Author Archives: WoolyMama

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Surreal (But Really Great) Weekend

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Last weekend something amazing happened.

Through the combined power of Facebook and Juniper Moon Farm, I reunited with two friends I had not seen in literally twenty years.

I found my friends Heather and Sarah on Facebook – we had been inseparable in middle school – after not having seen them or known where they were for nearly two decades.  We fell right back in to our easy banter and started to catch up and get to know each other again, and then Susan had a sale on Farm Stays this summer.  Heather snagged one for herself and her girlfriend Karen and we couldn’t wait to have a mini reunion!

Heather and Karen stayed three nights at the farm and Zac and Caroline fed us the BEST dinner every night for the stay.  Sarah and her husband James live, coincidentally enough, about two hours east of us and we were able to make a day of visiting Monticello, Michie Tavern, and Ashlawn – Highland.

I even brought the girls and they behaved rather well for such a long day on our feet.

We couldn’t have asked for better weather, either.  The mountaintop was beautiful with the leaves just starting to turn.

It really was surreal at certain moments.  Here you have friends who were *thisclose* at one time and still feel that connection and that ease around each other, but at the same time it feels like you’re getting to know someone new.  It at times takes you back into your teenage head and you remember all of your hopes and plans you had together, and then you’re suddenly in that future together but in different and unexpected ways. I couldn’t always wrap my brain around it.   I really wish I had pictures of us from back then to compare, because I would have recognized Sarah and Heather anywhere.  It’s as though we are simply more confident – looking versions of those girls from long ago.

I guess it’s fitting that this “historical” (for us, anyway) reunion took place at the homes of former presidents (and if you don’t know which ones, please click those links!)

My kids took to my friends right away, and were very sad when we all had to part ways.

It was a brilliant day, a wonderful visit, and I am hoping we’ll get to do it again soon (and NOT twenty years from now!).

 

 

 

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Can – Do Attitude

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Now that the weather is acting more like fall I’ve been craving more warming and comforting foods.  I’ve been baking a lot more bread and enjoying my afternoon coffee hot rather than iced. The canning slowed down a bit for awhile during a busy spell but I have taken it back up with a vengeance.

Most recently I put up a batch of Apple Bourbon Butter, courtesy of a recipe from Local Kitchen’s mouthwatering blog.  If you aren’t already a regular reader over there, do yourself a favor and check out her recipes.  Last summer I made her Pirate Peaches and this spring I made her Drunken Cherries.  Right now I am salivating over the prospect of trying her Pear & Pumpkin Ale Preserves.  Doesn’t that sound heavenly?

Aside from the preserves and boozy fruits I have been on a mad chutney kick.  I made cranberry chutney (hello Thanksgiving!) :

(recipe here)

apple chutney (can’t remember where I found that recipe) and a Hearty Ale Chutney from River Cottage Preserves:

This is full of so much goodness I can’t wait for it to be ready – Guinness, onions, carrots, parsnips, turnips, tomato….and on and on! The author claims it’s perfect with a crusty bread and cheddar.  I have a feeling this will be my winter staple!

Since the girls and I picked more apples today (Staymans – an heirloom variety) there will be more apple bourbon butter soon, and I grabbed more cranberries so I can try my hand at some cranberry – persimmon preserves, now that I have a tree full of persimmons!

If only I could find some Concord grapes I’d be all set!

 

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What Is It???

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I have a tree in my yard that has been bearing fruit lately.

Actually, it bears fruit every year but usually the squirrels have eaten all of it before we can identify what it is.  I have a hunch that it’s a persimmon tree, but this is the first year I’ve been able to see the fruit turning orange, so I am more confident than I was before.

However, since I am no expert in identifying trees and plants and whatnot in the wild, I am opening it to all of ou who may have more experience.

Most of the fruit is higher up in the tree (and I am not climbing it unless they really are persimmons, and therefor worth it) and as you can see from the leaves in the first photo, there is some sort of fungus or blight going on.

What say you?  Persimmons? Shall I harvest them?  Do I harvest them now and let them ripen indoors, or wait for them to turn orange?

I’ve never eaten a persimmon before, though I have lots of recipes for preserving them.

Fingers crossed.

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Montpelier Fiber Festival (Sort of)

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Caroline called me up Sunday morning and invited me to the local(ish) fiber festival that was taking place this weekend.  I had been on the fence about going since we’d done Old Farm Day on Saturday and I really didn’t have the cash to be going to a FIBER festival, but I scraped together what I could and we went for it!  Besides, how can you say no to Caroline?  I love hanging with her.

The weather was very fall – like: overcast and chilly.  Perfect for looking at all things wool.

We watched the sheepdog trials for a bit and hit the sheep tent.  We both got plenty of photos of the animals in there, and then promptly forgot we had cameras.  When you’re focused on wool, well.

We made a point to check in on our friend Anna at her vendor station.  I wish I had gotten some pics there, but you’ll simply have to take my word for it that she has beautiful pottery and woven things.  In fact, I’ve linked her website to her name.  Check it out, y’all (she’s the one that did the awesome Juniper Moon Farm mugs and yarn bowls).

Caroline picked out some lovely hand – dyed yarn from Knitting Notions (who I am thrilled has an online store, so I can order from them in the future), and I got some sportweight Superfine Alpaca (actually I bought one hank & Caroline bought me the other – how awesome is she?)  from Delly’s Delights.  I’ll be going back to them again as well.

I really had a great time with Caroline.  I am hoping like mad I can snag her and take her to Rhinebeck next year.  I can’t think of a better travel companion for such an adventure (though all of you Rhinebeck buddies from last year certainly come to mind as well!!)

Anyway, enjoy the only two decent photos I managed to get from the day.  One of an Icelandic who was too hilariously like Feenat to pass up and a Cottswald that looked a lot like Ernie.

Enjoy!

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Old Farm Day

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Our very rural county does not have a county fair.  We barely have a supermarket.  Very little excitement happens here (unless you count the various animal escapes or occasional tornadoes and forest fires).  However, the first Saturday of every October we have our county fair equivalent: Old Farm Day.

The basic idea is a showcasing of livestock and antique farm equipment from local farms.  But that’s not all.  There’s the local orchard making open kettle apple butter all day.  Pulled pork barbeque and kettle corn.  Square dancing and bluegrass.  Draft horse plowing demonstrations, animal sound contests, beekeepers with honey and mechanical bull riding.  And tractors on display.  Lots and lots of old tractors.

This year we met up with Zac and Caroline for their first Old Farm Day.  They seemed to enjoy it as much as we do.

I will say that there seemed to be less animals this year, and there was no one doing any spinning or basket weaving demonstrations.  Otherwise it was quite lovely, and I would have stayed until the bitter end had we not had things to do back home, and small children hanging off us and asking to buy everything in sight.

LOVE this old chicken coop!

11 Ton steam engine built in 1921 to power plows or mill machinery.

The location is beautiful – it’s one of the oldest former plantations in the county.

Waiting for the kids’ “Tater Hunt” to begin.

“How can we get this thing home without anyone noticing???”

Neve & Oona’s “Tater” haul.  You get to keep what your kid grabs out of the ground!

That’s a “Large” size kettle corn.  Paul might have bought an extra – large, had they offered it.

Oona and Neve each lasted (barely) 10 seconds on the mechanical bull this year.

We left happy and satisfied with our Old Farm Day experience, and look forward to next year!

PS – plan your 2012  Juniper Moon Farm Farm-Stay experience accordingly!

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Cute Place Holder

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I’ve been feeling increasingly crummy the past few days and woke up today with a full – blown head cold.  So although there is stuff going on (pies! knitting! school!) I am too tired to upload pics and share just yet.

For now, enjoy these sweet pictures I took last week at the farm of Caroline and one of my new babies (I’m pretty sure it’s Adelaide – she’s a tad curlier than Sophie.  Or it may be the other way around.  I’ll have to ask Caroline what I decided. My brain’s toast).

Also – how awesome is that hand-knit sweater vest she’s wearing?  She’s mad talented. 

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An Apple A Day

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After our yearly apple – picking outing yesterday we should certainly have an apple a day for quite awhile!

Although we try to make it out to pick every fruit of the season – cherries, strawberries, peaches – our favorite “not to be missed” fruit to pick is apples.  It’s something to do with the changing of the leaves and the weather and how we look forward to months of apple pies, apple sauce, apple butter and more.

This weekend was perfect because there was a definite chill in the air and it was over cast – very fall – like.

Three types of apples were ready to pick: Jonagold, Golden Delicious, and Red Delicious.  I’ll admit – none of these are my favorite.  But, I’ll head back in a few weeks when the Winesaps are ready and pick my own little stash.

The orchard was pretty crowded and the air was full of the scent of fresh cider donuts and the sound of apples falling to the ground.  There were lots of fallen apples.

I know the people that run the orchard go through and collect these later for some use (cider?  dunno) but seeing them all there made me wish I could collect a bunch to take to my goats and llama – they love apples!  I also imagine that the pigs over at Juniper Moon Farm would be equally happy to have them.

The orchard we go to every year is on a mountain – top and the views are stunning.  Of course, the day we went was overcast so it had less of the wow – factor.

Oona and Neve wanted to bite into those apples right now but we made them wait until we could go home and wash them.

And of course we went for the donuts – you can’t not get some after smelling them the whole while.

I love the country store there – and I wish my larder looked like this!

The pumpkins were also sorely tempting but we decided it’s still a bit early to be bringing those home.

At the end of our trip we had over 60 lbs of apples to lug home.  I brought a big big over to Caroline and Zac at the farm, but when I got back home and saw just how much was still left I kind of wished I had given them more.  I’ll be spending the next week making every apple concoction you can imagine.  And I assure you we’ll be eating apple sauce all through the cold days of winter.

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Today’s Post Brought To You By Wool

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I finished my Far Away / So Close shawl last week and was waiting for a good day without rain to take pictures of it.

As you can see Emily is still quite fond of modeling knitted goods.  Fortunately she’s actually good at it.

When I bought the yarn back at Rhinebeck I was in love with the fall colors in it – all of my favorites.  But then, while I was knitting with it I was afraid it looked a bit too much like an old couch my parents had in the 70’s.

However, once I blocked it I feel in love all over again.  I love how perfect this is for throwing on on a nice crisp autumn evening.

The colorway is  Spices and it’s from Maple Creek Farm yarn.  I would love to buy more of their yarn but their website seems to be non-functional and I can’t find any on the internet.  I should have bought some back at Maryland Sheep & Wool this spring.

Either way this was an easy and enjoyable knit and I will certainly be making plenty more.

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Meet the New Babies!!!

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I got a late birthday surprise (it was yesterday) when Caroline called me this morning to say that Milkshakes had her babies this morning!

We now have two little Angora – cross doelings! We’ve decided to give them the names that Milkshakes’ last litter would have had if they hadn’t been boys.  So without further ado, meet Sophie and Adelaide!

I can’t even tell you how smitten I am with these little girls.  They look SO much like their papa!  I can’t believe how curly they are.

Look at those big airplane ears!

Couldn’t you just nuzzle and kiss that little mouth???

Milkshakes is a great mommy and you couldn’t ask for better shepherds to care for the little family than Zac & Caroline.

This is the BEST belated birthday gift ever!

Edited to add: Watch them on Lambcam!

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Nanny Milkshakes

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Last fall we decided not to breed Milkshakes again since we were running out of space.

Then, early this year we moved all of our big animals over to Juniper Moon Farm to stay while we tried to figure out how on earth we were going to keep managing our livestock.

That’s how Milkshakes met Jack.

Jack is the resident Angora buck at JMF.  And sometime this past spring, well.  You know.

My sweet little Nanny goat is looking rather large.  We’re going to start keeping a good eye on her now because we don’t know exactly when she was bred but by all guesses she should be having babies around the end of this month, if not sooner.

Fall babies will be very cute, and they should be all sproingy by Fall Shearing.  There’s not a lot cuter in this world than lambs and goat kids sproinging.

I’m excited to be growing my flock (though honestly I’d rather be growing myself a sheep flock), and I am hoping that we get girls this time around.  I’m not holding my breath; this spring all of Jack’s babies at JMF turned out to be boys.

Fingers are crossed anyway.