Snow Storm PAX from the Goat's Persective

This is a small collection of pictures from when I was out at the barn during the PAX snow storm.  Admittedly this is not the worst part of the storm, as I was hardly in the mood to take too many photos - the worse it got the more it was a matter of chores and is everybody okay.

In this one the goats definitely realize it has started snowing.

This is Lucky Star.  She was born in negative 8 degrees.  With her little coat (old sweater sleeve) she is marching on...

This one's color is "blue".  Against the snow you can really see the shades.  Her father is from Texas.  Doesn't it look as if she is ready to look up some paternal relatives.

Here is another girl from the same sire, Ellwood STAG.  However, this is a much more silly approach to the snow - with the uni-brow and beard.  I am sure some face-planting into a snow bank has just occurred!  :)

We had to dig a trench to their water trough -- the one that reaches electricity so it can have a defroster running all the time.  We dug this path out over and over and the snow kept falling.

Meanwhile, inside the barn the kids are playing.  They say, "go on Mom, get a drink out there, I'll have some warm milk when you get in!!"

I kind of wish these photos were a little more clear.  I need to work on my photography in motion.  They are so cute - hopping all around, playing king of the step, bewildering the chickens behind them.  Stay warm and have fun baby goats!

PAX Snow Storm

The Valentines and Presidents Day week and weekend was a memorable one.  It began with the very drammatic 19-20 inches of snow on Wednesday night to Thursday night, but there was also a Friday snow and a Saturday snow -- it just wont quit.  I keep trying to remind the sky this is Maryland and not Maine.

The beginning of the snow looked like this out the front door....

Getting food and water to the animals was often a chilly chore, but they sure appreciated it.

The gates and fences are all showing two feet at the bottom missing as they are submerged in snow.

Luna, our guard llama, never quit doing her job of patrolling the grounds.  She made narrow paths all over the place.

There was a sunny moment on Friday when everyone came out of the barns to see the world and get some sunshine.

That was also when my husband, Larry went out to shovel the barn roof.   Well, we all did a lot of shoveling, plowing, bringing wood in, putting hay out.

and it is still not over....

So I am inside ... spinning and dyeing and doing many fiber things!

Silk in Shenandoah

Wow - Avalon Springs Farm is introducing a new product line at the Shenandoah Valley Fiber Festival.  Color Changing Hand-dyed Silk Roving, "Camelot"!!

We are famous for our color changing and vivid yarn; it was how we got our start.  Well, it was time to apply that concept to the soft and luxurious world of silk.  We have worked really hard to get good color saturation and to make bright and interesting colorways.  We also thought it was fun and unusual to offer it in the same rainbow dyed style as our yarn.  Each box contains a group of colors - in both contrasting and analogous color selections.

 So come visit us at SVFF:
http://www.shenandoahvalleyfiberfestival.com/
This weekend:  September 28th & 29th, 2013,  Our booth is along the back wall of the Show Barn; it is a big open sided pavilion between the bleachers and the animal displays.  We will be very close to the Angora Goat Show as our animals will be in this show as well!

Can't wait to see you there!

SpinQuest 2013 was terrific!

It met at the Blue Ridge Arts Council gallery space in Front Royal, VA on Saturday, August 24th all day!

This year the Quest roughly doubled in size.  There were over two dozen "quest-ers" and about a dozen vendors, educators, and organizers.

This is truly a pure spinning event!  The focus of the vendors was all spinning materials, the focus of the classes and discussion groups were all spinning topics, and the production of the day was spinning.

Avalon Springs Farm did a speaking engagement at this year's event, the topic was "Perspectives of a Fiber Farmer."  I brought many samples of diverse natural fibers and talked about attributes as well as choosing fiber.

There were a lot of neat activities and classes over the course of the day.

Pictured through out is this year's thematic project.

Participants were given a two-sided page with a color replica of a famous work of art/craft on each side.  The rule was that you could not choose which page you received, but you could pick from the two sides which work of art to focus on.

Then participants were allowed to choose their Quest-kit and many extras that were offered in order to Spin The Essence of their visual art reference.

I think these are just so lovely to look at.  They are amazingly successful.   

All of them are artistic and creative and interesting in their connections to their inspiration art piece.

Some of them you can barely untangle in these photos which is 3-D and which is 2-D.  I wish I were a better photographer because in person that was an even greater phenomena.

 Enjoy.

Thank you to:  SpinArtiste, Wild Hare, and ThreeRavens fiber studios for all their hard work and creative efforts into making such a wonderful day!

Photos from Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival

This year's festival was a blast!  Because I am a producer and seller, I work really hard to be ready for this festival.  It reminds me of the feeling of turning in a thesis paper for college.  It has all the same sprinting to the deadline -- no matter how much you have done, you still want to do one more thing to be *awesome* for the show.

The weekend was wonderful.  It was absolutely perfect weather.  Sunny with a little breeze, warm but not crazy hot.  The mornings were cooler.  However, by the end of the show, all of us in the Avalon Springs Farm booth had a little sun-burn.  We just didn't expect it.  Sun block will be on the list for next year.

Shoppers came early and stayed late!  Each time there was a announcement made for the sheep dog trails a huge wave of folks walked down from the main street and hung out at our end of the festival.  Our whole family loves watching the amazing sheep dog trials.  We purchased the movie "Away to me" this year.  It was a new booth in our section.

Because of the increase in traffic, I had two expert knitters helping me with customers and the register.  Thank you so much Kira and Linda!

I am thrilled to show off these really neat photos of a customer project from some Avalon Springs Farm yarn.  I love the use and placement of color!  Look at where there are both solids and rainbow dyed yarn.  The sweater even includes cozy pockets and a zipper.  So cool!

Kira did some spinning teaching and demo-ing outside on the grassy knoll in front of the booth row.  Folks loved it!

A big seller this year and always is the Gwenivere yarn.  It is soft and cuddly, and its a practical sport/DK weight.  It knits thinner and poofs fuller.  It seems to be popular for the shrug and shoulder shawl kinds of projects.

Of which we had a few to offer to folks.  Many of the patterns were design and authored by Linda Minnick of MidValley Fibers.  I also had a cool self fringing triangle shawl sample and pattern done by Greta Dise of Persimmon Tree Farm.  Greta has a booth at Maryland Sheep & Wool at the far opposite end of the festival from me. All the shawls got lots of "ooh's and aah's" from the public!  That makes us happy!

Also in the pattern department, I had my first "Handspun" pattern.  Yes, that is right.  A knitting pattern that starts from the roving!  That was brought to me by Caroline Hockenberry.  Caroline is a resident expert of Uniquities Yarn Shop in Vienna, VA.  This is a special pattern; it is part of a matching set of patterns -- this one is the "Royal Outing, Filigree Mitts."  Other pieces of the set are part of a special release that included Avalon Springs Farm roving for the Uniquities Fiber Club.  Pictured above --it is kind of an unfair photo in this respect-- is the pattern at the show on the top shelf.  This unit at the show held many of our Farm Yarns and Arthur Yarn bases as well as samples, where-to/how-to information, and patterns.

Another significant introduction this year was the greatly expanded "Excalibur" yarn line.  At last years show we introduced the first Excalibur yarn produced as a worsted weight yarn.  This year we had both sport weight and worsted weight in a big variety of colors.  Our whole booth sparkled!  With the sun shining it could not be understated how wonderful the yarn looked even from really far away!   Top photo is of the sport weight section and bottom photo is of the worsted weight section.

The last picture in this little essay is just the view from the register.  Day dreaming a bit while I write this blog entry - I think to myself, next year I need to get a few shots of the amazing crowds and some of the actual dogs in command of the sheep. But alas... for a bit more that two whole days, the view above is really all I see. Well, that plus a line of people!  Big smile!

Exhausted, Happy, and Making more yarn!

Always, Karen

Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival is almost here....

The Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival is a huge annual event for Avalon Springs Farm.  This year's festival is May 4th and 5th.  Hours:  Sat - 9am-6pm and Sun - 9am-5pm.  Here is the link to the festival:  http://www.sheepandwool.org/

Merlin Yarn, "Esclados the Red"





 Above and below are photos of recent dye lots that are being produced especially for this show.

Merlin Yarn, "Goblin's Gold"

Our booth will be filled with many different kinds of yarn, different textures, weights, fiber contents, and some new and interesting cottage milled yarn.

Merlin Yarn, "On the way to Gaul"

Along with yarn I will have some felt, and dyed locks, and neat little knit kits.  I always have a few patterns and I'll have some new ones too!

Merlin Yarn, "The Book of Kells"

I know that folks come see me for the multi-colored and rainbow dyed work, but those of you who are into semi-solids and solid colors will be very pleased this year too.

Merlin Yarn, "The Moon Spinners"

I will be in my same spot:  LC19 = Lower Corral, space #19.  We rather like it; I've kind of nick-named it "Sheep and Wool West" 'cause we're as far west as one can walk in the fairgrounds.  To find us, walk down hill from the main street - pass the food & t-shirt buildings, get to the bottom of the hill on to where the sheep dog trials are held.  It is a lovely green space with shade trees all around, and generally a little less congested.  Your family and friends can watch the amazing dogs while you shop! 

Can't wait to see you there! 
Karen