Date: March 11th 2010

Hey y'all !
Well, spring is nearly here .. and this week it sure has felt like it at the farm. I sure dread the return of cooler weather!
We have something over 30 lambs on the ground so far this season ... not a good lambing rate this year, mostly 10-12 pound singles.. Our ram this year was young, and I am also convinced the weather was a contributing factor.. I have never, ever seen so much wool and hair as the lambs and calves are being born with, newborns the size and wool of a 2 week old lamb... Mother Nature knew what to do : )
We thought that once again Babbette the Rabbette (our French Angora bunny) didn't breed, only to find three babies yesterday that are about 3 weeks old! she had hidden her nest under the shelves in the back room! They all look just like Nique.. white with pink eyes ... and have the promise of gorgeous fleeces. They will be ready to go in about 2 weeks, so we are taking preorders now. They are French X German Angora, and we will be selling them for $125.00 each.. One is spoken for already, so that leaves two.... Call or go by the shop to reserve yours, or just to take a peek at the babies. They are awfully cute, it's hard to give them up! There are pictures on our Facebook page, and I will be posting them on the website ( www.spinayarnnc.com ) as soon as I finish sending out this newsletter.
On the subject of babies, we have Buff Orpington chicks for sale from the farm. I have never trusted my ability to sex them correctly, so we are going to call them straight run, you pick out your own. They are $30 for a bakers dozen of just chicks, (or $55 for a kit which includes everything you need to get you going )and can be picked up at the shop or at the farm .. Supply is of course limited, so again, call us and reserve yours quickly. There is , in my opinion, no prettier chicken in the world than the Buff Orpinton. Gold in color, it's a big chicken that makes a wonderful meat or laying bird. I would prefer that you come out to the farm to get them if you want them today or tomorrow, I will bring what's left to the shop on Saturday if you want to pick them up in town.

A shipment of spring yarns came in this week ... I haven't seen it yet, as I am having a hard time getting out of the barn right now! But everyone keeps telling me they are gorgeous!!! New Online sock yarns with 20% angora and Mirasol Lachwa Pima Cotton/ Line blend and Wach'i Cotton/ Silk blend. Yummy! bout time to be planning summer projects if you want to wear them this summer !

We did not receive the RAFI grant that we had applied for to buy a walk in freezer... the way the economy is, there is no way that we can afford to buy one without going in debt, and I am not willing to do that... So .. I am asking you for opinions on whether or not we should keep selling our local, grassfed meats .... I truly do not want to start sending my lambs and calves to the feedlot sales, but I also don't know how I feel about another year(s) of disorganization and standing on my head in the freezers and being embarrassed because I don't have a good way to find what people ask for!!! So, I decided to ask y'all for a poll. Let me know if you think its worth saving!

Well .. that's it for now! back to the barn! I have a hundred or so chicks, a lamb and Nique running around the kitchen right now. I'm not real sure where the barn IS!
Have a blessed day yall ! Nancy & Chrissy