HOMEinSTEAD

[Jstwaiting]

Cute kids. You know how lucky you are ? Right ???

[W.Lynn]

They got JTJT's looks.

And brains.

And probably manners.

Some few other qualities, I would guess ...

[AD]

Mr V, is the mailman their father? Reason I ask is they have not been hit with the Vincent Ugly Stick, so that must be the case.

LOOKIE LOOKIE WHAT I GOT. HIS NAME IS DUKE. HE IS HALF GREAT DANE, AND HALF GERMAN SHEPARD. OH, AND HES HUGE

[W.Lynn]

That's one reason I mentioned size of flock. No matter where you are, you have to be able to make sure there aren't any safety or comfort problems.

[Gena.KY]

Southernmom, I agree with Tex. We would like to hear more from you on your day to day life.

[Tex]

For the small homesteaders who raise fiber goats and sheep, they do have some different coverings to keep vegetable matter out of the fleeces. We sent some fleeces off to a gal who was going to get big into fleece processing. She told us our fleeces had too much vegetable matter in them. Actually, they didn't hardly have any, but she is used to working her fleeces that came from animals raised in virtually a dry lot. If your animals graze they will get VM in their fleece that will have to be cleaned out when processed.

I have seen advertised a lycra type material made into shirts for fiber animals. they are fine for someone who is working with a small group of animals, but on a bigger scale they are impractical. SM, I would be worried about using them on your animals with the amount of moisture you get in your area. I don't know for sure, but I would figure that they would develop a fungus of there was something preventing the hide and fleece from drying out properly.

Southernmom, not to be rude, but I think you should start your own thread. Vincent has one, as do I and I think you would do well with one also. You have alot going on and can offer a totally different perspective than either Vincent or I could. We would all like to hear about your place and learn how you do things. Now, go start a thread about your operation.


Tex

[southernmom]

Great pic, Vincent-Beautiful family and great looking dog. We are currently babysitting a huge Anatolian Sheepdog til January and she's so great I hope her owners forget about her. I do like big dogs around the place.

[W.Lynn]

Oh I like this idea! Thanks! Have any sources for good carders?

Both drum and hand held carding combs can be found at places like The Woolery, but I didn't do any comparisons, so check craigslist and auction sites (and be wary of lower prices compensated by high shipping.)

I usually just hand card and spin unwashed wool, so a blanketed fleece is appealing. Carding removes a lot of stuff, and spinning removes more, anything else can be laundered from the finished yarn. The lanolin gets everywhere, but it's also good for my hands, and preserves my spindles.

[VINCENT]

southernmom, if the flock is of a small enough size for it to be feasible, some folk make more money on a fleece by buckling a blanket on the sheep. Some stuff will get in around the edges, but the fleece is much nicer and easier to clean, more pleasant if using it raw.

like a condom for sheep??? Dont tell tex

[VINCENT]

well, southernmom, i'm sure you have heard of fainting goats. Vincent has refined the breed tremendously during his tenure as a gentleman farmer. He seems to have developed his own very rare breed of goat called the lake county dying goat. They are very rare and quite elusive. So far goat researchers from around the world have only been able to locate one very small herd located on a ten acre homestead in the lake county, florida vicinity. According to livestock biologists reports, the few remaining goats of this breed are dying off at an alarming rate and they will on become extinct. Efforts are underway to try and save the breed, but they are under the care of one love starved farmer who simply refuses to let in biologists and experts in the field of animal husbandry. According to the lonely love starved farmer, "aint nobody a gonna git betwixt me and my wimminfolk". Experts are at a loss as to what to do at this point.

God, save the goats.



Tex

lmao- your a douche and i hope your mustache falls out

[VINCENT]

LOOKIE LOOKIE WHAT I GOT. HIS NAME IS DUKE. HE IS HALF GREAT DANE, AND HALF GERMAN SHEPARD. OH, AND HES HUGE

[southernmom]

Southernmom, if the flock is of a small enough size for it to be feasible, some folk make more money on a fleece by buckling a blanket on the sheep. Some stuff will get in around the edges, but the fleece is much nicer and easier to clean, more pleasant if using it raw.

Oh I like this idea! Thanks! Have any sources for good carders?

[W.Lynn]

Southernmom, if the flock is of a small enough size for it to be feasible, some folk make more money on a fleece by buckling a blanket on the sheep. Some stuff will get in around the edges, but the fleece is much nicer and easier to clean, more pleasant if using it raw.

[southernmom]

Well, SouthernMom, I'm sure you have heard of Fainting Goats. Vincent has refined the breed tremendously during his tenure as a gentleman farmer. He seems to have developed his own very rare breed of goat called the Lake County Dying Goat. They are very rare and quite elusive. So far goat researchers from around the world have only been able to locate one very small herd located on a ten acre homestead in the Lake County, Florida vicinity. According to livestock biologists reports, the few remaining goats of this breed are dying off at an alarming rate and they will on become extinct. Efforts are underway to try and save the breed, but they are under the care of one love starved farmer who simply refuses to let in biologists and experts in the field of animal husbandry. According to the lonely love starved farmer, "Aint nobody a gonna git betwixt me and my wimminfolk". Experts are at a loss as to what to do at this point.

God, save the goats.



Tex

Good one! Yeah we have the perpetually 'is she pregnant?' breed of sheep, here. They also love to waller and get dirt and hay all in their pretty wool which makes a lovely time of washing it after it is sheared. The hair sheep are the only ones with the sense to be decent. Yes, I am certainly new to this sheep business.
I will say, Last night I dreamed that they all had babies and we had like 9 little wooly lambs running around. I hope it comes true.

[Kessler]

Yeah kes, i'm around and good. Been camping all weekend. I only come on during the day mon-friday. I have been staying off the internet and computer in general while at home with the family.

Kess are you and momma and the boy interested in comeing over for a bbq ? I got a hog at the butcher and we are planing on having a day of shooting and eating if you and a few others are interested.

Vincent, if it's on a weekend, we'd be happy to spend some time at your place jabbering and eating. Should I bring weapons for self protection, lol? You have a gun range of sorts or leave all (but one) home? I have my handsome self, my fat wife, my dyslexic boy and aborigine MIL. That makes four of us (just helping you count). Tell me when and what to bring other that an appetite. Give me an idea...

Bob