 This year was a big success for both the sheep and wool shows in Drake Sk. The event kicked off with a wine and cheese sponsored by Granite Quarry Farms with sheep cheese from the Cheesery in Kitscoty. I have to say the maple/chive spreadable sheep cheese was the best I have ever tasted. It didn't hurt that the wine was my favourite too :P I spent the whole weekend surrounded by sheep many of which are common in this province and the prairie provinces in general. Down breeds such as Dorset, Suffolk, N. Country Cheviot and Arcotts are known for their superior meat but I like them more for their wool. Down/Medium breeds have wool that has bulk without the weight. Their staple lengths average 3-5 inches and the fleeces can be quite large. To many of the producers in the sheep industry, the meat is the main focus and their wool takes a back burner, even though it also has a value. The point of the wool show is to show producers that there is another side to their industry and wool DOES have a value and as a renewable resource it can be productive over and over. Rambouillet sheep are also common in this province and their fleeces can be gorgeous. I bid on one that was entered into the wool show and won. Their fleeces fall into the fine category and can weigh between 9 - 14 lbs! Next year we are promised a Targhee fleece :P I am still learning and seeing more breeds this year was great. We had double the amount of fleeces entered this year compared to last and we even had an audience. We had the fleeces categorized by fine, medium (down) and coarse (longwools). Winners were awarded ribbons at the end of the show and I chose a coloured BFL X Corriedale to win the "Judges Choice" Ribbon. Prizes were awarded at the banquet on Saturday night. Special thanks to my friend Lindsay of Wired WhimZee for helping Val and I make everything go smoothly.
 Winners in the Coarse (longwool) category. First place scored a 96%! My friend Val Fiddler from Wooly Wool of the West co-ordinated the show and is a big supporter of the wool industry. She has a lovely flock of sheep and brought a few for the breed display; a Corriedale ewe and her lamb (so cute!), a big, beautiful Blue Faced Leicester and a handsome Black Welsh.
 I also had a booth set up with all my wool items. I sold lots of SOAK, t-shirts, yarn and all my buttons :) I even had one customer say "It's SO nice to see wool at a sheep show!". Thanks to everyone who came out, I can't wait for next year.
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Spinning outside with Jenny
 Polypay I have been combing my Polypay sample which will be this months sheep breed in our study. I have also washed some Dorset which I will be working on while in Drake at the Grasslands Sheep and Wool Exhibition this weekend. I will have a booth set up in support of the wool industry and I will be judging the fleece show.
 Vegetables from my garden I have also had a lot of success with my garden this year. I am trying square foot gardening and my friend Michele gave me a head start by giving me her raised beds and the perfectly mixed soil to go in
them.  Handmade Sask is a great community which gathers a lot of great handmade artists from this province in one place. This is a great group for, not only those wishing to shop local but also to network and build your own handmade business.
They are hosing a week of giveaways starting Monday and I will be up first :) I am offering a free Knit Natural T-shirt in your choice of size/colour as well as 3 mini skeins of handspun yarn. You can check the Handmade Sask site for more info and get in on all the giveaways! |
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