Got to Start somewhere!

Its been a long time since I have written down anything about my story. I sit here scratching my head trying to figure out what I want to say and a plethora of thoughts

flood my mind; I could talk anyone's ear off about my rabbits and sheep.

So here's a quick introduction to my little hobby farm oasis.

I am currently raising 18 English Angoras and two German x English Angora crosses as well as a handful of sheep; but we'll get that in a minute.

I started hand spinning roughly 20 years ago on a little spindle my husband crafted for me. It has only been in the last couple of years that I have had the privilege of spinning on an old Canadian production wheel Patrick purchased for me before we moved to Manitoba. The wheel needed some work so it sat in my basement for a couple of years until recently when my good friend Carol fixed it up for me and got it running. Since then I have acquired an Ashford Traditional Wheel and a Louet.

Ok, with that out of the way, now lets talk sheep and rabbits. First the sheep! my journey into being a shepherdess began with a small flock of 4 Canadian Arcott Sheep; one ram, a whether, and two ewes. I was so excited to get to work with raw wool but truth be told, I didn't know much. Thanks to this little resilient herd and the gentle guidance of friends I have learned how to sheer, trim hooves, give injections, milk and clean and process raw wool. And, I am still as excited today as I was in the beginning of my journey. Like all good adventures, some must come to an end. Our ram was very good at his job and also fairly dangerous to people if anyone went into his pen. So, this year we made the tough decision to sell our herd and try a smaller breed of sheep, a breed that would be easier for me to manage. We considered many different kinds of breeds of sheep and we also looked into alpacas. But in the end I decided on the Icelandic breed. They are a hardy breed with a dual coat; a coarse hair (tog) that envelopes a soft and fine undercoat called phel (thel). Spun together Lopi style creates a somewhat water proof soft but rustic fabric. If spun separately the hair (Tog) may be used to make rope and the finer fluffy fiber (Phel) can be worn next to skin. Icelandic sheep were also used as a milk sheep (which I plan to do), and thirdly as meat (which I will do to improve the quality of the fiber/animal and control herd numbers) - I think I'd like to show them and participate in Canada's campaign for wool agenda. In conclusion, I love being a Shepherdess. I had dreamed of having sheep since I was a young child; God new my dreams and after 40 years and a long journey He blessed me with my own herd.

Sheep were not exactly my first love though; I love rabbits! I got my vary first rabbit when I was 9. Thumper was a big rabbit with a big heart and lots of patience for a 9 year old who carried her around everywhere. Thumper free roamed around our barn and was content to come along on my little adventures. Thumper lived about 10 years before our neighbors dog got loose. Ever since my child hood years I have had a variety of rabbits simply as pets throughout the years. I got into angora rabbits in my 20's when I discovered them at a local fiber festival in Ontario, these rabbits looked like living teddy bears; I had to have one! I came home with Lola, a senior Germain Angora. I only had her for a few years before she passed away but, I knew that someday when my kids were older I would get into breeding them. Life had me busy working my butt off and raising kids; So, long story short, here I am today with 18 English Angora rabbits and two German crosses I acquired and up to my ears gorgeous silky soft fluff.