Fun at Black Sheep Gathering

Last Thursday I loaded  9 sheep in the trailer and 5 of us crammed into my pickup with all of our stuff in the back, including my tack box and display racks and boxes of yarn and fiber for the vendor building, and we started for Eugene, Oregon. We met a friend along I-5 and transferred her ewe and ram (Meridian Rocky, originally from me) to my trailer. We made it to Eugene about 6:30 and settled the sheep into the barn.

This was a first visit for my friends to Black Sheep Gathering. I think this is one of my favorite events. Where else can you find sheep (wool sheep at that!) and shopping all under one roof? The atmosphere is laid back and the weather is mild.  And I get to visit with friends that I probably won’t see otherwise. In fact one friend was gracious enough to house all 5 of us at her place!

One of the highlights of the weekend is the Spinners Lead contest. In this contest participants show off their handspun or otherwise handmade pieces and bring the sheep or goat with them in the ring. Click to enlarge this thumbnail. This is me modeling my woven sweater and my sheep modeling her braided Jacob wool halter. I must tell the story about this sweater. I wove 2 blankets of handspun yarn and had a little warp left over. I wove that and thought it would make a great sweater. Not enough! I made another warp and wove enough for sleeves. I cut and sewed the pieces of the sweater together but figured that I could finish the knitted ribbing in Oregon. After all, what else was i going to do? And I didn’t have time before I left. When I sat down to work on the sweater I realized that I hadn’t serged the neck edge and lower edge. At the suggestion of a friend, I found a sewing machine store (Eugene Sewing and Vacuum) and asked if I could use a serger. They let me use it and I ended up finishing the sweater with time to spare! I also made a halter for my lamb out of Jacob sliver that I had braided.

 I was surprised to be awarded third place in the “Animal Owner” category. My friend, Shannon, won first for her felted vest with Jacob sheep and an apple tree needle-felted on the back. This photo shows all of the Jacob entrants. There is a bagpipe cover, 2 shawls, my sweater, Shannon’s vest, and a felted ring-bearer’s pillow carried by Shannon’s 4-year old son wearing his wedding finery.

 

The trip was great fun, but the drive home seemed LONG. We got back at 3:30 a.m. I think I’m still catching up on sleep. We came home to smoky conditions. There are fires burning all over California and we can’t even see the hills near Vacaville, let alone the sky.

I am planning on this trip again next year. Anyone up for an adventure?

 

I wouldn’t want to be that chicken!

Check out the eggs I collected yesterday. The photo almost doesn’t do this egg justice. The two smaller eggs are normal sized. They weighed 2.1 and 2.2 ounces. The big one weighed 4.1 ounces! It wouldn’t fit in any egg carton so I decided to use it for a batch of cookies. It replaced two eggs in the recipe.

It’s Hay Envy

When I take my dogs for a run (they run, I walk or ride my bike) we use the dirt roads that border the irrigation canals and farm fields. The big fields across the road from our house has been in alfalfa for several years, but last winter the field was planted to rye grass. These fields were harvested last week.

This photo shows a bit of the grass left on the edge of the harvested field.

Here is some of the hay that was harvested. I have figured out that at 80 bales/stack and 80 stacks that’s 6400 bales! I don’t know what rye hay is going for right now, but I’ll bet it’s at least $10/bale (probably more like $15 retail). You can do the math.  Boy, am I envious! I bought 6 stacks of hay (alfalfa, not rye) last summer and that took me through the winter. Now I’m almost out. I’m worried about hay this year because the price is going to be so much higher. The cost of transportation will add up too. If only I could get my hands on some of this hay that’s right across the road! (Why don’t I, you ask? I tried last year when they grew alfalfa and I guess it’s not worth their time to deal with someone who only wants a little bit. Last year most of it already sold–either to dairies or to a company who compresses the alfalfa for shipping overseas!

When I don’t take my bike on a dog run, I usually take my camera. Bonnie knows that there is something in these holes. She just can’t get to it.

Notice in the next photo that Bonnie is actually grabbing the edge of the hole in her mouth. She bites off chunks of dirt to make the hole bigger.  Rusty watches, but doesn’t seem to care so much.