Becky, Harri and the Sheep and Construction Continues

Becky and Harri the new Akbash puppy are working out well taking care of the rams.


Harri looking one way while Becky watches me.


Harri looks like he is asleep in the field.


But he's really awake and watching out for anything that might threaten his sheep.


Becky comes over to make sure it really is me and there is no threat.

Construction is moving along rapidly.


Finishing the bracing of the rafters.



Starting to put the plywood up.


All done with the plywood.

Finishing the rafters

Getting ready for the rafters on the east side of the porch.


After everything is up and putting the final one in place.

Rafters Up

Rafters up!

The roof is starting to take shape.

Construction Progress

Getting the cover started.

Next step is to put up the header board on the side of the house to hold the rafters.

Painting

To save time and make it easier all the lumber was primed and painted before the roof assemby started.




The back is almost ready for the roof to go up.

Garvin Mesa Rainbow

Colorado Woolgrower of the Year

We went to Montrose to attend the Colorado Woolgrowers Convention on 22 and 23 July.

I was thrilled to be chosen as the 2009 Colorado Woolgrower of the Year "In recognition of your dedication to improve and promote the Colorado sheep industry."


I managed to finish the cloak and wore it up to the award presentation.


This award covers all of Colorado and has never been awarded to a small or farm flock person before. Also never given to a rare breed or black sheep person. It was truly an honor to be chosen by the industry to represent Colorado shepherds for 2009.

Porch Concrete Poured

Originally Bill was going to build the roof first but some lumber didn't arrive so the concrete got poured instead.

Sample Socks, Cloak and Concrete

We got samples of the socks we are having made from our Black Welsh Mountain wool. We will be offereing both a hiking crew and a terry sock in mens and womens sizes. These are the first 2 samples.


I also put a label on my fabric.


Bill used the tractor to do final filling of the holes before the concrete truck arrives.


Getting the size just right.


Concrete truck pouring the footers.




The extra concrete will be used to change the orientation of the pad for the propane tank. We need to rotate it 90 degrees so its easier to use the new walk-through elk fence gate.


The rams came up to be in the shade but Winnie was very concerned about the concrete truck so was right there with them.

Ready for Concrete

Nearly ready to pour the concrete footers.

Porch Construction

The posts holding the roof need to be set in concrete piers. They will have a large footer so the next thing was to get them positioned properly and dig the holes.

Winnie & Construction

We moved Winnie in with the rams so we could let them out to graze the front pear orchard. She's really being good about staying with them.


Construction Work Started.


First task was to remove the old porch cover.

Second Harvest

Second harvest of peas is much larger. Corn is growing well but neither type of melon is doing much.

Cloak Finished!

It is done, or nearly done.

I ended up not putting on the shoulder cape at all. I also hand stitched black twill tape around the front edge to prevent it from unraveling. I may also add it around the bottom if it looks like it needs it.

The clasp is inaccurate for the time, it was meant to be for a sweater, but I can't find any ribbons in town and needed this done to wear next week to a special event. So I added the clasp. Since there is so much that is inaccurate with this cloak and since the clasp looks good I may just leave it.

It does appear to be very warm and I will be interested to see if it works as a winter coat this coming year.

Porch Construction Started

Bill's back to add a covered deck out back of the house. First task is take down the existing small covered porch.

The construction trailer.

Taking down the old small porch.

We'll add a concrete patio to the right between the door and the garage and deck on the left that will wrap around to the front and side decks. There will be a cover over most of it but the part over the deck will be narrower than the part over the patio.

Rams on Pasture

Now that the hay is in we can put the rams out on the front pear orchard pasture to clean up the parts we cannot cut.


This is the first time that all the sheep are out on pasture at the same time. We have one ewe who is sick in a small pen and a ewe and lamb training the puppy who are in but I don't think those really count.

First Cutting Hay In Barn!

Judd came back and finished stacking the hay in the barn.

Here he is getting bales out of our front pear orchard field.

The last load of hay coming out of the field.

Putting the last stack inside.

All in.