzy he just looks like a Neptune, doesn't he?  Well, after shearing he'll be Neptune the Neutered.  poor guy.  Our two bucklings from last year, Jupiter and Moondancer, went to live in Tennesee with a nice couple with some kids, so lots of treats in their future; so now we have two little bucklings - Warbucks and little Blue (as of yet, no permanent name... got any ideas?)  and two little doelings - Laud and Taylor.  All of this year's babies will be available to new homes after their first shearing in the fall.  Warbucks loves his momma Annie... and cries if she is out of sight for a minute.  silly boy.  Annie does not seem as attached as him. 

New yarns from our fibers have been received from Blue Mountain Farm and Fiber Mill, and as usual, they are beautifully spun.  Now being washed, they will soon be available.  The natural gray is 41% kid, 22% bunny, 27% merino and 10% silk.  The natural white is similar.  I'll get some good photos and put up another post just about the yarn.  Nigel's fleeces were sent off to the mill this weekend, and he will be a light worsted yarn, suitable for hats or sweaters.  Along with Nigel's fleece  12 lbs. of english angora were sent to be made into a high percentage angora yarn, so that will be available this fall.

Be looking for wench and Aunt June at these upcoming events:  Powhatan's Festival of Fiber (our 3rd year in a row!) on April 30th; Got to be NC Food and Wine festival on May 20 through 22nd and in between, lots of rabbit shows until June 11th when the last show of this season takes place in Shelby, NC.  On May 27, wench and Aunt June are going to Wooster, Ohio, to the fiber festival up there - to check it out and see if next year they want to be a vendor.  Big quad rabbit show there... Wool -a- Rama is always fun.

Well, in the meantime, we are hanging out on the mountain... growing our fleece and waiting for the shearing team (as usual)

and as usual, thanks for reading, Frankly speaking!