The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Community => Introduce yourself => Topic started by: fleeced on May 25, 2011, 09:33:07 pm
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:wave:
Hi...Ive been lurking on the forum for a while so thought it was high time I joined up!
I live in Yorkshire, with a band of beasts. two horses, two ponies, sheep, hens + bantams, and ducks, try to grow as much veg as I have time for, and spend any remaining time knitting/spinning/weaving/sewing etc!
So, hello to all :)
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hi from neighbouring derbyshire
:wave:
Mx
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Hi from Central Scotland - where it is cold and wet! At least we've got rid of that cloud! ::)
Just ducks adn hens, dogs and a cat here. I try to grow veg and the fruit grows in spite of me ;D
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Hi from t'other side of the country - north Cumbria. We're commercial sheep and beef farmers and I think of myself as a closet smallholder on the side - Fell ponies (he has Dales), Jersey house cow, pig(s), choox, no more ducks till I'm sure that damned mink is gone. No time for gardening, plus between escaping cattle, orphan lambs, the odd escaped piglet, I'm pretty sure anything I put effort into would only get trashed and make me cross!
Welcome :wave:
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Hi & welcome from North Yorkshire. :wave:
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Hi and thanks for all the kind welcomes from everyone!
Sallyintnorth, my Great Grandfather used to keep and breed fell ponies, they are a lovely breed!
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Sallyintnorth, my Great Grandfather used to keep and breed fell ponies, they are a lovely breed!
;D ;D
What prefix did he have, do you know?
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HI welcome from Brittany, spinning and weaving are becoming popular pass times amongst the expats here.
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Sallyintnorth, my Great Grandfather used to keep and breed fell ponies, they are a lovely breed!
;D ;D
What prefix did he have, do you know?
I dont know.....I'll see if I can find out!
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Hello and welcome fleeced, from southern Scotland :wave: We keep Hebridean and Soay sheep, and still have fleeces from other breeds waiting to be processed, Scots Grey and some hybrid hens and I spin and knit. I have a couple of looms one large one small waiting to start making floor rugs. Oh and of course the veggie garden and polytunnel.
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Hello Fleecewife! Do you process your fleeces yourselves? I still have fleece from last year that hasnt been washed yet, having the time and the weather never seems to coincide! I sent some fleeces for professional scouring and carding a few years ago and that was brilliant, but I still havent spun it all yet...
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Sallyintnorth, my Great Grandfather used to keep and breed fell ponies, they are a lovely breed!
;D ;D
What prefix did he have, do you know?
Hello, fleeced and welcome from humid Carnoustie :wave:
I have a Fell pony here - not mine but lives here. She's called Tarnbeck Sheba, she's 23 and lovely.
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I have a Fell pony here - not mine but lives here. She's called Tarnbeck Sheba, she's 23 and lovely.
She's on the Tarnbeck website - http://www.tarnbeckfellponies.co.uk/sheba.php (http://www.tarnbeckfellponies.co.uk/sheba.php) (She's on their website home page too.) What a beauty.
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Hi Fleeced
I usually manage to wash about a dozen fleeces each year, but like you this time I haven't managed to spin all of last years yet. Still, they last for ages once washed. I dry mine on jumper dryers laid on top of the clothes airer in my boiler room - waiting for the weather to dry them outdoors doesn't work ::) :D. I have sent some off to be carded but wasn't happy with the result - too many noils (shetland fleece). Who did you send yours to? I might try again if you recommend them as I have quite a backlog. I also get some spun up into knitting yarn, both for sale and for me to knit, by the Natural Fibre Co.
We are still waiting for the rain to stop here so we can start shearing this year..... :sheep:
Hello Fleecewife! Do you process your fleeces yourselves? I still have fleece from last year that hasnt been washed yet, having the time and the weather never seems to coincide! I sent some fleeces for professional scouring and carding a few years ago and that was brilliant, but I still havent spun it all yet...
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She's on the Tarnbeck website - http://www.tarnbeckfellponies.co.uk/sheba.php (http://www.tarnbeckfellponies.co.uk/sheba.php) (She's on their website home page too.) What a beauty.
I know. She's had five foals, but is too old to breed from now. Pity, as AengusOg has a lovely Fell colt.
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Hi Fleecewife! Hope it stops raining for you to get shearing. My ewes had their haircuts today, so another bag of fleece is awaiting attention! Ive sent wool for scouring/carding to Norweft, and Natural Fibre company and been pleased with both, although I met a chap at Wonderwool wales this year who processes fleece from as little as one fleece upwards, and you can have it back tagged with the ID of the sheep that it came from, so each fleece can be done separate rather than all mixed which is good if you have different breeds. I cant remember the name off the top of my head but can let you know! :sheep:
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Hi Fleecewife! Hope it stops raining for you to get shearing. My ewes had their haircuts today, so another bag of fleece is awaiting attention! Ive sent wool for scouring/carding to Norweft, and Natural Fibre company and been pleased with both, although I met a chap at Wonderwool wales this year who processes fleece from as little as one fleece upwards, and you can have it back tagged with the ID of the sheep that it came from, so each fleece can be done separate rather than all mixed which is good if you have different breeds. I cant remember the name off the top of my head but can let you know! :sheep:
Was it maybe Diamond Fibres? Haven't heard of Norweft - where are they? How do the prices compare? I feel I should do all of mine by hand as I have a drum carder, but I never seem to keep up. For the shearing, we just do a few each dry day - 56 to do, so it takes a few weeks, but done that way I get a chance to sort each fleece as it comes off and choose which to wash myself, which to go for hand spinning and which to send off for knitting yarn. I have also had blankets/throws done - we really love them, especially the Hebridean one which saves our lives every winter, being so warm but light. I am really looking forward to having this years fleeces - I've been eyeing up my ewes and deciding which to spin :love: What are you planning for your new bag of fleeces?
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Fleecewife, it was Griffiths Mill in Derbyshire that I met at Wonderwool, just found the leaflet! NorWeft are in Wales, similar prices to natural fibre if I remember but it was a few years back now, Griffiths seemed a tad cheaper but Ive not tried them yet! Your blankets/throws sound lovely. Im planning a jumper for myself from some of the fleece, maybe something cabled, the rest Im not sure, into the (overflowing) stash of fibre I imagine! I too have a drum carder, but am considering wool combs, they look quite effective.
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Hi fleeced. I've never tried wool combs but I don't spin Worstead. The combs look so huge and lethal ;D If you get some I'd love to hear how you get on.
There is another mill recently set up which I have had good reports of - Halifax, not as in the town but as in the bomber plane. It's not too far off my route south when I visit England so I might drop some fleece off there and have a nosey. I have such a backlog of fleece to process that I could probably send some to each mill and do a comparison, but I don't think the Piggy Bank could take it ;D
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Yes I heard of Halifax mill, at Goole isnt it? (I was over that way today actually) I emailed them about prices but never heard back..Yup its not cheap sending it away but sometimes needs must!