The Big E - 2014

Hurray!

We had another enjoyable time at the Big E in West Springfield, Massachusetts. This year we took ten sheep and had a lot of success!

• In the ram show we had the second yearling ram and the second senior ram lamb. 
• Our pair of ram lambs were second.
•  The first place junior ram lamb, which was also the reserve champion, was out of a ZNK ram Barbara Thompson had purchased from us.
• We won first and second in the yearling ewe class and second and third in the senior ewe lamb class.
• The yearlings won the pair of yearling ewes and the lambs were second in the pair of lambs class.
• We had champion and reserve champion ewes.
• We won Breeder and Exhibitor Flocks, Get of Sire, Best Fleece, and Best Headed female.
• To top it all off, we won Premier Breeder and Exhibitor.
• In the final all-breeds fleece competition, we were pulled out in the top four.

Of course, the Big E is not all work and showing sheep. We had a great time reconnecting with other sheep breeders from all over. We especially enjoyed hanging out with Lydia and Hannah Smith from Vermont. 

            

Best Headed Ewe

Reserve Champion Yearling

            

Breeder and Exhibitor Flock

Champion Yearling and Best Fleece

See you at the NAILE in November in Louisville!

NAILE 2013

Success in Louisville!

Our luck in the show ring this year continued at the NAILE in Louisville. In the Natural Color Border Leicester ewe show we had the first place yearling ewe, first place senior ewe lamb, and second place junior ewe lamb. The senior ewe lamb was also Champion Ewe and Best Fleece. 

We also won all three pair classes and flock, which was undefeated this year.

We have had a lot of help showing the sheep throughout the year . We'd like to thank Brian Larson, Emma Hopkins, Colin and Artie Siegmund, Don Drummond, Jill Morton, David Freds, Tyler Myers, and Alisun Watson.

 We'd like to wish ewe Happy Holidays!

ZNK Fall Update, 2012

Michigan Fiber Festival, August 18-19, Allegan, Michigan

We made our annual trip to Allegan for our favorite sheep and fiber show.  We took 7 natural-colored Border Leicesters and felt pretty successful with the results. We had Reserve Champion ewe and won Premier Breeder in the Long Colored Wool show. Not only did the show go well, but we were happy to see friends from previous shows. Everyone is so nice. Sadly, one of our favorite restaurants, London Grill in Plainwell, closed soon after we ate there with friends Brian and Jennifer Larson. In the meantime, we have found Salt of the Earth in Fennville, an excellent place to eat with our friends Janet and Tim Thieme who live in Kalamazoo. And we made new friends like Susan Munson from Fennville who loved a fleece on one of our ewes and put in an order for it. We look forward to returning to Allegan in August, 2013!

Ohio State Fair, 2012

We didn't show at the Ohio State Fair this year, but one of our white ram lambs made an appearance. He was the Grand Champion white long wool ram. Here he is being shown by his new owner Travis Johnson.

The Big E, Sept. 23, West Springfield, Mass.

Yes, we returned to the Big E in West Springfield, Massachusetts, this year. We enjoyed the venue - even camping in the parking lot in our little camper - so much the previous year, we decided to give it another shot. We took 6 natural-colored Border Leicesters and came home satisfied. We had four firsts, four seconds, one third, two fourths, and one fifth...all placing in the upper half of each class. We were just one point behind the premier breeder award...not bad! We also came home with a new ram, trading our first place ram for Emma Morton's reserve champion ram. Of course, the food is great at the Big E where there are places to eat in each of the replica state houses for six New England states and the Storrowtown Tavern (lobster bisque, crab cakes, and so on). And you can't top the home cooking at the potluck following the show! There is really no reason to leave the fairgrounds.

Jerry with first place early spring ram lamb.

NAILE, November 14, Louisville

While one of us took off for a week in Florida (Dena), the other (Jerry) headed for Louisville with 7 natural-colored border leicesters. We did well, coming home with two silver julep cups, reserve champion ewe and reserve champion ram. Also, another white ram sold to Callie Taylor of Pennsylvania won its class and was reserve champion in the junior show.

And so...we've had a good year. We've met some wonderful people along the way, had success showing the sheep and fleeces, and improved our flock. We look forward to 2013 and a new crop of lambs. 

Lambing Time!

Things have been busy in the barn. Still waiting for the last ewe to deliver, but 18 lambs running around so far!

I've been 'baad'

How did September get here already! I guess summer was pretty busy, and I am really terrible (baad) at keeping up with this blog. I vow to do better! Maybe if I ever get more followers, I will be more inspired. Well, here is an update on summer:

1. I survived the one-day lavender festival. It was a beautiful day in Champaign County, and I was lucky enough to have a view of the lavender fields all day. I didn't sell a lot, but I still made more than I usually do at the winter market. Not a great time of year to be selling wool products!

2. We spent the weekend of the fourth in Missouri with Zac, Rebecca, and Lucia - I presented Lu with her July hat, a red, white and blue beret for celebrating Bastille Day.

3. I started teaching a class at Wright State at the end of July, while Jerry prepared sheep for the Ohio State Fair.

4. We showed the white border leicesters - 1 ewe lamb and 1 ram lamb on Sunday, August 2nd. The ram lamb was third in his class, and the ewe lamb was first in her class and reserve champion overall. On Tuesday Jerry showed Othello and Sporty Spice (black yearlings) in the natural-color show. Each received first in the long-wool division.

5. Mid-August was the Michigan Fiber Festival in Allegan. I headed north with Eileen and Ruthann for 3 days of spinning workshops before Jerry came on Friday with 6 head. Othello was the champion natural color long-wool ram. The ram lambs were first and second in their class and also won first as a pair of lambs. I also got a first place for a skein of yarn, which made me feel like I must be doing something right.

6. Lucia received her August hat - an OSU football helmet.

That brings us to September. This weekend is Labor Day and I will have a booth at the annual West Liberty Lions Park Festival. Hope to see you there!