Great Lakes Fiber Show

This is Tari's display - a part of a double vendor's booth that she, Anne, and I shared.  The show went well.  Saturday was a perfect day, and sales were brisk. Sunday was a little hotter than I'd have liked, but still well attended. I sold most all my BFL dyed yarns, dyed locks, and quite a bit of my new roving.  Its a blend of natural colored BFL, fawn alpaca, red Satin Angora, with some silk pindrafted into it.  Fabulously soft.  Everyone who picked it up this weekend said the same thing;  "oooooooooooooooooo".   I also delivered 7 angora bunnies to new owners. 
Besides the fiber show, I also entered a yearling BFL ram and ewe in the show and sale.  Alex helped me show then.  I ended up going into the ring with the ewe, and though I am sure she was not set up well to show her off to best advantage, she did not jump, buck, get loose and run around the ring, nor did either she or I end up rolling around in the sawdust.  So I think it went quite well.   :^)     She sold in the auction the following day to a new BFL breeder in Illinois, and the ram came back home.  He may be sold to one of the several people who stopped and talked about  BFL over the weekend. 

Alice's Booth at Farm Market

River's Edge Folk Art

Vietnamese Pho Soup (with Lamb)

6 c beef broth or stock

2 inch chunk of ginger, peeled
3/4 tsp anise
1 cinnamon stick
2 sliced green onions
1 lb thin sliced lamb
1 tsp fish sauce
1/2 T kosher salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
package of rice noodles 

Put broth and the meat, green onion, ginger, fish sauce, and spices in a large pan, cover and simmer for 2-3 hours until the meat is fully cooked.   Remove cinnamon stick and ginger chunk.
15 minutes before serving, add the entire package of rice noodles to the pan, allow to heat through and become glasslike.
Serve in bowls. Optional garnishes include bean sprouts, fresh cilantro or basil, sliced green onion, and lime wedges.

More Dyed Locks

BFL locks dyed with Daisy Yellow and Madder Orange

Saturday at the Farmers Market

A view down the rows.  During the spring & summer, the market is both inside and out.

Fallon's flowers

This is Gary, the market president.  He and his wife have a large greenhouse, and raise bedding plants, herbs, and vegetables.

Sunflowers in the sunshine.  A rare sight this spring.

Rabbit Chow Mein (slow cooker)

2 lbs of rabbit meat, boned
2 C water
2 chopped yellow onions
2 C chopped celery
1/4 c corn starch
1/4 c soy sauce
3 T molasses
1 can (16 oz) baby corn, drained
1 can (6.5 oz) bamboo shoots, drained
1 c bean sprouts
1 chopped red bell pepper
salt and pepper to taste
olive oil
Angel hair pasta or chow mein noodles
Place rabbit meat in the crockpot and add the chopped onion and celery, and two cups of water.
Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours, or on high for 4. Shred meat carefully with two forks.
Chop up the red bell pepper, and add it to the crockpot. Open the bamboo shoots and corn, drain liquid, and add, along with bean sprouts.
In a bowl, mix the cornstarch, soy sauce, and molasses.Add to meat and vegies, and stir.
Cover your crockpot again and cook on high for about an hour, or until flavors have melded and the added vegetables reach desired tenderness.
Before serving, cook pasta according to package instructions, drain it and set aside. Heat some olive oil in a large frying pan or wok, and add some salt and pepper, if desired. On high heat, toss the cooked pasta in the olive oil and salt, allowing it to sizzle a bit and get a tiny crust on some of the noodles.
Put noodles on individual plates, and spoon rabbit mixture over top to serve.

Black Locust Flowers

Ag School Days

This is me, demonstrating how wool gets from the sheep to the finished garment.  Each year, our SWCD office, along with the neighboring county office and OSU extension put on a day for about 400 3rd graders to learn about where their food and fiber comes from.  They also see how landowners are stewards of their land and water.   The kids LOVE it, and the teachers say its the best field trip ever.  This was the 11th year for the event.
We did a similar program for families this year for the first time this past Sunday - calling it Back to the Farm Day.  Over 200 people attended, even though it was a dreary, rainy day. 

Earl has been shearing all his life.  His father sheared, and his son, Eddie shears.  Now grandsons Patrick and Blake are learning. 

French Angora Babies

Broken creams and lilac torts from Voodoo's litter.  1 doe($50) and 2 bucks ($35) available

From Oleander and Nightshade's litter.  Fawn doe ($75) & REW doe ($50)  .

Baby Fox in the grass

This little guy was sitting at the edge of the road today.  I stopped to get a picture, and he hid in the grass like a cat.  I think I could have touched him if I'd wanted to.  He seemed to think I could not see him. 

Korean BBQ Lamb (slow cooker)

2# lamb - could be chops, shanks, shoulder steaks
1 c soy sauce
1 c brown sugar
5 whole jalapeno peppers (This is for mild;  use what you think is appropriate for your desired degree of hotness)
1/2 c water

In the morning, put meat in crock pot, then add other ingredients on top.  Do not cut up the peppers.
Cook on low for 8 hours. When you get home from work, turn the ribs over so the other side gets fully saturated with the most-awesome-liquid-ever while you change clothes and set the table.  Serve with rice.

Thank you

See the sweet little mini-violet that was part of the writer's gift from the UARC specialty in Columbus last week?

Mineral Wells UARC Specialty Show results

Judge Stacy Easton and Nancy with her Best in Show English Angora.  Nancy is holding the birdhouse that was the BIS award.  Its made of barn siding, with a slate roof, and a brass plate with the win details.

Janet with her BOB Giant Angora JR buck; Joann with her BOB Satin Angora, Nancy with her BOB English, and me with the BOB French Angora.  I am holding one of the BOB awards, which is a little cloth bag with a batiked rabbit on it. 

Pink BFL Locks

I'm starting to do some new dye lots.  This is hot pink, vermillion, and russet. 
I'll have it at Wooster at the fiber festival on May 28 & 29th.   It sells for $3 per ounce.

General Tso's Rabbit (slow cooker)

1# rabbit meat, boned & cut in 1-inch chunks

4 garlic cloves, minced
3 T brown sugar
1 tsp dried ginger
2 T soy sauce
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (add more to taste at the table if you'd prefer more heat)
1 (16-ounce) package stir-fry vegetables 

Put the rabbit pieces into the bottom of your crockpot and then add the garlic, brown sugar, ginger, soy sauce, and red pepper flakes. Toss the rabbit to fully coat with the sauce ingredients. Cover and cook on low for 5 to 6 hours, then add the frozen vegetables. Re cover and cook on high for an hour, or until the veggies are fully hot and the chicken has reached desired tenderness.
Serve with white or brown rice.

Which names do you like best?

XRay
XAct
Xalt
Xceed
Xcel
Xcite
Xecutive
Xpert
Xtender
Xtra
Since the AI ram lambs are out of Llwygy X1, it seems that the ones I registered should have names beginning with "x".  
Any other suggestions?  Which are your top 3?