Spending Birthday "Mad" Money

Today I spent the "mad" money my Dad gave me for my birthday. I bought nine CVM/Romeldale sheep--five breeding age ewes, a breeding ram, two ram lambs and a ewe lamb. These will be a nice complement to my karakul flock. See my page on CVM/Romeldale sheep for more information.

Five of the sheep still had tails! It was easy enough to band the lambs' tails but the yearling ewes' tails will have to wait until they are sheared in February/March of 2013.

I imagine my mother will look like this when she reads this and learns that I increased my sheep flock by 50%:

Same face she made when we looked at the carder!

Here are the sheep I bought:

"Fuzz Ball," a three year old ram originally from the White Barn Farm. Yes, that's his registered name!

"Belinda," ewe with two ram lambs. Belinda was bred by Winterwind Farms.

A yearling ewe and one of the lambs

The ewes and lambs

Skidding the Feed Box Along

Yesterday, we installed skids under the scotch feed box for the carder in preparation of moving it. 

Highly scientific method for getting the height of an object. Its going to be a tight squeeze to get this feed box through the shed door.

Another tight working space. Again, I offered to crawl back there but Dad wanted to do it.

Here's the box on skids and moved into a loading position.  

The box won't be moved to the farm until after September 15 when the shed is supposed to be absolutely clean (from its current tenant).

Third and Final Piece of the Picker Moved

Today was by far the easiest moving day yet. We started late--1:00--and moved one "small" thing--the last piece to the picker. 

The "Vortex" loaded and ready to head for home

This will be our last moving for quite awhile. The carder and the other feed box will not be moved until the shed they are moving to is cleaned out.

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In other news, I finally got the tire fixed for my car--it needed a valve stem. $5! Can't beat that price (and that included the labor). Now I can drive anywhere!

I am going to sit back, enjoy some jalapeno poppers and leinies creamy dark beer. Yum!

Scotch Feed Box Moved!

Another day moving. Today we only moved one item but it was a monster! The scotch feed box for the picker was very awkward to maneuver onto skids and then onto the trailer. 

Today's target--the scotch feeder box for the picker. This machine can take a few hundred pounds of wool, measure it out and place it on the conveyor for the picker in such a way that the picker does not become overloaded or jammed.

Honest, I offered to crawl around on the floor but Dad wanted to do it

The box was so close to the wall that it made jacking up one side very awkward. We finally managed to get skids under both sides. 

And, once again, I'm operating the winch and the camera while Harlan and Dad place rollers under the skids.

Success! Loaded on the trailer. All we need to do is tie it down every which way and off we go.

With the successful move of this scotch box, we have one piece of the picker left to move along with another scotch box that feeds the carder, followed by the carder itself. I can't believe how quickly we've moved these things! I thought this would take much, much longer. But thanks to Dad, Harlan and Ogden, the moves have gone very smoothly.

Raw Wool Wanted

I'm looking for about 500 pounds of clean, raw wool to use in test driving and calibrating the carder. If you have any you would like to sell (or donate) very cheaply (as in commercial wool price, not handspinning price), let me know. Wool should be professionally sheared, free of tags, mats, and belly wool, low in vegetation and have a staple length of 2.5" to 6".

Another productive day moving motors, another piece of the picker and the roving attachment. Today we were joined by Ogden and his tractor to help load. These three phase motors are extremely heavy!

Additionally, my crabapple jelly set up nicely overnight--not syrup anymore.

Ogden carrying a motor to the trailer with his tractor

I sure hope we remember where all these motors go!

Dad and Harlan guiding the picker's blower toward the trailer

The blower being set on the trailer

It may not look like it but this is a very heavy load of equipment

When we finished loading and tying down everything, Ogden, Dad and I stopped at Pine Brook Inn for a well deserved lunch (and tasty, too).

Dad and I then unloaded the trailer at home with gravity as our best friend. We are very fortunate that the trailer tips up!

Crabapple Jelly/Syrup and Moving the Picker

Today was a quiet day at home. I attempted to make crabapple jelly from my Grandmother's fruit. I think I ended up with syrup.

Yesterday was a very productive day in mill history. We managed to move the conveyor to the carder, half of the picker, and the batt roller. Harlan, the former owner of the mill, continues to be a big help!

Here's the batt roller that Harlan made situated at the rear of the carder. 

The picker was bolted to the concrete floor. Harlan (former mill owner) is cutting off the bolts.

Here's Dad jacking up the picker so that we can put skids under it.

Still jacking up the picker with Harlan.

Dad and Harlan putting rollers under the skids as we winch the picker toward the trailer. I'm operating the winch (and the camera).

Success! The picker and the batt roller made it home!