Last year, we sold off some of our fiber animals to make room for new ones. Perhaps that sounds a little odd, but basically, we carefully evaluated the animals we had to consider the needs we had for fiber and lamb sales. And by all accounts, we made some really good choices. In fact, I plan to retain all but one of our lambs this year. One of the ram lambs is going to a friend’s to be a stud boy! Can’t be happier with that. And the remaining lambs are all so beautiful and just the right types and colors of wool for our needs.
However, with just a pair of Angora goats, our supply of mohair fleece ran out so fast! And it’s nearly triple the value of the Shetlands and other sheep. So it made very good sense to consider adding more Angoras to our herd. A good friend, Jess, she breeds and has a lovely herd of goats and through some trading and services and such, we struck a deal for a lovely pair of goats! Colored Angoras! A pale brown and a pale gray!
Jess brought them over in her truck and we introduced them one at a time to the flock. Surprisingly, the sheep were not interested. They watched from afar, but it was like they knew those horned things were not their kind and they just were not going to get into the fray. Now, Buttercup? She knew right away that she had to act quickly and defend her crown as Queen of Windhaven. And she got right to it!
The first goat is a doe named officially Hersey. However, her nickname is Lefty because her left horn is stunted and growing a little weirdly. Left and Buttercup were right away into the breech, working out who was who. We were waiting to see who might emerge as the herd queen because Lefty was a bit of a bully at the old homeplace! But then she also was part of a pack of mean girls and now, being a single, things might be a little different. And they were. Buttercup is the diva queen supreme here and she bristled up her back hair and was relentless. Just in her face and head butting, never giving her a moment to look around. Rana and Refeka were just curious, they already know their place in the herd!
As soon as Lefty gave in and lowered her head and her gaze, Buttercup walked away triumphantly and gave her some release to look around and meet the other inmates. It was so cool to watch the interactions take place. She has such beautiful fiber, I can’t wait to spin some in the fall!
Now, this is Sam. Uncle Sam. He is a fixed boy and just as pretty as could be! I love his handsome face! He is one pretty boy. He was not too thrilled about being in the truck or being away from his old home, and he was being a little stubborn! But we managed to get him out and back to the paddock. Poor Buttercup! Another suitor? Another goat to have to subdue and make her minion? She went right to work! 
Pretty quick, Sam figured out who was the head diva queen. He tried a little head butting, but then Buttercup just reached over and bit his ear. She does that all the time. I think it’s a bit of long ear envy on her part. Or perhaps she just knows that it’s a tender spot. But pretty quickly she had him crying “uncle” and he lowered his head and gave in to her rank.
I think this picture above is so funny! Buttercup is walking away triumphantly, with her boy Rafeka at her side. I can just hear him babbling about the newcomers and how they are evil and mean and not to trust them! Just like a good snidely henchman should be!
But then Rafeka had to go and make friends with Jess. He loves her! Haha… he was just her best buddy and she knew all the good spots to make him just melt. He is such a big love baby!
Very quickly, Sam and Lefty were accepted into the flock and were out grazing and then sharing a bale of hay with the sheep people. All is good in Windhaven. They really did settle in nicely. Jess did a great job of picking just the right temperament of goat to work with our needs! She rocks!
Now, we’ve been asked a couple times already, do we plan to breed Angoras. Well, right now, now. We haven’t had the best of luck with breeding goats. They just seem to be harder! Problems with delivery, problems with baby rejection and such. What is nice is leaving that to the breeders and just getting young adult animals without any difficulties! Maybe someday, but right now, no, not on the schedule. Besides, we don’t have an Angora buck! Maybe someday!
A photo op with Henrick, one of our Icelandic bottle lambs! They are growing like weeds! Doing very well, so happy! They are so cute…
Jess is a weaver and she sold me my first big rug loom and taught me how to get going again! So she brought me some weaving goodies! How exciting. A box of funky colored fingerless glove scraps to cut into rug weft and then a whole big batch of thin yarns on spools for finer weaving! Can’t wait to play with it all!
Luna was hanging out, napping on the loom! Bad kitty! I try and discourage that because they leave little kitty butt imprints in the rugs! She got shooed off right away! Goof ball!
We hung out for a while, chatting and talking goat and weaving shop! Isn’t it delightful when you have friends in the same things you like to do? I think it’s lovely. And she lives about an hour and a half from me, so we talk a lot online, but don’t always get a chance to get together, so this was a treat! We went out for lunch and then hit a couple garage sales on the way back! I got a neat chime clock for $7 and the best deal? A brand new dehydrator for $2!! Yes, two dollars!!! I can’t wait to give that baby a spin! It looks brand new. The lady said she didn’t think it was every used. Well, I can’t wait to give it a spin! I love apple chips! And veggies… and oh boy!
What a lovely day! New goats, some weaving treats and lunch with a friend and garage saling! Just about a perfect day, let me tell you!
And I found some lovely hand wovens for just $3!!! I think they are from that lady that wove in our area! Some of the same looking patterns and such that she liked to do! How exciting. I wish I could learn more about her. I’d love to know her name and such… Maybe some day!
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