Martha's Vineyard Fiber Farm

There are two really great things about August.

Logan and Harry

Although they usually look more like this.

Logan and Harry are Patrick's boys. They spend every weekend with their Dad at our house in New York and the whole month of August with us on the Vineyard. I love having them here because they are hilarious and sweet and really interesting to talk to.

Logan is 10 and Harry is 16 which means that they spend approximately every waking moment eating. So I am going to the grocery store every single day. Sometimes twice a day. You know I must be crazy about them because more work I do not need.

In between trips to the store we have managed to do some much needed sheep and goat care. Every six weeks of so, we need to deworm the sheep and goats and trim their hooves. Additionally the goats have to be deloused. Since we have two flocks- the bucks and rams at Tisbury Meadows and the ewes, does and all the babies at Felix Neck- so we do one flock every three weeks, more or less.

We had lots of help this weekend, cause in addition to Harry and Logan, our friend Erin was staying with us. All the extra hands made it so much easier that what usually takes us two days was finished in a couple of hours.

The hardest part is catching each animal. Even the last year's bottle babies who are basically house pets can't stand having their hooves trimmed. Poor Patrick is tasked with catching each buck and ram and flipping them over so we can get to work.

Patrick is trimming FDR's hooves.

We've been looking for an alternative to the petroleum-based chemical that is used to control lice on the Angora goats. I recently read about a farm that is using food grade diatomaceous earth on their goats so we decided to give it a try. I am dusting the goats with it in these pictures.



We had one hilarious moment when Ernie, our 300 + pound wether fell on Patrick.

Well, it was funny to me. So funny that I had trouble helping to get him off because I was laughing so hard. Patick didn't see the humor until later.


After spending several hours in the blazing sun we cooled off with a dip in a friend's pond. The boys can't get enough of that rope swing.

I have all kinds of good news for you. First of all, we have hired our first apprentice! Erin O' Donnell is going to be moving to the Island the first week in September and working with us full-time. This is super-exciting for us.

A little background- Like a lot of people, Erin emailed me when the Wall Street Journal article came out in April to tell me that I was living her dream. Unlike a lot of people, Erin really wanted to learn about sheep and offered to come over from Boston and help out the animals on weekends. And then she did. Which impressed the hell out of me.

The first thing I noticed about this woman is that she is not afraid of hard work. She wasn't put off by the day-to-day fence moving, water carrying and bale toting that I do. In fact, after spending a day with me and waking up sore the next day, Erin went home and started lifting weights. You gotta love this girl!

Erin is going to be a huge help around the farm and she will free me up to take care of some of the little details that are currently slipping through the cracks. She will start will a trial by fire the last week in August when Patrick, the boys and I are going on a trip to Lake Tahoe.

For those of you that have been following my Aunt Shirley and Uncle Jan's story I have an update. Jan has finished his rehab at the Shepherd Center in Atlanta and they will be heading home to Virginia next week. He received his new wheelchair- paid for through the generosity of all of you- and you can see him in it in the picture below. Sorry it's so small. 

The additional $5000 we raised above and beyond what was needed to cover the copay on Jan's wheelchair was used to a Hoyer Lifter that Shirley will need to lift Jan from the bed into his chair. My Aunt emailed me that they are very grateful for all of your donations, prayers and kind words.

I'm doing a great giveaway tomorrow, so be sure and check back here for details.

XO,

Susan