New Yarns and Socks in Fabulous Colours!

WOW!  The second week of August already!  Where does the time go?  The days have been nice but some of the nights are actually getting cooler I am sad to say. However, as Canadians we know that there is still lots of time left to enjoy and relax the weather and to engage in our hobbies, especially while on holidays!  So with that in mind, I have something for all you yarn crafters out there or for you who would like to get something for your crafting friends.

Our new yarn and socks have arrived and both come in great colours and yes even styles!  Styles for yarn?  Well a bit of an exaggeration but we just got in some Boucle yarn!  And in stunning colours too!  Boucle is somewhat of a novelty yarn but what it means basically is it is a looped yarn and very pretty!

Boucle

We have stunning purples, reds and light blues.  Also we have received new colours in our Alpaca/Wool blends, the Black and Purple are gorgeous.

Alpaca/Wool

 And let's not forget the Mohair/Wool blends with it's rich reds, oranges, cranberries, greens and purple too just too name a few of all the colours we have available.

Mohair/Wool

Next we have socks in great new colours....we have PINK and yellow and blues and greens...of course we have our standard colours too of neutrals and blacks and greys.  In our socks we carry a relaxed fit which is a bit looser in the calf area great for anyone who doesn't like a tight sock or who has circulation problems. We have our standard high sock and then our thermal socks in both an ankle or sport sock length.  I should also mention our insoles are in...and yes we have your size!

New Sock Colours

Thermal Socks

The store is open from Thursday thru Sunday 10 am - 5 pm, but you can always call and see if we are around or make an appointment.  There is an array of hand crafted items in the store along with many more fibre products ranging from batts, to roving to wool yarns.  And on the farm side we also have some lamb and beef in along with chicken and eggs

2014 First Cria Born!

Mocha and Cria Girl July 2014

Good Friday Morning!  This morning Mocha had a baby girl!  She is a pretty dark brown and as all cria's she is all legs!  This is the first of our cria for 2014, both Mom and baby are doing well.

Yesterday we had a group stop by the farm, they had stopped by to see the animals but to learn about what we do with our animals, our industry.  They learned about the different fibre goats, the Olde English Babydoll Southdown sheep and of course our Alpacas and Llamas.  They enjoyed seeing how the animal's fleece was made into different products.  The store was a great hit and buying socks and yarns from animals you just met makes it all a bit more special!

Mocha and Cria girl 2014

The store is open from 10-5 Thursday thru Sunday.  If you would like to have a group come for a tour the cost is $ 20.00 per person and you can come anytime during the week, we can discuss options and what you would like to see.  As always we are NOT a petting farm, but we do have a few VERY social representatives from each species who love the attention...we even have "Pretty" Hen!

The store has local beef and lamb from other farms, we have eggs, chicken and turkey's which we are taking orders for now.

To get in touch with us please call 705-778-2070 or you can email us at elmleaalpacas@gmail.com

See my legs, they are new!

Mocha and baby

A Brief Peek at a Farm Tour...part 1

Good Wednesday Morning!  I'm late with this week's blog!  BUT....for a very good reason....we hosted a farm tour on Monday and what a GREAT time! 

While the weather was iffy at first, it turned out to be a wonderful day.  We had our sun shelters up, there was tea and coffee when things were a bit dreary to warm you up and of course a good selection of cold drinks.

We were able to shear a Llama and Snowflake was very happy to oblige and have her huge "blanket" removed....much cooler now!  She even had a pedicure!


Llama Fibre

Patrick and Lucy along with all the other sheep and goats entertained the crowd and Patrick was very insistent on getting his head petted.  Timo was our Alpaca ambassador and he came out to give kiss and smell everyone's hair!  He's a cutie.


Lucy and her son Jerry

Elmer gave an explanation of the various kinds of Sheep, Goats, Alpacas and Llamas and even showed the chickens and turkeys and ducks of various shapes and sizes and farm fresh eggs were greatly in demand!

"Scrappy"

Then it was on to the REAL purpose of this farm, the fibre....how fibre is processed....Lee took everyone through a full demonstration, the raw fibre...shearing, picking, combing, carting and spinning!   She makes everything look so easy! 

The store offers a great variety of fibre, alpaca, wool, mohair, blends of each and beautiful vibrant colours!  The solar dyed yarns were a real hit!

Store fibres

I will be posting pictures on Monday going through the steps.  Our group arrived at 10:30am and left at 3pm.  While we provided the drinks they brought their own lunch.

If you think you might be interested in having a group tour of the farm and the store just let us know.  Reach us at 705-778-2070 or email elmleaalpacas@gmail.com.  The cost is $20.00 per person.  We can slightly tailor the even to your needs...but keep in mind that we are NOT a petting farm and while Patrick and some others love the attention, most of the animals are farm animals.  Another point of interest is being a FIBRE farm means we are NOT eating these goats and sheep...or Alpacas!  The purpose of our farm is to use the fibre from these animals is various ways whether through creating yarns for knitting and crocheting or for using the fibre in felting.

BUT our farm store does sell lamb, goat, and beef (supplied by local farms)along with chicken, turkey and eggs.  If you are looking for your Thanksgiving Turkey you need to order it soon! 

Store is open Thursday thru Sunday 10 am to 5 pm!  Come say "Hi"!

Felting, Fibre, Turkeys and Eggs

Another rainy day on the farm!  Which is good and bad....good for the gardens...bad for haying!

Rovings for spinning or felting

Today is just an update day....we have been shearing, shearing and shearing...and are almost done.  We did something a little different this time,  I kept some Alpaca fibre separate for those of you that enjoy felting.  It is something that I am quite enjoying.  You can felt in many different ways, such as Nuno felting...adding layers of fibre such as merino to silk to create a wearable items, i.e. a scarf, Needle felting, where you can create free standing objects ..animals are very common..."statues" you would almost say, Wet felting where you take wool and create sheets of felt and Resist felting where you use cardboard or plastic to create a form.  So as you see fibre doesn't just have to be made into a yarn for knitting and crocheting but it can be used in it's raw state as well to create other items.  I have both yarns and fibres.  We have Alpaca, Llama, Mohair, Merino, Wool, and Cashgora here for sale plus a few other specialty bits and pieces.

Turkeys from 2013

In other news the baby turkeys have arrived and we have more coming this week.  And although it is only June we do start to take orders for Thanksgiving as much as we don't want to rush the seasons, if you want a turkey you need to book early.  Last year we couldn't meet the demand!  Something else I want to mention and for those of you who have been here you know our turkeys when old enough get to be outside in a secure area in the sun and locked away at night.  It's a good turkey life!

We also have farm fresh eggs!  Nothing compares to farm fresh eggs!  The colour is brighter and the taste richer...enhanced.

We still have kids for sale...the boys have been wethered now.  We have a Nigora, Jake who is all black, and two Pygora/Nigerian Dwarf crosses, Louie and Jerry as well as Mick our Olde English Babydoll.

As always the store is open Thursday thru Sunday 10-5 pm or by appointment.

And don't forget if you are interested in booking a farm tour...give me a call at 705-778-2070

Group Farm Tour Available

Over the past months I have shown you a number of our animals, fibre processes and our product.  I hope you have enjoyed the pictures.....but have you ever thought about getting a group together and meeting the animals and seeing how the process is done first hand?

Store 2014

We can accommodates a fair size group ..you can participate too if you like,  doing things such as carting fibre.  Remember it is a farm, the animals are not pets per say...HOWEVER.. there are some animals here, sheep, goats. alpacas, llamas and even chickens...who would just love to say HI!  And if you have a camera.....some....Lucy, Patrick...are camera hogs!

Goats

We would provide you with a range of beverages, water, tea, coffee, and a scenic spot for you to eat any lunch or snacks you have brought.  The cost is $ 20.00 per person.

Chickens

After you have toured the farm, met the animals and seen how yarn is made you can check out the store and see if anything strikes your fancy.....and you could even buy a dozen farm fresh eggs!  And YES they do taste better!

Alpaca

Any questions just give us a call at 705-778-2070.  The store is open to the public Thursday thru Sunday 10 am - 5 pm, or by appointment.

Have a great week and now...for me it's haying time!

Olde English Babydoll Southdown

Just one more thing.....

A short week over.....although in farming there are really no short weeks...or weekends....actually that is a lie...weekends mean MORE work!


Today I just have two notes...one...I am very excited that our new yarns will be arriving on Monday!  These yarns are processed from our own Alpacas and Goats.  As you know I do process some of the fibre right here on the farm but we also send some out.  I will have nature colour Alpaca yarn and a nice blend of Alpaca and Mohair in lovely colours!  I can't wait!  You will have to drop in next week to see!


And secondly "Baby Mick" needs to find a home.  Mick is  black registered Olde English Babydoll Southdown lamb.  Babydolls are smaller than most sheep growing to a height if 17-24 inches.  They are stocky and hardy but their miniature size makes them easier to handle!  They are great nature mowers, weeders and heck they will even fertilize and they go!
Now besides that Babydolls are sweet in nature and are great companion animals and you can use the wool!  So any of you knitters or spinners out their their wool is great to use alone or to blend!  We are asking $ 600.00 for Mick.  Please feel free to drop by and see him and his parents Inky and Liz. 


Don't forget the store is open Thursday thru Sunday 10-5 pm.  We take Visa and M/C and of course cash.


Drop by and see us this weekend or next week! 

Saint Patrick's Day

felted sheep picture

Happy St. Patrick's Day!  

Beautiful sunny day today!  Cold but....I have just the thing for that...or should I say few things for that!  Today I am featuring all things "green" or at least with some green.  

I have attached a small sampling of what we have available in our store: we have rovings, made of many fibres, Mohair, Wool or a combination.  

Also I have yarns, 100% Alpaca, 2 ply hand dyed or 70/30 Mohair, Wool 3 ply for sale.  There is still time to get caught up and a few knitted projects before Spring!!  Drop by and see the other fabulous colours we offer!

Yarns, shawls, roving

A lovely selection of scaves and shawls and something I haven't posted in a while a 100% Alpaca felted rug!  Talk about nice and cosy.

100% Alpaca Felted Rug

Hand knit, woven shawls and scarves

Remember in the winter it is best to call us first at 705-778-2070.  Please look at our website,  www.elmleafarm.com and see the Alpacas that we have for sale.  Or why not follow us on FACEBOOK!


Have an enjoyable St. Paddy's day!

Til next time....

Elmlea Farm Store now Accepting Visa and Mastercard

EXTRA, EXTRA, READ ALL ABOUT IT!!!!!

ELMLEA FARM STORE NOW ACCEPTING 

VISA AND MASTERCARD!!!!

We are very excited to be offering our shoppers yet another way to purchase from us.  You can shop the Etsy store, or come in person to the store or visit us at one of our shows and we are now able to accept Visa and MasterCard.  It has been requested by our customers and now you have it as an option!

Speaking of shows the next one is in Maynooth on February 15, 2014.  That's a Saturday and will be held from 10-4 pm in the town library.  I will have a selection of hand made hats, scarves, shawls, I am busying making new products as we speak!   Also there are Alpaca insoles and socks in varying styles.  There will be some yarns produced from scratch right down to the hand spinning, as well as our large selection of various fibre yarns!  And don't forget the barn boards...something nice to add to that room you have renovated over January!

Now back to our fibre goat lesson.  Today I have a picture of one of girls, Talli.  She is 100% Angora.  You have seen Omar, he is grey.  And by now you all know that an Angora goat yields Mohair fibre.

Talli was bred to Omar this fall and we have fingers crossed for babies, which will be 100% Angora.  Next week I will post information and pictures of cross fibre goats, such as Pygora and Cashgora.

As always the store is open in the winter months by chance or by appointment.  But in this weather better to call ahead at 705-778-2070.  There is a selection of various fibre products but we also have our local meats, poultry and of course farm fresh eggs!

Fibre Goats

DID YOU KNOW???

WE HAVE FIBRE GOATS!!!

Yes we have Alpacas which are recognized world wide for the soft fibre, and you know about Patrick 1 of our 4 Olde English Babydoll Southdowns, which provide us wool, but we also have a few different kinds of goats which also bare fibre for us!

We have 100% Angora and 100% Cashmere goats, along with a mix of the two!  Remember an angora sweater means it came from an Angora rabbit, the only animal that keeps the Angora name.  If it an "Angora" sweater from a goat it would be called a Mohair sweater!  Patrick might have given this lesson awhile back!

We have bred 2 of our girls a 100% Angora (Talli) and our Pygmy(Jill) to our 100% Angora male, Omar.  What that would give us is 100% Angora from Talli/Omar and a 50/50 blend with Jill and Omar.  Good Pygora is hard to find so we are taking a chance, but we are hoping it is worth it.  Lucy is a Pygora goat and she had been bred to 100% Angora male producing offspring with beautiful fibre, and they are pretty cute to boot!  If the girls are pregnant we would hope for kids in the early Spring.

 Mohair fibre is very shiny, warm and strong with lots of krimp. Mohair is known as an exotic fibre.

In the next few weeks we will post different pictures of our goats and their description.  Here is Omar, the grey Angora male and Talli the 100% registered Angora female.

If you are interested in buying Mohair yarn or product or even an animal gives us a call or email.  Oh and we hope to have lambs in the spring too....but that is for another day!