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| If you have been following…you are well aware of our endeavor to dismantle, move piece by piece, then re-assemble an old barn…why are we doing it? It makes us tired, sweaty and sometimes cranky; my nails are chipped and dirty, hands becoming calloused ( I am certain these are not concerns of husband, I can assure you)…perhaps it is a great sense of satisfaction…to work so hard for something we want and our animals need, perhaps its a bit of stubborn persistence knowing you have to do whatever it takes…it gives us a deep feeling of strength and satisfaction. Knowing it will keep out winter’s biting winds and hip deep snow ~ keeps me moving forward. |
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| We harvest more than boards and veggies…I have been hand carding KatDoll’s fiber…so silky and soft. ps I added her photo above… |
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| Llama fiber is fairly simple to harvest; shear the llama and skirt the fleece as you go. Skirting a fleece involves removing any second cuts (little pieces) and the coarse belly hair; then card the fiber. Carding separates the fibers and aligns them in the same direction so spinning is easier. You can use hand carders as above, or a drum carder. Hand carders look like big dog (or llama) slicker brushes. You put fiber on the end of one of the carders and gently brush the fiber between the two carders so it is separated. |
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| Once you have the fiber carded, there are many things that it can be used for…spinning, felting …any creative thoughts??? |
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| There is another benefit to all of our physical labor….this old,wet hay had to be removed as we took the barn apart….All that weight lifting, bending, and stretching, while leaving us sore the next day..it’s great exercise…ok, so I’m rationalizing a bit! |
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| oh, the possibilities…. |
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| Radishes anyone? My ducks have been keeping the slug population at bay…and they are adorable while they “work”. |
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| Hope you can spend some time this summer tending and reaping the benefits of your harvest…what ever that may mean to you…
Be Well, I apologize profusely for the inability to see your comments and reply to them; Thank you so much for stopping by my little corner of the world! |
