Frankly speaking.....every day is independence day for a goat
Good morning fans. Today is July 4th. Independence day to those of you who live in the U.S.A. (my international fans will just have to zone out here) the day that the US constitution was adopted by the 13 colonies, and independence from England was declared. Well, if fences are a goats england, then every day is the 4th of July for goats. You see goats pretty much make the rules. We go where we want, when we want, and fences are merely suggestions.
I do have to respect that builder, though.... he spent a lot of time and energy, and some significant dollars, putting a fence from the opposite side of the access road, all the way to almost the river, so that we could have some fresh browse. He calls us with his goat song almost every day, so we can cross over to the riverside and have some fresh grass. Sometimes we even respond to his song, but, not wanting him to think he is in control, sometimes we don't bother. Depends on the goat mood of the moment.
SO, in other news, we have new family members..... Sarah Jean got married over the last weekend, to Giles, and so now Giles and his two kids, Dylan and Olivia, are official people in our family. They also have a new puppy, Sonny, who is a great pyranese, a breed known to be a livestock guardian dog. He's only a baby now, though, so he's not guarding too much, but, he's pretty cute and a good boy. He visited this past week with Christian and Amelia while Sarah and Giles were on their honeymoon. Hunter was just getting used to his annoying play behavior when they went home. There are photos of all this, but, as USUAL, wench is having a hard time with the upload. sigh
While they were gone at the wedding, we had a new farm sitter. Pam, our neighbor, was taking care of us, making sure we had food and clean water and plenty of animal crackers and peanuts. She's being promoted to AUNT PAM in my book. The great thing about Aunt Pam is that, while she is all gooey about the babies in the barn (she was a pediatric nurse in a former life), she understands my place, and gives me the respect I have so richly earned as the Chief Executive Goat around here. So thank you, Aunt Pam, for taking such good care of us. I know the rabbits appreciate you, too.
In other news, wench went to see the puppies that were born over in Piney Creek, and picked out a little sister/seeing eye dog for Hunter. I think he'll like her. Thinking about Harper for a name, but will need to see how her personality fits. She may be something other than a Harper. She's a chocolate lab, and her daddy is HUE-MUNG-O and mommy is protective. Her daddy weighs 110 lbs. Scooter, our first lab, weighed 135, but of course he was mixed with a little St. Bernard, so what do you expect? anyway, we are hoping this little girl will fit right in around here.
All of Daisy's babies are growing up nicely. Of the five giant angoras born, one will go live in Alabama and then two does and two bucks will stay here and grow for a while and maybe hit the show circuit in the fall.
I need to get wench lessons on photo uploading. There are photos, but - nevermind - I won't even go there.
Looking forward to Hailey coming to visit at the end of July - wench is going up to retrieve her right after the West Virginia rabbit seminar she's doing on July 23, about heritage breeds, etc. Hailey is my girlfriend after all.
Well, without the photos, I can't really continue. I mean, it's ok just to read my prose, but pictures make it so much more interesting. It's a burden I must bear, this wench and her handicaps, but, maybe one day she'll learn something. sigh.
In the meantime, thanks for reading Frankly speaking....
Frankly speaking...one thing or another
Good morning everyone... Frankie here, reporting in from the mountain. Wench got home last night around 7:30 PM from the last rabbit show of the season. Glad that's over. Now maybe she'll be around once in a while (doubt that). Not too many angoras shown, and so the fun was not as great, and it was hot and late, and all that jazz... so, now we go into our slow season. r i g h t Wench brought home six more fleeces from the nice folks over at Red Ridge in Tennessee, so that will be part of the summer fleece washing project. Some of it will most likely go to the Blue Ridge Fiberworks blended yarns, some of it may be added to our fleece.
The end of the rabbit show season is always bitter sweet; won't see friends for a while, won't be traveling too much for a while, and all the rabbits will have NO COATS for a while. That's a good thing. Come September, they'll begin to gear up again. By that time, we will almost be ready for our next shearing. A circle of fiber life. I must say, summer is my favorite time of year... just look at the lushness of our browse!
So, now that wench will be 'resting' what will she be doing? Well, this week she will be going to guild for dyeing lessons on Tuesday, and then Thursday, she is taking Neptune to be neutered
Sorry, little buddy, neutered is NOT fun, even though you do get to ride in the car, and, it seems like every ride in the car usually ends in a 'not fun' time for a goat.
Then on Friday, she will be at the Independence Farmers Market selling the shirt off my back, and will bring Schroder if the weather is cooperative. Here's Schroeder, while at Ohio, getting ready to launch himself off the grooming table. He's a card, and, once this market event is over with, he'll be losing his coat and meeting his second wife, or is it his third, I can't keep track, over at Aunt June's place later on this month.
Then after Friday, she's participating in the Farm to Table dinner at the Alleghany Farmers Market on Saturday. Another busy week the next week culminates with the wedding of our very own Sarah Jean with Giles Hoback III. We will be supervised by Pam, who lives across the road and has been taking care to learn our routine. We've almost got her trained, but I'm sure we'll have a few shenanigans up our sleeve when she is here on her own. (insert evil goat laugh here)
So how's that for taking it easy. It might be the end of the rabbit show season, but not the end of the craziness around this joint. I will report in again in a few weeks. Thanks... for reading frankly speaking!
Frankly speaking... talking the talk
So, I guess I've been known to coin a phrase or two..... many folks look at our banner at various fiber shows, etc., and comment that the word "flerd" isn't really a word. Well it is, although I can't take credit for inventing it. I can't recall where I first heard the phrase, but I must have heard it somewhere. In any event, the time has come for a new word - so here it is: Fiberista.
What, you may ask, is a fiberista? Well, you've heard of a barista, right? (barista: noun: a person specially trained in the art of making special coffee drinks). We needed a word for this, apparently because it is in the internet dictionary. The word "fiberista" is not in that dictionary, so I just made it up. hahah
A fiberista is a person trained, sometimes at the school of hard knocks, sometimes with formal training, in the art of working with fiber - wool, mohair, angora, alpaca, quivet, silk, whatever type of fiber you can think of! A fiberista will create art from fiber, either spun, felted, sewn, woven, knitted, crocheted, or tatted.
A fiberista is usually pretty creative, and not willing to go to Target or Wal Mart and buy a scarf for $5.99 when she can spent $75 on materials and three months of her time, to make one herself. These fiberistas are mostly women. Once in a while you will find a man at such gatherings, and I suppose they should be called fiberistos.
Fiberistas tend to gather together in herds (or flerds) at places such as guild meetings and fiber festivals, little yarn shops, educational workshops, and even sometimes at farms where special events take place such as shearings. I understand that when they gather at guild meetings, or in each others houses or studios, many times there are chocolate treats available, as this seems to be a food that they all are drawn to. This could be a clue as to who might make a good fiberista, but that's way over my head right now.
Right now, I'd like to tell you about a little group of fiberistas that I know. Thrown together by their diversity and also by what they have in common, my very own wench, and two of her fiber buddies, Vivian Thompson and Nancy Liebrecht, have formed this co-operative of fiberistas, and they call themselves BLUE RIDGE FIBERWORKS.
Blue Ridge Fiberworks starts at the beginning.
First to the farmer: Blue Ridge Fiberworks can provide a market for your fine wool. If you have fiber animals, and would like to learn more, get in touch with one of our fiberistas and she will explain how they can help.
Second to the mill: As you know, wool can be spun into yarn by hand, but, let's face it, none of these fiberistas is a spring chicken, and, even if they were all named Rapunzel and lived in a tower, they couldn't spin it all in their lifetime. Blue Ridge Fiberworks is using local, boutique mills, (dependent on your area) to mill fine yarns from local sources.
Next to the consumer: yarns in every shape and size. Custom yarns for your yarn shop! A website should be up and running within the next few months, and local yarn shops are getting in line to have their own exclusive blend made.
Lastly, a legacy: The Blue Ridge Mountains are rich in history, and textiles are a big part of that. Today you will find a few mills still in this area, spinning cotton or polyester or blends, making fabric for t-shirts, to be shipped overseas and made into garments. It seems that over the past ten years or so, a lot of the mills have left town. We'd like to change that. We'd like to build a mill to support the farmers, create some jobs, and make some pretty yarns for the future fiberistas out there.
So, that's what's happening around the farm. No grass growing under their feet, those fiberistas... always busy busy busy. Last week, wench and Nancy went to a local farm and attended a shearing - selecting the finest fleeces for the season:
Nancy talks with the farmers and looks over the fleeces.
Into the car they go. (this is one bag of three)
If you are out and about this coming weekend, and live in the Raleigh, NC area, stop by the Got to Be NC Food and Wine festival. Wench and Vivian will be stationed outside the rabbit barn, spinning and weaving, and selling the shirt off my back, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. They can tell you all about Blue Ridge Fiberworks. The following weekend (June 4th) be looking for them again, at the Local Cloth fiber extravaganza at the Western NC Farmers Market in Asheville - yarns, fleeces, raw fiber, etc., will be for sale there, and all of them (the three fiberistas) will be in attendance. These chicks get around.
Thanks for reading Frankly speaking!
Frankly speaking .... an ode to the moms
As a goat, I can attest to the wonder of moms -"nanny" goats make great moms - most of the time. My own sainted mother, April, was an exceptional goat. Taller than most angoras, she was able to leap tall fences with a single bound. She had a taste for rabbit chow, or any other food not meant for goats, or that she had to break into somewhere to get. which she did frequently. She was affectionately known as a 'rascal'. I miss her. BUT, I have my sister, Annie who looks a lot like her and has inherited her curiosity - so, I am reminded frequently of my sainted momma April, and her momma, my nanny nanny, Naomi. I am grateful that, after I came to live with wench and builder, they both came to stay with us, and moved to North Carolina with the crew. If your mom is still with you, make her feel special on her day today. If she is already in heaven, remember the good times, shed a tear and know she is by your side, in spirit at least.
Wench is excited for mother's day this year. Dan, (the staff photog) Amber and Hailey (my girlfriend) are here for the day. They drove all the way from New York to see her for Mother's Day (and to attend a DMB concert, but, we're telling wench it's a mother's day thing) and bring her a bottle of Love My Goat (her favorite, of course).
In farm news, so much is going on! Builder bought a pick up truck, so we are excited to know he can go get feed when wench is on one of her many trips, and that if we need to go somewhere we have a truck to ride in. The first thing he did with his truck, is go get sheetrock. Pretty hard to get that into the del Sol. hahah. The project du jor is the building of a summer kitchen, sort of, a fiber washing room and produce washing sink which will be a big benefit to the farm. This is being constructed at the back of the garage.
Builder and wench bought the lot next door, so now the farm encompasses almost 8 acres. Good thing - we have more work to do, clearing the land of underbrush. This will be done in short increments on a daily basis (so as not to upset our tummies) and pretty soon, we'll have trees and a safe place to walk, no underbrush ! Of course, we have volunteered to do this, without benefit of the fence, and every day we break out and give the people a sample of what magic we can accomplish. anyway. This lot goes right to the river, so pretty soon we'll have goats in boats. right. picture that. Here we are, hard at work:
This is the show season for wench, so this past weekend was Powhatan Festival of Fiber. What a great time! Our fiber is out there, and the folks LIKE it.
There is an additional enterprise going on regarding our fleeces, but that's for another post. I need more photos of some of our collaborators, and will do a post about it - teaser.... it's called Blue Ridge Fiberworks and it's pretty exciting.
So, anyway, HAPPY MOTHERS DAY! My momma is no longer with us, but... Hailey is here, and she feeds us cookies, so I'm ok with that! Thanks for reading Frankly speaking!
Frankly speaking ....sprinter or wring?
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!
Frankly speaking...and so it begins
Good morning. Our lovely Greta has brought forth a new baby. This should be the height of our kidding season, but things appear to be a little off kilter this year. Gracie surprised us very early (like in September) with a little girl, but Gracie had no milk and her little one didn't make it. Then in October, Annie brought us Warbucks. Now, in a normal time frame, Greta gives us Taylor.
We have Carmella still to go. Last year, Greta and Carm gave birth within hours of each other, and way late, too, like in May! So now, because "breeding season" is supposedly October through January (apparently no one got the memo) Annie could be pregnant again, and I'm pretty sure Gracie is, too. The little girls, Bluebelle, Ruby and Hera, are too young for that stuff. (we hope) We really need to separate the boys from the girls, and control when breeding occurs, but, with so many projects on our plate around here, we really have no room to do that - and so, nature takes its course.
We have a few more fiber rabbits now, too. Windchaser's Glitter - a black giant came home with wench after PaSRBA. She had a date with Schroeder this past weekend, so we'll hope for some babies there. Bella Luna, a white giant doe, will also be getting together with Schroeder in the next month or so, as will miss Daisy. One more giant, born here, Clems Jubilee will need to grow up a little before she thinks about babies. She's only a baby herself, but she sure is cute!
Until it is time for her to be a momma herself, she will go to shows whenever there is an exhibition class.
Also joining us from PaSRBA is Windchaser's Shauna (daughter of buttons) and HH Orion, Satin angoras of the agouti variety. Razzle Dazzle and Sophia are looking good, and will be traveling to Georgia to the show next weekend to see if they can finish up their Grand Champion certificates. Sisters. Always the competition. Each has two legs, and needs one more,... we'll see who comes out the winner. With five shows, maybe they will each finish! Wouldn't that be great!
I know I promised a report after PaSRBA, and here it is: we did nothing. No one was more surprised than Mikimoto
Yeah, she's a bit of a diva. We're seeing if she'll hold her coat until April for the North Carolina convention, but it's not very likely. She will be getting together with D'Artagnan this spring, to make babies. Also on the drawing board, breeding wise - Bronwen plus Tortellini (this happened over the weekend) and Sheena plus Orion (also this past weekend). We'll wait 30 days and see if litters emerge, and then up next will be Daisy x Schroeder, (Giant) Davina x Buttons, (Satin) and then either Deandra or Colleen x Angus (French) We will hopefully have lots of babies this spring and summer, ready for fall shows and fiber festivals. Wench has a lot of work to do to get ready for SAFF. I still haven't decided if we'll take/send goats.
In the meantime, we are growing our fleece and waiting for spring. It's been dripping and snowing and all kinds of weather here recently, but that's ok. We have a nice warm barn and lots of hay and grain.
Our fleece from the fall is off at Blue Mountain being made into fingering weight yarn, so be looking for that the Powhatan Festival of Fiber. One variety will be white, the other black. Once Carmella is sheared in March, we can send off the oatmeal. This year the blend is 20% wool, 35% kidmohair 35% angora and 10% silk. FABULOUS drape. I think that Nigel's fleece this year will be added to last years, adding a little mohair (like maybe 20%) and made into a worsted weight yarn for making of hats, etc.
Well, I seem to be rambling, so I'll say so long for now. I've been asked to write an article for the local fiber newsletter, so I best be thinking about that. Thanks for reading Frankly speaking!
Frankly speaking.....no one is perfect not even me!
So, It's been a while since I've published a blog post. In case you forgot about me, here is my pretty face 
This photo was taken during my favorite activity - getting scratched.
So, about the not being perfect part..... I planned to post once a month in 2015 in order to keep y'all updated about the farm, but I got distracted this fall - my wench went through some medical challenges and we were rather pre-occupied. However, all is well now, so it's back to business as usual.
Our flerd continues to grow and evolve, and we have recently begun experimenting with new yarns. The new blend for 2015 was..... 35% kid mohair, 35% angora rabbit, 20% merino and 10% silk. This was a limited run, (which we plan to recreate) and is available on line at our partners over in Yarnthology dot com. They are also carrying the 2014 blend we did of angora/mohair/merino. That blend is almost gone, but there are a few skeins left here which wench will use to make things for the 2016 fall craft shows, and a few are over at Purl's Yarn Emporium in Asheville for you locals.
We are still hoping for more fiber opportunities - maybe a mill, maybe some cooperative yarns with other farmers, etc., and of course baby goats will be coming in the spring (watch our facebook page for updates there). Speaking of baby goats, today is the birthday for Neptune and Hera. They were born a year ago.
That was then: 
and this is now:
They are spoiled, I'll tell ya. (like the rest of us).
In other news, we have begun to build our rabbit (meat) business, so that's another reason why I've been scarce. They are serving our rabbit in some of the nicest restaurants in North Carolina and Virginia, and this keeps wench on the road quite a bit. It's ok. Sometimes she still finds time to participate in my favorite activity...
scratching me.
Smidge is beginning to fill out a little (no, she is not getting pudgy) and is becoming a beautiful cat. She surveys her kingdom and keeps the mice at bay, all while consuming a can or two of fancy feast daily and all the dry kibble she can eat. Who has it better than her? She also has us and rockstar to play with all day long.
Speaking of rockstar, he has become quite the fixture around here. He knows his way around pretty good, and goes out any door that's open, hanging out with us in the pasture, out by the sawmill, up on the 2nd floor where all the does live, etc. We are careful to make sure he is in the barn every night and secured behind closed doors, due to the owl population around here, but he has food and water and his hay cup stationed in various places around the barn. (he's not spoiled either)
So in a couple of weeks, wench will travel to PaSRBA for a rabbit show and I will post any good results after that. I have to get more photos of the bunnies, as we now have our first Giant Angora baby, Clems Jubilee. She is still in with her momma, and hopefully will become a brood doe (she's not showable now because she is black, and only whites are showable in Giants that sounds rather racist, doesn't it?) and also travel some for exhibition. The spring breedings are being planned .
Oh, and wench is going to be the "rabbit superintendent" at SAFF this year, so be on the lookout for more information about that. Like she doesn't have enough to do, but the angora rabbit breeds will be displayed in force at SAFF in 2016. yay! I'll probably send a few of our goats, too, for the show. How FUN!
Well, that's about it for now. Thanks for reading Frankly speaking!
Frankly speaking.................hemp, hemp, horray!
Ok, so, as you know, I'm a goat. A special goat to be sure, but still, as a goat, I'm limited as to my options with regard to world politics and economic impact studies, etc. My world pretty much revolves around a couple of people, a bunch of goats and rabbits, and food. I appreciate that I live in a beautiful world in a nice safe barn with lots of good food and people that love me. I understand that there are starving goats in Biafra (or that's what they tell me when I don't want to eat my dinner, which hardly ever happens) but good news is good news, and I just heard some. I heard that North Carolina, where we live, has just legalized industrial hemp. Now, I'm not too sure what that is, but I'm pretty sure this is good for North Carolina and for small farmers. Big hemp farms are not expected to spring up every place, but the hemp folks are interested in small farms and farmers. We like small farms and farmers. I wonder if the hemp plant is good for goats to eat? Do you think it would make our fleece even lovelier? (hard to imagine) I know that hemp is used to make cloth, which means some of the industrial mills might be coming back. HOW EXCITING. We really want a fiber mill in the neighborhood, so we can promote locale yarns and fibers, and this might just be a stepping stone.
So that's just a little snippet of my opinion for this post. In the news department, little Warbucks is doing great, bouncing all over being a cutie patootie, but it's been raining so we don't let him outside to play. We heard of the passing of our old friend Faith, and we are sad about that. She was a great goat and we've missed her since she went to live at the Mansfields house. Now Faith and Hope are together again, in goat heaven. They gave us our start and we are grateful.
This is not the best photo of faith that we have, but as USUAL, my technically-challenged wench can't find the right photo. I don't know what to do about her.... she needs help.
Lots of new stuff on the horizon... be looking for an announcement soon regarding retailing of our yarns - which is pretty exciting stuff. Also, wench is looking into a trailer for us so maybe we could go to shows.... I hear SAFF is quite improved and expanding, so we might have to send representatives in future years. Of course the most use of the trailer will be for the meat rabbit side of the business, which also is exploding and growing by leaps and bounds. That's one reason I've been rather quiet on this blog of late - it's hard to pin down that wench and get her to do any typing. My hooves do not do well on a keyboard, and I am reduced to dictation. She doesn't do that well. It's a throwback to her former career. Speaking of which, that OTHER Frank had a birthday the other day, and wench was happy to catch up on the phone with the Judge. Makes her thankful for her former career and her new career. She tries not to compare the Frankies in her life, but sometimes, especially around November 1st, it just can't be helped.
Thanks for reading, Frankly speaking.... I'll try to keep you updated if I can catch that wench and make her do my work!
kiss kiss!
Frankly speaking..... wha keen? I'm not amused
Hey everyone, Frankie here, reporting from INSIDE the barn where I've been for the past week, with just one day outside and maybe a few hours here and there, seeing some daylight. The rains we have been experiencing I guess are miniscule in comparison to what might be coming, compliments of Hurricane Joaquin. Wench was supposed to be selling the shirt off my back at the Floyd Art Festival this weekend, but it has been cancelled due to the threat of flood. So, here we are, being amused by the antics of Smidge and Rockstar. I must say these two really play nice together.
In any event... once we are treated to the Rockstar/Smidge show, we settle down to munch on hay and grow our fleece. Which, I hear tell will be coming off soon. Wench has a new hot water tank, so she plans to wash the fleeces herself before they go off to the mill.
Neptune and Hera are missing their mom (Hope) but their level of cute just doesn't quit, and wench has been sneaking them extra cookies every morning.
So, not a lot going on right now, except....... if you write a draft of your blog post, and then leave it for 19 days, a lot happens in that time frame. My secretary (wench) does not take direction very well (as the previous frank will tell you, but he's retired now, so we don't hear from him much... ah-hem) and so, trying to get her to publish a blog posting is like pulling teeth. but I digress
In the past 19 days, the weather has straightened up, with the rain anyway, but it got COLD brrr.rrr.rr! So, of course, what happens when it gets really really cold around here? Of course the shearing team kicks it into high gear and off comes our coats!
I did ok, actually it was relief to get all that hair off of me, but the smaller does, like Carmella and Gracie were shivering! It's nice out now, even reaching up to 65 or 70 during the day, so no worries, we will be fine.
Also, Annie had a little one. A baby boy (her third boy in three years) and we are trying to figure out a name. Spot and star have been thrown out there, but we are looking for something a little more original. Like how much more original can FRANK get? hello? Pictures will be forthcoming on the facebook page of the new little guy.
Didn't want to keep you hanging out there... it's been about 7 weeks since my last post and I hate falling behind. When wench was more active as a Mary Kay consultant, she would make this list daily called "the six most important things to do today" which kept her on track. We need to reinstitute this list making idea. The first thing on the list every single day will be.........................feed your goat!
till next time!
Frankly speaking...................is autumn in the air?
Autumn always signals change. Back to school for the kids, a fresh start. Two of our kids got a change this fall, too. Neptune and Hera lost their momma, Hope. Hope was at least 14 years old, which is like 115 for a person, and she was having trouble getting around lately. The summer wasn't easy on her. Saturday night, she needed help getting into the barn. By Sunday morning she was down and unable to get up. Wench did everything she could, but by Wednesday it was evident there was no help for her. After consulting with the folks at Twin Oaks Veterinary Hospital, the decision was made and Hope crossed over that rainbow bridge. Now she is no longer in pain.
this is one of my favorite photos of Hope. She came to us back in the day when we lived in New York, and we later found out she was born here, in North Carolina, so she returned to her homeland. She gave us Pinky and Gary and a few other wonderful kids, and Neptune and Hera will of course stay on here. Neptune will be wethered (like me!) to maintain his wonderfully sweet personality, just like his momma. They are still on the small side, side effects of being born to an elderly mom.
In other news, the first floor of the barn has a new resident. Stevens' Rockstar, the American Chinchilla buck, has been liberated from his cage and now has the run of the barn. He has been hanging out with Smidge and with us, and having a really good time. There is a photo, but of course my techno-phobe wench is unable to access it (I don't know what I'm going to do with her, really)
Builder, doing what he does best, is installing a hot water tank (albeit a small one) in the barn. That'll be nice for winter... and a bigger hotter water tank in the garage, so wench can wash our fleeces before sending them off for making into yarn. My fleece was first (of course) and it came out really nice.
This is just a snipet of what's been going on around here. I'll post more later, but want to keep the "Hope Post" short for today. I promise - maybe wench will figure out that camera after all. Thanks for reading, Frankly speaking!
Frankly speaking...... change is never easy
Autumn is supposed to be all about change - school starts, a fresh new world is promised for spring as the earth goes to sleep for the winter. We've had a lot of changes here on the farm in July, and I'm having a little difficulty reporting them all - I hate to sound negative or be the bearer of bad news. So, we'll get it over with quickly and then move on. In July we lost our treasured bunnies Layla and Julianna. Mother and daughter, this team really put our rabbitry on the map. Julianna took best colored senior doe at Nationals in Iowa in 2013 which is huge for us; plus a best in show, etc., and was trying to have a litter when she passed away. Wench was pretty devastated. Just a couple of weeks later, her momma, Layla, laid down and died, for no apparent reason other than she was about 5 years old or better. Layla was the foundation of our french angora herd, and the mother or grandmother of most all our grand champions.
Also in July, wench came to the difficult decision to not send Hope up to Pennsylvania. Hope is becoming more frail as the weeks go by, and she is unlikely to make the trip north with ease. For this reason, her twin kids, Neptune and Hera will most likely stay here, to comfort her as we think the end is near. She moves slowly and can't keep up with the herd. It is a beautiful thing to see her babies (especially Neptune) stay by his momma to make sure she's ok. Quality of life is still good, she eats and enjoys her family, but you can see she is an ancient goat.
Everyone ages, and our Hunter is having difficulty with his eyesight. He'll be going to the vet this week to determine if something can be done to help him, but his cataracts may have gotten the best of him for now, as he bumps into things and is being careful to stay in familiar places. It's hard to watch, but we are hopeful there is a supplement or something to help him.
In happier news, our litters of bunnies continue to be cute and grow up; trying to adjust to being groomed regularly and all that - it's looking like three bucks and four does for the KerryMegan/Aramis pointed litter (one buck is REW); two bucks and three does for the Mikimoto/D;Artangnan litter; three bucks and four does for the Ultana/Casse Noir litter; and three bucks and two does for the Bronwen/Angus litter. We now have another litter, Duncan's Delanna x Clems Aramis. Delanna is a seal doe and Aramis is, of course, pointed. We expected to get really dark pointed babies, but instead got two sables and three seals. It's ok. We like those colors, too.
so, if you are in need of a french angora, these should be ready for new homes in a few weeks. We won't let them go before 12 weeks, so get in touch with wench or see her at a show, and we'll hook you up!
In other news, the chickens are all grown up now and are beginning to lay eggs. Pullet eggs are pretty small, but every day we get bigger ones. Not everyone is laying yet, but they are on their way. One day we'll get 9 eggs, the next 12 or 13... our two roosters are keeping a good eye on the girls.
As you know, builder has been working on a new pasture for us. This one is rather depleted:
and this one is rather lush:
however, it is down the driveway and across the access road, which, for goats, can be a challenge when there is no bridge to cross. (wench tried to convince builder to make a bridge, but he wasn't falling for that - although it might be fun). Anyway, some of the flerd didn't get the memo, and besides there was great grass on the way to the new place, so we had to try it!
we will make quick work of the areas around the barn and then be on to the new place... yummy. We appreciate the variety in our diet. Speaking of variety in our diet, wench came home from the store the other day with three cases of swiss chard, which was not restaurant quality any longer, but goat quality for sure. Me and Geronimo made pigs of ourselves. oink oink
(Willis tries to get in there, too, but he just isn't big enough sometimes).
We were glad to see the staff photog this month, Dan and his family came down for a little vacation. We like it when Dan comes for several reasons - #1 being that it keeps wench out of our hair for a few days. She's busy with them and so takes care of us but doesn't bug us much. Of course one day we had to stay in the barn while they all went off to Asheville for the day. I heard they had fun talking to some of the brass farm animals in Pack Square - how silly!
Hailey, who is the same age as me, is my new girlfriend. She fed me animal crackers, and told wench I could have as many as I wanted. That's because I'm the boss. and we don't let anyone forget that fact.
thanks for reading Frankly speaking. I have more to tell you, but I'll save it for later...
Frankly speaking..... I'm speachless
I understand that I am a goat. (well, sort of, I'm a special goat, but more on that later) Goats are livestock. We are virtually SLAVES to people and go where they tell us. Sometimes, the people are the slaves, and that's usually the case around here, but... I digress. In this month's news I have a disturbing announcement. My sister, MISS MAE has gone to live over in Elk Creek. I can't believe it. Well, yes I can believe it, for several reasons: This is not a 1000 acre farm. So that means that not everyone can be born and live here forever (like me). When babies are born, they grow up and move on to start herds for other fiber artists. It's what we do. So, this year, a fiber farm over in Elk Creek needed a couple of does, to go with the buckling they got from us last year. We had four doelings born this year: Bluebell (a/k/a Sapphire)
and Ruby:
and Hope's little Hera:
and Venus:
Ruby and Sapphire are destined to stay here, replacement does (if you will) for Hope and Faith. So that left Venus and Hera. Hera, who is the daughter of Hope, is so TINY that Wench won't let her go without her brother, Neptune. These two could start a new line of angora goats called miniatures, they are so small. We think it is because their momma, Hope, is rather elderly, and this is her last hurrah for the motherhood department. She'll be moving to Pennsylvania next month to join her babies from previous years, Pinky and Gary, at the farm of our friend Charlotte, where she will live in the lap of luxury for her golden years.
ANYWAY, so that left us a new dilemma. Wench is pretty particular about where we go and how we live, and one doe on her own never leaves here... we are very family oriented so we have to go with a buddy. (bucks are the exception because they have one mission in life, and can stand alone, although a friend is nice) So Mae was it. She went with her daughter Venus to live in Elk Creek and start a new fiber farm over there. The folks that bought them are very nice, and they have four little girls to love my sister and niece, so, I'm ok with it, but I'll miss them. So long, Miss Mae and Venus..... you are already missed:
but probably not by Hope, because you never really liked Hope, and were always trying to boss her around. hehehe.
Speaking of Hope, her two little monsters have discovered what cookies are. The problem is that they are so tiny they can still fit between the gate and the barn door, so, now they can come looking for cookies whenever they feel like it.
So Jupiter is now on his own, and hopefully he'll be going to live on an alpaca farm over in Dobson, with Hera and Neptune. We'll see. If not, the three of them will be for sale. Wench wants to keep Moondancer, and make him a wether (like ME) but she and builder are continuing to discuss this. Builder, you see, is rather opposed to castration (can you blame him?) but wench is trying to convince him that the fiber stays so nice for so long..... just look at my fleece. You don't get much better than what I've got. just sayin.
In bunny news, we have four litters of french angoras now about 3 weeks old. Bronwen has five torts, Kerry Megan has seven whites, some pointed, some REW, Ultana has some torts, some brokens and one solid; and Mikimoto has five as well, one sable, one blue and three pointed. Up next is Julianna (yeah, I know, fat chance), Duncan's Delanna and Clems Sophia; they get nestboxes on July 5th. Then we have Sparkle, Tolinka and miss Daisy on the July 11th nestbox date. So, we'll see.
With any luck, my August report will be FILLED with rabbit pictures - babies! yay.
Until then, stay cool, and thanks for reading Frankly speaking!
Frankly speaking......................slow down, you move too fast
got to make the mornin last? old song I seem to remember. A more appropriate theme for us, around here on the mountaintop. The people that is, not the goats. Goats have one speed. Their own. Unless there is food involved, then all bets are off. Let's see.....................It is time for the first of the month report. I contributed 20% toward a blend of fibers recently made into yarn (laceweight) which has been nicely received for it's luxurious properties. This started a little something going on in wench's head (not again) that there should be a fiber co-operative around here, where farmers could contribute toward a blend which would make a unique and local yarn.
We are working on a logo, business plan, etc. to make a fiber mill here a reality, along with the ten billion other projects we have. So, be on the lookout for some new announcements, probably this fall.
In the meantime, and as the full moon comes about again, we welcome new litters of bunnies. Clems Bronwen (lilac tort french angora) x AC Angus (black tort, french angora [and her son]) produced a litter of mostly torts, with a pearl or two in there on the 29th of May. This is line breeding at it's height, so we'll see what comes of these little ones. No two headed rabbits, don't worry. There are seven all together. Momma Bronwen is pretty particular and very protective. She didn't like the nestbox she was provided, so she made it clear and flipped the box over spilling the babies all over the wire. Wench zip tied the box to the cage, but that didn't stop her, she chewed through the zippy and did it again. Once the kits were deposited in the nestbox she wanted, all was right with the world (according to Bron - what a diva).
On a sad note, Clems Lennox, American Chinchilla doe extraordinaire, delivered a healthy litter of six, a few not quite right and then she laid down and died right there. Len was a great doe, raising some satin angoras for aunt June a while back, and so her kits were farmed out - two to Amanda, two to Hesper and two to Bronwen. Won't Bron be surprised when they come out of the nest. They are already twice the size of her own.
Speaking of babies, our goat babies are doing well, growing up and will soon get their first haircut.
In a day or so, wench is driving up to NY to see our staff photographer. She is going to be back on Saturday or Sunday, and then will go up again in a few weeks when she can stay a little longer.
In May, our enhanced fleece was displayed at the Middle Tennessee Fiber Festival and everyone there had a good time. It seems as Geronimo will be saying good bye this month, which will make me sad. Moondancer and Klondike will be put up for sale too. Wish we lived on a thousand acres so everyone who is born here never had to leave. sniff.
So, a mid-month report in June maybe, but until then - thanks for reading Frankly speaking!
Frankly speaking..... summertime.. living is EASY?
Well, I promised a post after nationals was done, and so here it is. Summer is coming and the livin is supposed to get easy. Wench promised that after May was over she'd be around some, take it easy and rest a bit, but....NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO now she's made plans to drive to New York twice in one month! There is this issue with dental work needing to be done, which will require two appointments. Not one to let any grass grow under her feet (she doesn't know what she's missing, grass is pretty tasty) she is offering rabbit transports along her route, and delivering a rooster to family. The Clemens family has a thing for chickens (thus, whenever there is a family get together the conversation ALWAYS reverts to chickens in one form or another) and so, they have been known to do an in-family chicken swap type thing like you'd see at a tractor supply. Now that builder and wench are 800 miles from home, the chickens get to travel too. This guy is going to go live with the Doctors Hodson, and will have a pampered life if he behaves, and if not, well, who knows:
He is a polish rooster, who looks pretty cool, but, does not fit in with builders breeding schedule of pure bred black australops which hopefully will be available next spring from the farm. Since something wiped out our entire flock of egg layers, we are putting lots of stock into these 18 young pullets to start our egg business off in July.
So, Wench and Aunt June went to the Powhatan Festival of Fiber (2nd year) and set up their tent in the beautiful northern Virginia sunshine.
by the next day, it was drizziling; by 1 PM it was pouring, and by 3 PM they had closed down the show (note Aunt June's purple raincoat). Sales were good in spite of the weather, so they will be going back next year, but, things learned at this show include: (1) a larger, more sturdy tent is needed (and has been acquired); (2) feet for the grids would be a good thing (it's on builders list to do); (3) festival vending is HARD WORK (they need the exercise). Not to be discouraged, the worker bees (wench and aunt j) packed up the wet things and drove about an hour, checked into a hotel, had a couple of drinks and a nice dinner, and were good as new.
The following weekend, Angora Nationals took place in Ohio. Lucy and Ethel (wench and june) were on the road again, and caravanned to Ohio with Deb McCormick and the Heart Felt Hares. A good time was had by all, especially Ultana, who escaped from her locked cage and went 'walkin after midnight' just like the old song. No significant wins for the Mountain Top, but hey, we took the colored senior doe class last year, and so you can't expect to win all the time, right? Speaking of last year, Julianna is bred again, so HOPEFULLY we'll get an heir this time.
Next weekend, the traveling road show is going to Raleigh, NC to participate in the Got to Be NC food and wine festival, as a part of the rabbit exhibit (not food, just fancy) and to try to sell the shirt off my back. The weekend after that, it's the Middle Tennesse Fiber Festival.
When shearing was done this spring, wench discovered that our little Carmella was apparently expecting. This was a surprise because she didn't LOOK knocked up, just a little bit tubby, and considering the grain she eats, not unusual. WELL, we knew that Greta was ready when she was acting rather blatty and out of sorts, so wench kept her inside that day. Soon, she brought forth the cutest little blue and white doe kid with blue eyes. Carmella was out with the flock. About an hour later, wench looked out the window and say Carmella with something standing underneath her. VIOLA! a little red baby girl. These two are so close in age and size, they could almost be twins... so their names are RUBY and SAPPHIRE:
Welcome to the world little girls --
There are rumors going around that Geronimo may have found a new job. sigh. I always hate to lose them, but Willis is poised to take over so I guess it is inevitable. He did pretty good with these two cuties, so.... we'll see for next year.
Willis being poised.
Well, that's about all the news from the mountain top. Thanks for reading Frankly speaking!
freshly shorn frankie!
Frankly speaking......................for Pete's sake, stop the insanity!!!
For my many devoted fans, I must address the craziness currently being spewed all over the internet - it is a timely message with so many events going on this weekend - the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival - (I don't get it, why don't they call it the GOAT festival, hello?) Angora Nationals in Ohio - the other angoras, bunny types, not goats, and of course May Day, also known as the Irish Beltaine, Fire Festival - and wench and builders anniversary..... anyway, it has come to my attention that there is a group of crazies putting out that shearing is inhumane. Well, let me tell ya..... get your facts from the SOURCE. Me. Frankie the Goat. The Authority. I have fleece, people don't. Does getting a haircut hurt people? NOOOOOO, well it's the same thing for us. Twice a year, it is necessary and good for us to get sheared. We like being naked and it's like having a entire new flerd to play with - because we look so totally different!
Each of us has a different fleece. My fleece is (of course) particularly fine and shiney because I'm so awesome, but like Willis' fleece is so dense it weighs about twice what mine does, even though he is about 1/4 my size. a real midget.
I let wench know when it's time. I jump up on the shearing stand and wait. Sometimes it takes them a day or so to get to me, like they have anything else to do, but, when I say SHEAR they say YES SIR. hahahah. I know exactly what to do and am a very good boy. I stretch out my neck and bow my head, all those things to make it go smoothly. Some of the youngins jump around and act crazy which can lead to cuts or scrapes, although builder is pretty good with the clippers and wench holds us so we aren't scared.
Wench and builder aren't as young as they used to be, so they shear about 4 goats a day which is all they can handle. but eventually they git r' done. (did I just say that, oi vey!)
In any event..... lots of news to report, but it'll have to wait - gotta get wench out the door for angora nationals. I promise... pictures next week of new babies!
Frankly speaking.....who's fooling whom?
Good morning and Happy first day of the month! April fools day is a great day for several reasons - the best of which is Spring has pretty much arrived here in North Carolina - oh, we may have a chilly day here and there - we had a couple of 30 degree nights recently, but, for the most part - this is it, winter is over! Soon our coats will come off (spring shearing) and the grass will green up and grow, all that happy stuff. I'm looking forward to it. Spring also brings the show season for the bunnies. As I previously reported, Bronwen went to Hickory in January and took a Best in Show. This year, wench took some rabbits down to the Dalton, GA show - Mutiara went and did very well. She is one of our more elderly does, being almost 5 years old, but still lovely in her show coat:
She didn't want to go to more shows this season; she is already granded, so while it's fun to travel once in a while, the grueling road show of the spring season is better left to the younger buns, so Mutiara will stay home and keep the rest of the buns in line while the youngsters go to the shows. At Greensboro, here's a photo of Windchaser's Daisy, who earned her first "leg" toward her grand championship there. In this shot, she is chatting with her neighbor, Windchaser's Peppermint Patty. (owned by Aunt June) Seems the girls discovered they both were born at Windchaser Angoras! what a small world. This weekend, Patty's brother Schroeder will be coming to live here.
Next up, Shelby, NC for the Gaston County Triple show. This is just a day trip. Here, DJ's Toblerone will get a try at the Satin Angora table, see if he's ready for Nationals. The pointed satin does, Tolinka and Sparkle are arguing about who will go to this show - with all these breeds to show, choices have to be made - so two french, two satins and two giants are all the spaces available. Well, in addition to the American Chins for Shelby.
After that, Powhatan's Festival of Fiber near Richmond will be April 25th, but no bunnies are going to that. Angora Nationals are in Ohio on May 1st, then Got to be NC festival on May 15 through 17; then Middle Tennessee Fiber Festival at the end of May. phew! I don't expect to see too much of wench in May.
These Satin Angoras may be for sale at Middle Tennessee. Two are already spoken for, and of course wench will decide who stays here, we're thinking a chin will need to stay:
Probably around mid-May there will be 11 angoras bred. This will take most of the adults out of the show lineup for fall. It may be that bucks are the only ones getting shown for the fall season. We are REALLY hoping Julianna decides to have some babies.
But ENOUGH about rabbits. Lets talk serious here - GOATS are so much more important. We said so long to an old friend this month - Faith - went to live with Tim and Joyce down on Route 18. She was a little confused, and I'm sure she didn't understand, but it is for her own good, even though we miss her terribly (she could be cranky) there will be no more babies for Faithy. She has a big pasture now and two boyfriends who can do no harm (they're fixed), and wench can catch a glimpse of her whenever she goes to Sparta.
Here are some random snapshots of the flerd for your enjoyment:
and of course, the baby shots:
These photos are only the random shots taken by wench throughout the month. We have a nice collection done by the staff phtographer (Dan of Forty6 Photography) but AS USUAL, wench is technically-challenged and can't figure out how to get them onto this page. sigh. One of these days she might figure it out. Until then, you'll have to be satisfied with my regular beautiful face, because let's face it ... there is no bad picture of frankie.
Frankly speaking.......................lion or lamb... you decide
Mother nature has a warped sense of humor. We retired to North Carolina because the weather was more suitable to goats - or at least that's what they promised... and we have been cooped up in the barn for more than two days at a time this winter due to cold or snow or wet or just yuk. ENOUGH. I'm glad I don't live in Boston, but still. I suppose I shouldn't complain. We have our hay delivered and clean water and grain twice a day. Now, if we can get mother nature trained as well as we've trained that wench...
In other news, all the babies are doing well. Neptune and Hera are slow growing, but then Hope, their momma, is really working hard to raise them right.
This is the last set of babies for Hope... she is retiring this year, and will join her kids Pinky and Gary up in Pennsylvania to live her life out in luxury. Faith will be moving down the road to this really cool place that has goats on the roof of the shed. She met her new parents, Tim and Joyce, the other day and really likes them, so let's hope she likes her new brothers, too. There are two other goats there, both wethers, so she can be the queen.
We were glad to see Sarah and the kids over the weekend, it's always such a treat when they visit...
Amelia really loves us, and even loves the baby chicks - who, by the way, were living in the people barn due to the cold, but now are in the garage, getting ready to transition into the chicken coop probably the first part of May...
Wench is getting ready to go to Dalton, GA for a big rabbit show. This will be Daisy's debut show and Mutiara's last show. The weather (again) has not been too cooperative for growing angora coats, so Mutiara has the prettiest coat up there. She will be the french ambassador, with Daisy representing the giants and Sparkle the Satin angoras. Apollo is going as the only Satin satin, and then there is the trio of American Chins: Zelda, Hey Jude and Lady Madonna. Wench will get opinions on Jude and Madonna, and see if they stay in the show string or if they retire early. Funny thing with those American Chins.... they develop slowly, so a not so great junior could be a spectacular intermediate or senior. Just look at Zelda... she was about first off the table at convention and now she's doing just fine.
Looks like today's weather will keep us in the barn again today. I know that wench has some torture in store for us - I saw the hoof trimmers out the other day. always something.
Well, that's the report ! Three months in a row, and I'm in the first week of the month!! who says you can't teach an old goat new tricks? social media? piece of cake! thanks for reading Frankly speaking.... til next time
Frankly speaking.......a rose by any other name
Hi everyone! Well, here it is the first of the month and AS PROMISED, a new post. New Years resolutions being what they are (a joke) and all, I can handle it! Let's see..... what happened since last time? Oh, we have babies! Mae's babies, Jupiter and Venus are growing like weeds, out with the flerd every day and fitting in. Little Venus has a set of lungs, let me tellya, and hollers for her grain just like the rest of us.
Hope's babies, Neptune and Hera, are very frisky. They went outside yesterday for the entire day for the first time and were pooped when they came back in, but they've started nibbling on grain, too.
Gracie's baby, Moondance, is the newest addition. He was waiting for wench to get back from Virginia before he made his debut. He's doing well and Gracie is a good momma.
Wench was in Virginia visiting with Aunt Patty and Uncle Gary and family, and then visited with Melanie and Joe Hultman, where she brought home the newest addition to the farm (well, the second newest, if you count goats and rabbits in the same census. I usually don't, just because). Windchaser's Daisy is a giant angora doe and she is fitting right in!
Giant angoras produce a giant amount of wool, which comes in three different ways, which was explained to me by wench one day, but I was hardly paying attention and falling asleep (she does this to me a LOT)
anyway. So, Daisy (the bunny) had a name (which is Daisy) when she came here. Daisy is a fine name, but we already have a Daisy. She is a sheep.
so, now we will have to differentiate between Daisy the BUNNY and Daisy the SHEEP. Owell. She better never bring home a rabbit named Frank. That's all I know.
So, that's what's been happening around here this month. Oh, yeah, Clems Bronwen took BEST IN SHOW at the Hickory New Year's Show. She was quite full of herself. She sent her two daughters, Mikimoto and Barouque to Mocksville to that show, and Mikimoto got her 3rd leg, so she can retire now.
Bronwen and Julianna are going to PaSRBA next weekend, with Sparkle and Flash, the pointed satin angoras, and Miranda and Zelda, the American Chins. Good thing for Gracie and Moondance their big day was this week, or wench would have had to stay home.
That's all the news so far - I'll see you again on the first of March! till then - thanks for reading Frankly Speaking!
Frankly speaking ..... it's a new year .... new leaf?
So, I know I've made excuses before - about my lack of communication on a regular basis, so I'll make no excuses this time. Let's just say that I've been a slacker and call it a day. It is 2015 and I'm turning over a new leaf. I will try to report more regularly, if I can get wench to settle down and take direction from me (she's a tad difficult in that department). Since my last report, which seems 100 years ago, I can say there has been some news... let's see..... oh, yeah, wench went to Texas to the 2014 ARBA National convention. Our team did ok. The boys, Manoah and Mr. Red were both disqualified because their nerves got to them and they lost weight on the trip, so, lesson learned: only take the tubby rabbits on a long road trip. By the time you get there, their weight should be perfect. Not so much for wench. Even though she's tubby to start with, she doesn't lose an ounce.
Clems Tolinka took 2nd place in the White Satin Angora doe class, and Clems Ember took 2nd place in the Colored Senior buck class. Ember is a nice buck. His dad is Smokey Lonesome, previously of this farm, but his mom is unpedigreed. She is pure-bred french angora, but the paperwork never made its way here, so, his lineage is in question. It's ok, we love him anyway.
At the New Years rabbit show, Clems Bronwen took Best in Show, so wench was pretty happy with that. 
We have to work so hard to make that wench happy. gawd. we should get extra grain for that.
On the goat front, last year's kids have all gone to new homes, except Willis, who will stay on and become herd sire next year. Geronimo will soon be looking for a new job I fear. Valentine and Brooks left this week.
Carmella continues to grow and be beautiful and is fitting in just great with the flerd.
In other bunny news, Julianna was bred (again) and on day 35 - way overdue - wench found her to be in labor. She took Julianna to the house and deposited her in the bathtub with nest box available.
Julianna will go to the vet this morning to make sure her one baby is all there is (he didn't make it) and perhaps she'll do some more shows this winter and try again in the spring. sigh. always sad when we lose one.
We lost a goat baby this winter, too. Faith brought forth Mars, and then she didn't have any milk. He lived two days before anyone figured out that Faith is over the whole motherhood thing. She will be retiring this year and may be going to live in Pennsylvania with her neice and nephew, Gary and Pinky. She can still make fleece but shouldn't be making babies anymore.
On a happier note, my sister Mae had twins. Cutie patooties Venus and Jupiter:
On the Smidge front, she continues to grow (two cans of fancy feast DAILY plus 8 to 10 oz of kitten chow and all the mice you can eat) and terrorize the barn. She thinks the dog's tail is her personal cat toy
and she sneaks around outside and is just generally a bundle of energy! She makes me tired the way she plays all day.
We, on the other hand, are happy to sun bathe and eat most of the day, growing fleece and hanging out.
but of course, you DO have to investigate in case a tourist is about and they have cookies
So anywho, I promise to try to do better. I'd like get an intern around here - someone to do the social media and keep me in touch with the outside world - sometimes I feel like a cloistered monk - and wench gets busy and won't take dictation when I get the creative juice flowing (a trick I understand she used to pull all the time with that other Frank). ahhh. a goat can only do so much.
I digress - in any event - have a great start to your new year, and be looking for a post from me at least once a month... and thanks for reading Frankly speaking!
Frankly speaking........................good news, bad news
Just a quick note, I'm very busy these days getting ready to send Wench and the team to Texas. They are going to Fort Worth on Wednesday to attend the 91st Annual American Rabbit Breeders Convention. On the show team this year..... Mr. Red, a red satin buck who has been busy munching his frosted mini wheats and is now up to weight. Clems Manoah, sr. American Chinchilla buck, also doing the mini wheat things - it is a well known fact around here that the MALEs have a hard time maintaining their weight (this goes for the people as well as the animals) and the females have the opposite problem. Clems Miranda was going to go to convention (she is an American Chin junior doe) but she topped the scales at 10 lb. (1 lb over the max for a junior) so she's staying home and another junior is going in her place. We are sending three select American Chin does for sale there.
On the angora front, OS Kastanje is attending, a senior copper Satin Angora doe, who is looking just lovely. Clems Tolinka, a pointed white sr. satin angora doe is also going. On the french side, it's a toss up. Either Clems Ember (who is entered) is going if his coat doesn't fall off, or Avillons's Casse Noir will take his place if Ember's coat blows in the next day or so. Both of these boys are sons of Smokey Lonesome.
So, anyway, good news/bad news department. Wench went to the Southeastern Animal Fiber Fair yesterday. She attended most of the goat show. They have a wether class. Guess who might be going to SAFF next year? oi vey. Just give me the ribbon. You know I've already won.
I am a legend in my own mind. Thanks for reading Frankly Speaking. I'll post pictures and a big update after wench gets back with her report.