Merry Christmas to all!!!!

Last week we took a wirebrush to these old sleds and then spray painted them to give them new life as Christmas decorations for our families in New Hampshire. This is decluttering and reinventing all in one! Have a very Merry Christmas from Simple Gifts Farm to you!!!

November Farm Day--Great Group!!!

Well just couldn't pass up a few good weather days, so added two more farm days!!! Ray and I loved this day as these brave souls trooped around in mud to enjoy our flocks!!! We set up store in our Yarn Loft and we send a great big THANK YOU for supporting our small farm! Happy Thanksgiving!! We here at Simple Gifts Farm (sheep, alpaca, llama, pony, dog and Ray & Marti) have soooo much to be thankful for! Sharing our little farm is at the top of the list this fall!!

Thanks for a great fall on the farm!!!

We have had a great month of October at Simple Gifts Farm. Thank you all for the support and interest you show on Farm Days! Going to hibernate for a few months and spin up some beautiful yarns!!!

October Farm Dates!

Sunday, October 4th and Sunday, October 25th will be Open Farm Days weather permitting from 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM. We will have spinning and needle felting demonstrations. Check out our beautiful hand spun and hand dyed yarns. We have patterns and knitting kits too! Holidays are just around the corner so plan your farm visit and pick up some yarn to make your gifts!

Sunday, October 25th, Ray will show and tell about our animals. Today the animals had their annual examinations by our large animal vet, Sarah. Sassie, our llama, was sheared! Wait until you see how pretty she looks! When our grandson Nathan was 7 years old he designed the needlefelted sheep you see in the picture. We have made up some kits and I will demo how to needlefelt from Nathan's design! Hope you can make one of the two dates we are open!!

Alpaca Days!!! Hobby Farm Days!!!

We will be open weather permitting September 26th and September 27th from 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Gov. Jodi Rell has proclaimed Saturday, National Alpaca Day in Connecticut. Come and celebrate these wonderful animals with us!!! Stop by for a quick visit or bring some knitting and hang out. My Big Button Alpaca Shawl is made from our alpacas. The Alpaca Shawl Kit will be available for purchase along with a selection of yarns etc. Wanted you all to see the Big Button Alpaca Shawl and the Big Pumpkin we grew in the alpaca p--p pile!!! We only harvested the two pumpkins you see here but both are splendid!! Don't forget to check back for our October Farm Day dates. Be sure to visit your local small farm this fall (I have a list of farms open for you when you come by). Fall is in full swing here at Simple Gifts Farm!!!

Farm Days Are Here!

Don't you love all these new natural fiber projects? Finished the woven ruana. Made some beautiful alpaca pillows. Spun up some two tone natural wool and knitted the vest for someone special in our family. Am now working on an off-white alpaca scarf/shawl with big buttons. Never run out of ideas for our beautiful fiber--- or stories about the animals--- or Ray! We hope to see you this September and October weather permitting! Check blog for upcoming dates!

Peach Harvest!

Although we only have one peach tree, it is very good to us! Made (3) peach cobblers, (1) gallon of peach ice cream, (1) peach pie and (2) batches of peach jam! For awhile I was dreaming of peaches!! Small jars of peach jam and raspberry jam will be available at our farm days.

Our Beautiful Farm!

Just could not resist showing you how beautiful it is here in summer! This is the photo I like to look at when the snow flies and remember.....

Thinking of you!

So often you are in my thoughts as we bale hay, shear, spin, dye yarn and create new designs. Now with a little patience I am beginning to learn how to share these activites with you. This was an experiment overdyeing gray wool. It came out more colorful than I could imagine!

Shearing Time!

Lin is being sheared. He is a heavy one. Ray sits him against his knee for leverage. His fiber is abundant for a babydoll southdown. This year I combined Lin with Tom (our black sheep with brown/grey fiber) as a swirl roving and am now spinning up the lovely multicolor yarn to show you in the future! (note in the cover photo Lin and Tom are in the background)

Updating farm news and projects!

Sassie is our guard llama. We love her and dare anyone to mess with her along the fence line. She will have a nasty surprise in store for you. Did I say we love her? We do but we will wait to shear her when our vet can help us! (7/26/09)

Passions

Passion lives in a pile of soft natural hand spun fiber! Like the birth of a baby! I am able to nurture growth, spin, knit and create designs to foster my spirit! The connection and completion of life slips thru my fingertips. Natural yarn never fails to tweak the imagination!!!

Updates

Remember to save us as a favorite so you can drop in anytime. Some of us have been sheared and some of us are waiting our turn!! (not really)!

Educational day on the farm

Showing the Drop Spindle at our Farm Days. I volunteer at and teach wool processing and spinning from sheep to shawl to 2nd and 5th graders. The old crafts help to ground us!

The "Man" our Huacaya alpaca

This is Man! He is really a boy and our one and only puff ball!!! His fiber is soft and white and a joy to spin!

The Suri

What can I say about Yanni? Curious and silly? Likes the camera! Really, Yanni is a suri alpaca. His coat is like dreamy silk!

The Babydoll Shrug

This Shrug Kit made from our Olde English Babydoll Sheep was a big hit recently at Connecticut Sheep and Wool Festival. Ray made the button. When worn you feel wrapped in love

Yarns to dye for!

Marti's hand dyed and some hand spun yarns. See the stove? Ray installed his Mom's old coal/wood stove and we have been eating gourmet all winter and spring. My favorite meal was shrimp and pasta!

Bandit our beloved pony, the oldest and wisest....

Bandit has been at Simple Gifts Farm the longest. He is the oldest and wisest animal here. If only he could talk! All of our grandchildren love this pony!!

Scooter is our new Border Collie.

Scooter is our new Border Collie. He saved our hearts after we lost Simba a year ago to a heart murmur. How great the love we have in our hearts. Scooter is totally loved and adored!!!