It is hard to believe as I smuck through the mud and standing water around our place doing chores in December that, only a few months ago, a little rainfall seemed like a good idea. That was during the dusty portion of our Oregon Coastal Summer – well into September – when our fine, fertile volcanic soil gets into everything and the house always seems to be full of flies. The air is often still. It is muggy and warm. The sheep are languid as they seek shade to ruminate. The grass has turned brown. The fowl are the only ones appreciative enough to find any of this useful, as they carve out shallow depressions for their dust baths and enjoy the flies, when they can catch them.

But that was then, and this is now. Today, a little rainfall still seems like a good idea, but in an academic way, not as a practical matter. The academic I appreciate each time I open the tap and drink our clean, sweet groundwater, freshly distilled by Mother Nature from Water Years past. The practical is preparing to suffer through another 10-day forecast that calls for rain and wind for two days, showers for three, a rain/snow mix followed by good old rain.

A view toward the future

Most of the weather here at Brenalan Farm comes right off the ocean – first floating up the Yaquina estuary and then up our valley. So, at least we can see what’s coming. Sometimes as I gaze off into the distance there, I imagine I am peering into the future – at least the immediate future of our weather. And right now, that crystal ball says the future is gray, very gray.

We have a limited quantity of walnut extract (water in which walnut hulls were steep since last fall) which makes a nice teddy bear brown. Using mordants such as alum (available at the food co-op and grocery stores) or iron increase the intensity and range of shades available. I have another batch of walnut dye underway, and hope to brew up some other nuts in coming weeks. As for other natural dyes, I saw a pastel chartreuse green made from Queen Anne’s Lace over alum mordant that was gorgeous with purple and burgundy accents. I tried horsetails (equisetum) for the first time, and it made a pretty yellow that was sunnier than onion skin. There is still time to gather these plants.

IF YOU WILL BE AT OFFF this weekend: The first person to visit us in the Shepherd’s Market after we show our Jacobs Saturday morning gets a surprise gift.

The black roving is Shetland, the blue is a blend of 4H fibers and the white and gray are Jacob

“Roving” can mean many things, but to hand spinners, it means fiber that is carded and prepared for spinning. It is fun and easy to buy finished yarn for projects, and many luscious choices will be on hand. We will have some undyed and also some jewel tones. Roving eye is only part of it- when you are at a fiber show you SHOULD feel the fiber and imagine whether it will be perfect for your next project. But for those of you who want to go to the next level, spinning allows you to make precisely the sort of yarn you want. You can blend fibers: alpaca for softness, wool for loft and body, mohair or tencel for luster, nylon for abrasion resistance. Angora, yak, quiviut or camel just because you can. The hair of the dog! Heck- it is on the sofa and your clothes… why shouldn’t you just give in and make a sweater?

Roving is also a great material for felting- whether large sheets of fabric, needle-felted art, or around bars of soap. Roving may be used in its natural colors, or dyed with acid dyes, natural plant dyes or even with powdered beverage mixes like Kool-Aid. Stop by our booth if you want to learn more. We will have roving from our Jacobs. But we also have roving from various sheep from around our county. Lots of sheep around here were purchased for their fiber or from fiber flocks. We have Romneys, Corries, Lincolns and various crosses. Our local 4H has an annual fundraiser called Dippity Ewe. The kids hire professional shearers, and have a one-day event where all those who want their sheep to have a spa day can bring them to the fairgrounds. The shearers do their thing, and the kids do the rest of the sheep makeover: worm, treat for external parasites, trim hooves, vaccinate and end with a foot bath.

Dippity Ewe is a blast to watch. Wooly monsters come in the door. In a very quick trip through the process line, all treatments are done. Watching a pro shearer at work is pretty darned interesting if you have never seen it before.  The most hilarious thing is watching the sheep reunite. Sheep are very visual, and they don’t recognize each other. You can see them wondering if Snowball got contacts or Ramses shaved his beard. Finally, after a lot of sniffing and puzzlement, they figure it out. The lambs don’t recognize their mamas at first, so are  more than a little worried where their next drink is coming from.

We go to Dippity Ewe to get fleeces. Many of the sheep are now owned by people who cannot or choose not to work with the fiber. Unwanted fleeces are sold as commodity wool or landfilled. For a donation, 4H lets us get the fleeces we think have enough merit to process, and some of these will be available as roving or yarn at our booth in the Shepherd’s Market. The 4H program gets some financial support, and we can offer you good prices on fine fleeces. And all that bulk is kept out of the landfill. Stop by and check it out. I bet you can’t tell which fleeces are 4H and which aren’t just by feeling the softness and loft.

Dandy's Cherry Knoll Doriana

Couldn’t resist the pun! A week ago Sunday I got a call from Dan Carpenter at the Jacob Sheep Breeder’s Association General Meeting in New Jersey. I think I was technically awake, but not yet coffeed up. In fact, I recognized his name but could not remember why. “Why” is that we had emailed about possibly swapping sheep, but never did make a deal because he wants rams that are a little older than mine to be sure the horns are going to come in right. Well, he said he remembered I was interested in a lilac ewe… and had one at the show he wasn’t going to sell and didn’t want to carry over all winter. Should he put her on a trailer headed to Oregon? Before I told you what I said, let me just remind you that I wasn’t awake and wasn’t caffeinated. I should not be held responsible. To make a long story short… Dan’s Michigan sheep travelled to New Jersey then to Oregon. How many PEOPLE have been that close to the Great Lakes of the midwest AND to both oceans at only 5 months of age?

I have no good excuse for wanting a lilac Jacob, but if pressed I might mumble something about experimenting with color genetics. Or I might say I like the idea of having more natural colors in the palette. Both true, but not really a business analysis or justification. I wasn’t feeling really fussy, and figured that a free sheep was a pretty fine gift without picking at details. Karen Lobb and Doug Montgomery of bide a wee farm handled the transport. Of MANY sheep. (Including some for our friends at Kenleigh Acres.) These sheep travelled to a show, lived at the show for a few days, then crossed the entire country and looked as fresh as daisies. It is pretty obvious they got lots of TLC along the way. I was so surprised to see my mystery sheep. I didn’t have much in mind regarding particulars. But this ewe has a dainty, deer-like build, a sweet face, and a totally gorgeous chocolate (latte) fleece. It is soft and crimpy from bumper to bumper. And I love her personality. She is willing to kick up a fuss if she thinks it will accomplish something, but she is also a “thinker” and able to stand next to you calmly. Her name is Doriana. Thanks a bunch, Dan!

Bluefaced Leicester fleece sample

OFFF is almost here! We are now starting to pack the fiber goods we will sell in the Shepherd’s Market. I am now on coffee break after shearing our two Bluefaced Leicesters, Polly and Fenton (aka “Mo” Leicester.) I love their fleece with its drape and luster. Alas, it has been raining here and the sheep are wet, so I am going to wash these fleeces since I have to dry them anyway. They make a beautiful yarn, but when I look at the loose locks I think of doll hair and Santa beards.

If anyone needs small quantities for crafts, let me know right away and I’ll save some for you. Also, these fleeces are VERY popular at the shows. I will take an advance registration on these fleeces if you want to pick them up there or have them mailed to you. Stay tuned- the next posting will be pictures of some of the roving we will have with us. This includes natural white, gray, brown and black as well as dyed roving in a couple colors and some wild and crazy colorways we did for those of you who just need some excitement in your lives!

It is September, when our thoughts turn to the Oregon Flock and Fiber Festival the 25th and 26th.

I really love this sheep show. Sure, parking isn’t quite as sweet as it is at Black Sheep. But I love the fairgrounds with open air music and food complimenting the assortment of shepherds, vendors, critters and fiber. We are currently designing displays and packing products. Monday the last meat chickens went to The Great Freezer in the Sky, so now the lambs can come in for socializing and halter breaking as well as spa services. I am looking forward to spending time with our little friends. Another thing I love about OFFF is their new creation, started last year:  the Shepherd’s Market.

At some shows, the farmer pays for pens to show and exhibit livestock and also for vendor booths to sell off-the-hoof products. That typically means that, in addition to showing animals, the shepherd has to find staff to help sell out of venues in two parts of the show. That can mean selling sheep but not fiber or fiber but not sheep. Fiber tends to be the easier sale, but we really count on the shows to find careers for nice sheep. Careers like pasture romances, parenthood and becoming landscape professionals instead of ending up in a freezer. We love it when our sheep are welcomed into flocks.

We hope that you will visit OFFF whether it is for the first time or a repeat visit. The fiber art is amazing. The Cook OFFF may suprise and delight. The shearer is fun to watch, and naked sheep are just plain funny. You can find virtually every type of fiber and the equipment to weave, spin, knit, crochet, felt, or dye it. But please also stroll through the Shepherd’s Market. This is a chance to meet your local farmers and get to know your local food and fiber. We sure hope you’ll stop by and say hi to us under the green Brenalan Farm banner.  The Jacob sheep show at 9:00 Saturday, but after that we’ll be by our pens and displays.

I couldn’t possibly name all of our friends and mentors, but some that come to mind and whom we encourage you to meet include Steve and Connie Paulson (Spindlewood, on the Pavillion porch), Karen Lobb and Doug Montgomery ( bide-a-wee farm), Shannon and Tony Pfieffer (Kenleigh Acres), Peggy Miller (Maple Tree Farms) and Robina Koenig (Tumbleweed Ranch). We aren’t sure just who else will be there, but stop by our pens and we’ll help you find our friends with fine animals and products. And, of course we can never say enough to thank the volunteers who make OFFF possible.

I took a quick peek at the Black Sheep vendor area, and saw that many favorite vendors are back for another year. Signs weren’t up, but I am pretty sure I recognized the SuDan food booth, where I always stop for a lamb kebab. MMM MMM GOOD! Lots of people like BSG for free and easy parking as well as free admission and and just about every type of fiber and fiber gear you could ever think of. Advice from the veterans- drive the big car so you can do LOTS of shopping! Brenalan Farm is not showing at Black Sheep, but we can deliver sheep there on Sunday afternoon. We currently have a spectacular 4H ram lamb, and some nice ewe lambs. We have a couple nice yearling ewes too, but they need a few more weeks to wean their lambs. Anyway, I plan to help Shannon (Kenleigh Acres) show her sheep so can be found near the ring when Jacobs are up, and will be packing the cell phone- 541-961-7888. Don’t let the Yaquina Wavelength voice mail message confuse you- that’s our other business.

And for those of you planning ahead, we do plan to have both show sheep and our farm products at the Oregon Flock and Fiber Festival in Canby, Sept. 25-26.

But now that we are living with sheep instead of children, I suspect “Every day is Mother’s Day” may have been first uttered by some shepherd, who observed that the mothers call the shots. Meaning – after five years, we still can’t get the ornery critters to have their lambs on our schedule, nor can we figure out theirs. Most of you within cussing distance of our farm know that we spend weeks every year thinking lambs are imminent. But we are always on lambing watch weeks too early. We expected lambs in early January and… well… had to wait until February 1st.

Also this year we decided to put the yearling ewes in with a ram, and did so in October. The theory is that you count 150 days, (+/-3), and then allow another three weeks for anyone who needed a little more flirting to get in the mood, and that is when the lambs will arrive. So, the yearlings’ lambs should have arrived in March. But March came and went with no signs of pregnancies. Spa Day (annual shearing) in early April didn’t reveal any signs of imminent lambing either, but a couple of those little tummies felt just a bit tight. Another wellness check in late April revealed two ewes were changing bra size from AAA to AA. Based on all the other ewes, we figured that meant we’d have lambs in late May, from two of them, and maybe others after that.

And then – surprise! Cleo decided HER first Mother’s Day was to be May 5… Many shepherds run a three week lambing season. We started in January and might go until June.

When you look at flocks of sheep, they all seem about alike at a glance. But they have personalities, and motherhood really shows their differences. Velvet marched her sheep, one on each side, in step with her everywhere she went. Sort of like those Moms who shuttle kids from soccer to piano lessons on a regimented schedule. Maisie had to follow her little rebellious little lamb around- that lamb sure wouldn’t follow her. Penny loafed in the shade of the spruce tree while her lambs bawled in the pasture- clearly indicating to her offspring “Hey if you WANT something, come HERE!”

We have had many candidates for Mother of the Year, and this year Sera is the winner. She has done a fabulous job tending triplets all by herself. We could see her regularly counting to three to make sure all were present and accounted for. She proves the old proverb that God could not be everywhere, and therefore he made mothers.

(Dedicated to my mother, who is spending this Mother’s Day sitting by my sister’s bedside in an intensive care unit. She is an amazing example of how enduring and boundless a mother’s love can be. I love you, Mom!)