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!