I have not been doing a very good job keeping up this blog.   Hard to get motivated–and positive–as we watch a business we’ve spent the last 25 years building now swirl down the drain.   For the past 4 months we’ve helplessly watched our entire 2020 show season cancelled, one by one.  Yesterday we received official notice that the last two pending shows–The Wool Gathering at Young’s Dairy, Yellow Springs, OH in mid-Sept and the Southeast Animal Fiber Festival in Asheville, N.C, end of Oct–are now cancelled, completing a total wipe-out for the year.

We had hoped to be able to salvage at least something by continuing to participate in the South Haven Farmer’s and Artisan’s Market but again, the fates seemed to scheme against us.   After a lot of yes/no/maybe, in other words, jerking the vendors around, the powers that be in South Haven decided at the last moment not to allow any artisans to vend this year.   This left us scrambling to find an alternative market.  We were able to get into the Kalamazoo Farmer’s Market at  the last minute but are severely limited as to what they will allow us to vend.  Fortunately we were able to piggy-back in on Gabe.  He got into the Kzoo market with his garden produce and we’re now selling out of the same space, but only things we actually make ourselves.    And, maybe we were thrown another life-line this morning.   While we were setting up at the Kzoo market this morning, the organizer of the Portage Farmers Market came by and offered us a space there.  We plan to start there next Sunday.   And yes, she said we could sell our full range of artisan goods–in other words, Ecuadorian stuff–whereas Kzoo is only allowing product we actually manufacture in our own mill.

It’s been a fairly good summer on the farm so far.   Gabe and I expanded the gardens significantly.  Our goal was two-fold.  To have plenty to sell at the Farm Market’s and plenty more to preserve for the winter.   Finances are going to be thin for at least another year now so every bit will help.   Turns out oxen eat a lot–who’d a thunk it? They’ve got their pasture nibbled right down to stubble.  So Gabe and I are in the process of enclosing a new pasture this week.

Have not been working so much in the wool mill now.    With very little business or demand there has not been such  pressing need to keep up.  I plan to make some felt in the next week or two.  We have another Facebook Live event coming up in another two weeks so need to prep for that.  Truth is, I miss working in the mill this year.  Not every husband and wife could work together so closely–and yes, we do have our occasional tiffs–but overall we get along and make a great creative team.  We each have our own particular niche and we both seem to enjoy it.    The chickens were laying well earlier this summer but for the last two weeks, with the blistering hot weather, they’ve slowed way down.   If they don’t pick up again soon we may have some fresh chicken in the freezer soon.