Friday, March 29, 2013

Warm March Day Means Time for Electrical Work

Finally! A day spent with the carder!

Today we worked on wiring.

The motor that runs the carder is three phase so we have a converter that we moved into position today and wired. We also wired the very large air compressor I bought last summer off craigslist and tried that out. We spent the day running a bunch of wire around the shed to various boxes and stapling it in place, connecting it into boxes and to circuit breakers. All around, it was a very productive day, despite not being able to find a single roll of electrical tape.

Meanwhile, the geese were outside enjoying the warm day and the shallow pond in front of the shed.

Tonight should be the night the lambs start arriving.

Adding the air compressor to the main board


Meanwhile the geese enjoy the "pond" outside the shed


This big guy is showing keeping one eye on me and one on his mate


Saturday, March 9, 2013

Shearing Day

Today it was just me, the shearer and 28 wooly sheep waiting to be shorn, vaccinated and wormed.

My faithful helper was at a quilt retreat and refused to leave to help with shearing this spring--I don't know why. My back up helper was having a good time in Wadena. So, just the two of us to do all the work. We managed quite fine.


Before shearing. The CVM/Romeldales are wearing coats to protect their fleeces from vegetation


Jim Peterson, from Wisconsin, shearing a karakul ewe



After shearing, all fleeced out and contentedly munching hay

About 18 of the sheep are ready to lamb starting the end of March.

Wednesday, March 6, 2013

The Mill is Not Forgotten

It's just languishing in the cold and snowy winter we've been having.

Today, I actually looked at it. Gave it a pat. Dad turned the drive wheel a few turns just to see it go (by hand and foot since it is still not wired to electricity).

Spent the morning plowing snow around the yard and sheds in preparation for Saturday's shearing. According to the weather reports, we received about nine inches of snow yesterday. I can well believe it. Very fluffy stuff. I didn't attempt to do the driveway. Since my mishap with tipping the tractor over, I've been hiring someone to plow the driveway.

Dad came over with plans to help move a bunch of mill equipment from its "temporary" storage in the lambing barn up to its permanent home in the "mill" shed. Unfortunately, the sliding door on the mill shed would only open about five feet--not nearly enough to fit most of the equipment through. So, we had to make do in the lambing barn by rearranging the equipment. We shoved and piled and moved and piled and shoved and finally made enough room for a lambing pen.

Wiring is the next phase of mill work but the weather has been very uncooperative. Then, there was that little cog in the plans when I took a permanent (half-time) teaching job that is a bit more than half time for now. But, when the weather warms up, we plan to be back in the shed, wiring, working, and getting 'er done.

Sorry, no pictures today.

But, lambing starts the end of March, so expect to see pictures of lambs when they arrive!