Tag: farm

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Blog Feature on Tango Diva!

JUNE 19TH, 2016
KPFA CRAFTS FAIR ARTISTS San Francisco and Beyond

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  • Jun 19, 2016

Other radio stations should have it so good. Twice a year, profits from the KPFA CRAFTS FAIR supplement operational costs for this popular Berkeley community radio station. So, we’re talking about 200 artists, working in all media, surrounded by entertainment, food vendors, and great people-watching.

The Tango Diva team was overwhelmed.
How do we pick out a couple of artists to highlight with all this talent? After many sleepless afternoons, we finally agreed on “Plan B”; stand in front of the artist directory with closed eyes and point.

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PLUM BLOSSOM FARM
We caught up with Carole, the farm’s founder and sole proprietor, who successfully re-invented her life after job burnout, combining her love of animals and creating art.

Q. What came first, the sheep or the art? (sorry, had to say it)
A: The art came first I suppose, but the sheep came along quickly after, and were always part of the plan, really my favorite part of the plan!

Q. What was your inspiration for the farm?
A. I have always felt a deep connection to animals and wanted to work closely with them in a way that was respectful, and a way that honored them.

Q. How do you do all this?
A. Every year is a little different because of hay prices, vet bills, etc., but I can say, if it came down to it, the animals would get to eat before I did!

Q. Who lives on the farm?
A. I have 27 sheep, 14 ducks, 20 chickens, 2 house dogs, a handsome cat, and one person, me 🙂

Q. Tell us about what you make.
A. Plum Blossom Farm’s website has all my felted soap, beauty products, scarves, home accessories and cat toys. The wall hangings are best seen in person, as they are handmade and custom designed. Sponsorships fund the sheep of your choice for one month to a year, or more. In return, I offer the sheep’s story and photo, along with some felted goodies. This is a popular gift item. It really brings someone closer to the animal and the daily life on the farm.

Q. How did you get started with felting?
A. It was really in preparation for the sheep that I started playing with fiber arts. I began with dyeing wool and mohair. I have dabbled in pinning, knitting and crocheting, but found my home with felting. Felting is so forgiving, and allows a lot of freedom. One’s creativity is the limit with felting, as almost anything is possible. I love it, especially because of the textures and warmth of the fibers. It’s all a tribute to the sheep that grew the wool, making it all the more special and meaningful.

Q. What kind of art did you make before felting?
A. I have played with oil painting and clay for years, but I feel connected to fiber arts, especially felting.

Q. Where are you from? How long in Sonoma?
A. I grew up in Benicia. Sonoma County has been home for 8 years, before that, 2 years in Healdsburg, 6 in Cloverdale.

Q. If money wasn’t an issue, what would be your dream outcome for the farm?
A. I would continue as I am, adopting sheep and giving them a safe and loving home for the rest of their days. In the meantime, I see myself using their fiber to create more functional and beautiful pieces. The buyer gets a lovingly crafted item and a feel-good buzz. It is an all-around beneficial process that way. A cycle of love.

Q. Any shout-outs?
A. Thanks to Jan Etre and the KPFA FAIR crew for being so supportive and organized, which makes for a lovely event, artisans and visitors alike!

 

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ALCHEMY PASTRY
Who created this palace of pastry perfection?

First there was Onie, born at home in Berkeley, California. Her love of travel brought her to Ecuador, France, and Spain, before graduating from Columbia University with a degree in Comparative Religion. After graduation, it was back to France and cooking school, interning with highly acclaimed chefs, confectioners, and vintners.
Circling back to the Bay Area, Onie spent two years working as a line cook before choosing to pursue a culinary degree in Baking and Pastry at The Culinary Institute of America in the Napa Valley. Back again to Germany, working in a specialty bakery. But wait, there’s more, two rigorous internships in France. Not too shabby, learning by the sides of renown chocolatier Bernachon in Lyon, and M.O.F. Pastry Chef Laurent Le Daniel in Rennes. Onie’s creations show her strong belief in the environmental, “farm to table” ideology.

Returning to San Francisco in 2001, Onie launched her artisan bakery, featuring fine chocolate, pastry, and high-end catering.
Voila! Alchemy!

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PILLOWISH DESIGNS
From her small studio in Monte Rio, CA, Kristin Thurman designs custom upholstery and cushions, making them from her collection of beautiful fabric remnants and upcycled materials.
She especially loves designing custom Zafus.

What is a Zafu?
Glad you asked. It’s a small round cushion, traditionally used for centuries in zen meditation. Kristin explains that the modern zafu can moonlight for yoga and interior design. Nothing is stopping you from using your zafu for meditation, followed by TV watching, maybe even an impromptu table for snacks.
So call already. Keep in mind it’s Pacific Daylight Time in Monte Rio.

Video by Mark Day
KPFA Crafts Fair

Artists are standing by in virtual galleries 24/7.
Enjoy

get your own DIY felting kit

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Ferdinand and Flora

romney sheep breed

 
Ferdinand and Flora

One of my favorite things about having a flock of sheep is watching and learning about all the individual personalities and social dynamics of the group.  I have been fortunate enough to be able to provide a place for sheep who needed homes and that has brought different breeds and traits together.

One of my favorite pairings that has come from this combining of flocks, is the bond between Ferdinand and Flora.  Ferdinand came from the Mendocino coast as part of my Karakul flock even though he is a Romney cross. Flora, formerly known as Auntie, came from the interior of Mendocino county.   Flora is on the left in the photo below and Ferdi is on the right.  He has both horns and a tail.


It is funny because if I had to put two sheep together from my flock it would have been these two.  They are so similar!  They are some of my most timid sheep  I have and only want to be near me if I have a little treat.  They both stayed very close to sheep from their original flocks, until they found each other.  They are some of the most beautiful sheep I have, these photos just don’t do them justice.  Plus they provide my heaviest and finest fleeces in the flock.  What a combo!  They have found their other halves!

I first started noticing that these two were spending a lot of time together about a year ago.  It just seemed like whenever I would see one of them, the other was always nearby. So I started actually paying attention.  Now when I see one eating breakfast and the other is not with him or her I search for the missing friend as that is quite unusual!
They seem to take comfort in each other and I can see how they would be able to understand each other since they are so similar.

I feel very fortunate to have these darlings in my flock.  They will feel comfortable around me someday as I always win everyone over eventually!  It just takes time, patience and love.

Those are some of the most rewarding interactions I have, because it changes in just one day.  I have experienced it many times.  Someone will be nervous around me for a long time and then one day, they let me pet their face or scratch their back.  From then on it’s like the trust gate has been opened and they never have the fear of people they once did.

I know that I’ll get there someday with Ferdinand and Flora too.  Until then though, I’m so glad they have each others friendship to carry them through the days.

I love this photo because it reminds me of Lady and the Tramp eating spaghetti!  🙂 

 

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Old Ewe Friends: Dandelion and Chrysanthemum

One of the things I like best about my farm is getting to give a forever home to my animals. Usually when livestock is no longer profitable they are sold off to auction which eventually ends in slaughter. I love my animals dearly and could never do this to them. I am willing to care for them to the end and give them a peaceful retirement. It’s actually one of the most rewarding things I do.

I have two very old girls from my original flock who are both 14. Usually sheep are not kept around much longer than 8 years and those are usually breeding ewes. So my vet always has to get creative when he comes to the barn because he sees ailments he never sees in sheep. As he says, “Sheep are rarely allowed to grow old.”

I have to say my old girls are some of the sweetest souls I have ever known. Kind of like some dogs who are energetic and high strung when they are young, the older they get the mellower and sweeter they become.

Dandelion (gray) and Chrysanthemum (white) are my two oldest girls at the moment and I’m so glad they have each other right now. They both have their challenges- Chrysanthemum has arthritis and Dandy has some lung issues. However, on the whole they are doing great and loving life. Especially since I spoil them rotten!

They get the first pick of all the produce that gets donated to the farm. Usually picking out the softest fruits and veggies. Strawberries, melons and citrus being amongst their favorites.

They also get their own room in the barn which is a luxury. I let them stay in the hay room where they get their own space and get to eat all night long if they want. Before I moved them in there they were losing weight because they just couldn’t eat fast enough to keep up with their younger flock mates. This way they get to eat as much alfalfa as they’d like at their leisure.
Each morning they join the flock for social time and fresh air and to go grazing on the pastures. They also get as much sheep feed or grain as they can eat to help supplement their diet.

They are getting used to this lifestyle and now tend to refuse any thing less than the best produce or hay! Which is fine by me because it tells me they’re getting enough to eat.

They still have their personalities in tact. Chrysanthemum loves to be scratched, petted, and hang closer to the barn, finding the best and softest bedding. Dandelion will proceed to ram me in the butt with her head if I’m too slow in getting the grain to her in the morning. It makes me laugh every time!

I feel blessed to be able to give these girls a good home until the end. I really have you and all my customers to thank for that as you are a part of what makes this possible. So thank you from me and two old ewe friends!
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Karakul Breed

Spotlight on a Sheep Breed – Karakul

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Ever since I started learning about sheep breeds I have been fascinated with Karakuls
(pronounced care-a-kul). Karakuls are a relatively primitive breed compared to those developed in Europe. They hail from Central Asia and are thought to be one of the oldest breeds of domesticated sheep, raised since 1400 BC. They are very rare here in the US.

Karakuls have a high percentage dark gene so many are black. A medium sized sheep, they weigh between 100-225 lbs. Their ears often point down unlike most sheep.
They have a broad tail where they store extra fat.

They have a very rough wool which contains guard hairs. This makes it an excellent felting wool but would be most uncomfortable next to bare skin. The wool makes really strong bonds and is great for rope or sturdier items, like my cat caves.
They are considered a long wool sheep measuring between 6-12 inches with very little grease/lanolin.

Unfortunately, Karakuls are best know for their pelts. When the lambs are born they have a very tight, black curl to their fleece. It is terrible, but somehow this got to be a fashion ingredient and coats and hats were made. These babies lose this tight weave when they are three days old so they are harvested before that, sometimes even fetal Karakuls. It makes me sick to think of these darlings losing their lives for someones coat.

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My Karakuls came to me because their mom lost their land lease in the village of Mendocino. She had a lot of animals to place and I was able to give a home to 7 of them. I was a foster parent to 5 others, but the longer they stayed with me the more attached I grew until I could no longer part with them.

They are a unique sheep. Very bold, intelligent and independent. They do not herd well and never seem to relax around my dogs. All the other sheep learn my pups are friendly but the Karakuls continue to stomp at them, and me for that matter, when they get stressed. Luckily they call the shots around the barnyard so they aren’t stressed very often! They are big snugglers and put themselves in my way to get attention. They are the goatiest sheep I have ever met!

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Stay tuned next month for a giveaway of Harvest Fair tickets in next months newsletter!

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Shearing Day 2015

before shearing all sheep are a bit anxious

before shearing all sheep are a bit anxious

 

 

john sanchez shearing sheep

 

Every shearing day is both stressful and exciting.  The sheep get anxious so that makes me anxious.  I have to remind myself that they always feel much better with their fleeces off.  Once my shearer arrives I usually starts to relax since he’s so experienced and easy-going. Then one by one as the fleeces are tossed my way I can start to enjoy myself to see what the past year has grown.  All the feed, care and energy from the year is in those fibers.  It feels lovely to touch what I will have my hands in through several stages in the year to come.

 

 

 

after shearing plumblossomfarm.comgrazing sheared flockhappy shorn sheep

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The sweet sound of sheep grazing…

corriedale sheep persephone

I have to share one of my favorite sounds in the world.  The lovely noise a happy sheep makes grazing on lush, green pasture.  I hope the sound quality is good enough on these short clips so you can hear.  I suggest watching the first time then pressing play again and closing your eyes.  I hope it brings you the same feeling of peace and calm it brings me.  There is something so palpable about listening and observing someone who is joyful.  And these beauties certainly are.

Check out the different styles of grazing that these two sheep have.  The first video features Rabbit, a white Karakul wether.  The second is of Persephone, aka Percy, a chocolate Corriedale ewe.

 

To view, click on the links below:

 

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corriedale sheep persephone

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I just love happy ducks!

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I recently bought the ducks a new little tub to bathe in.  They have wading pools but I thought they might like to feel deeper water.  Do they ever!  They form a queue to jump in and splash around.  It’s so cute to watch them waddle up the ramp to wait their turn to dive in.

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It is so fun to watch them.  They are just so joyous around water and it’s hard not to catch some of that overpowering feeling.

flock of backyard ducks

Now I can see they’d really like a pond or a big stock tank so all of them can fit in at once.  Oh man they would be happy then!  I may have to save up but I just can’t wait to get them what they want.

 

 

 

crowd of birdsfloating content magpie duck

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New Friends

auntie sheep

 

This week I have gotten the chance to get to know my new girls better. They have their old names Auntie, Mama and Baby which will need to be replaced since I have so many mamas, aunties and babies in my flock- but more on that later.

The beautiful girl to the left is Auntie.  She’s the one with a little entropia (bottom eyelid sometimes rolls in on the eyeball slightly) in her right eye as you can see.  She is the most skittish of the three.  The other two will approach me even if I don’t have food and are just less jumpy around me in general.  When I put their dinner in the shed each night Mama and Baby will come in while I’m there and start eating.  Auntie will wait till I’m far away from the entrance then race past me and slide across the wood porch, scrambling hooves flying, till she’s safely inside.  I’m not worried though – some of the sheep I’m closest with in my original flock were ones that were super spooky and took a long time to win over.  The shy ones are worth the patience it takes to make them feel comfortable.

Here is Baby.  Not the greatest photo but she has the longest bangs so it’s hard to see her eyes all the time.  I will have to post another photo after the shearer is here.  This girl is so sweet and tries to be very brave around me.  She sticks closely to her mother at all times and is just another reminder to me that animal families often want to be near each other and not separated.  She has started baaing more to my sheep so I’m looking forward to getting her in with the flock where she can make new friends.  At two years old she is my youngest member of the flock now.

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The bottom photo is of Mama, leader of the tiny pack.  She is the most demanding, baaing when she sees me or when she feels dinner should be served.  The other two take their cues from her.  If she is alert they become alert.  If she is calm and interested they relax.  She is a protective mother even now as  I learned when the vet came out.  While were trimming Baby’s hooves she was distress baaing and Mama came over and checked in with her.  Mama came from across the pen (where she was trying to stay away from us) to touch Baby’s nose and stand nearby.  It was very touching.

They still need names and I think I will be asking for your help on that topic in the upcoming newsletter.  I need three related female names for these three girls and the entry that wins will be given a gift certificate for the website.  So sign up for the newsletter on this site if you haven’t already.  It goes out once a month sometime during the first week.  I will keep you posted to what new names win out.

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