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Message
from the
President
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November
2005 -- By
Susan
Prechtl
Now
that winter
is almost
upon us, I
often ponder
why I am a
goat owner.
Here in the
Pacific
Northwest
where I
live, fall
and winter
are quite
rainy and it
can be quite
miserable at
times. When
it’s time
to feed the
animals, I
almost
grudgingly
put on my
coat and
boots, and
grab my
flashlight
for the long
lonely and
dark walk
down to the
barns. But
the moment I
turn on the
barn lights
and walk
among my
goats, I
remember
quite
clearly why
I am a goat
owner. These
engaging
creatures,
with their
bright eyes
and soft
coats, all
come over to
greet meet
me! It’s
not just the
anticipation
of fresh hay
that draws
them to me,
rather it is
a desire to
get that
friendly
scratch
behind their
ears or lean
against my
legs until I
scratch
their backs.
They call
softly to me
and are
eager for
attention.
It’s
pretty darn
hard to not
have your
mood
lightened by
hanging out
with the
goats and
watching
their
antics! All
thoughts of
the effort
to go out in
the stormy
weather are
forgotten as
I check over
each of my
animals.
Because I
work full
time off the
farm, during
the business
week I can
only see my
goats during
daylight
hours on the
weekends.
The other
five days of
the week I
can only see
them via
flashlight
or the
electric
lights
inside my
barn. The
bucks are
often not
very
cooperative
about coming
into a
lighted
area,
preferring
to hang out
at the fence
line that is
closest to
the girls.
But it’s
important
that I check
over each
one at least
visually. At
this time of
year the
bucks get
into
sparring
matches
whenever
they detect
a doe in
heat. These
little
fights
usually
amount to
nothing but
occasionally
one of them
might get a
poke in the
eye or get
butted in a
shoulder or
leg. If a
buck appears
to be
limping or
has a goopy
or opaque
looking eye,
they get at
least one
night alone
in the stall
I keep
reserved as
a “hospital”
room.
Bringing a
buck into
the barn
allows me to
treat any
problems or
just gives
me the
opportunity
to watch him
for a day or
so while his
aches and
pains heal
up.
Over the
years I’ve
learned the
individual
personalities
of all my
goats. Each
of them will
come when
their name
is called
or, at the
very least,
will raise
up their
head and
answer me.
If one of
them doesn’t
respond
appropriately
or just lays
in the
corner alone
when I
approach, I
know there
is a
problem. The
best advice
I can ever
give the
customers
who purchase
goats from
me is this:
If your goat
isn’t
interested
in fresh
hay/food
when you put
it out,
something is
wrong and
the problem
must be
investigated
and possibly
treated.
Many
problems
with goats
can be
resolved if
quick action
is taken.
But if you
wait to see
if the
problem
resolves
itself, you
may lose
your goat to
enterotoxaemia
or
pneumonia. A
thermometer
might just
very well be
one of the
best tools
you keep in
your barn!
Are you a
hand
spinner? If
not, is 2006
the year you
resolve to
learn?
Learning how
to hand spin
is not only
great fun
but it’s a
great way to
learn how to
evaluate
your goats’
fiber for
marketing
purposes. If
you’re a
hand spinner
you’ll
then know
what hand
spinning
customers
are likely
to want to
purchase
from you in
the way of
fibers. Hand
spinning is
not just for
women –
there are
lots of men
involved in
this craft
as well!
The
Northwest is
known for
having lots
of hand
spinners.
But if you
think you
might be in
an area
where there
may not be
many hand
spinners
around, how
do you go
about
learning
this craft?
In my area,
there is an
organization
called the
Northwest
Regional
Spinners
Association
(NWRSA). It
is a guild
of hand
spinners and
other fiber
enthusiasts
and has
proven to be
a great
resource.
Through this
organization
I have made
many
contacts
that have
lead to
fiber
educational
opportunities
and
seminars. I
have been
lucky enough
to take part
in spinning
retreats,
classes
devoted to
learning new
hand
spinning
techniques,
fiber
preparation,
carding and
dyeing. I’ve
even learned
how to make
simple
felted
projects. I
have been
able to use
my own
Pygora fiber
for all of
these
projects and
have made
important
contacts for
marketing my
Pygora
fiber. There
are spinning
guilds,
groups and
“gatherings”
located in
almost every
state of the
Union, and
across
Canada and
Europe.
Interweave
Press, the
publisher
for Spin-Off
magazine
maintains a
nice
website.
Within this
website, at
this address
- http://www.interweave.com/spin/resources/spinning_guilds.asp
- is an
extensive
list of
spinning
groups in
the United
States and
elsewhere.
Contact
information
is listed
and often
includes
phone
numbers,
mailing
addresses,
websites and
email
addresses.
If you’re
truly
interested
in learning
about fiber
arts, please
consider
contacting a
group in
your area.
You’ll
find that
spinners and
fiber
enthusiasts
are a great
bunch of
people and
are always
willing to
provide
information
or direct
you to an
available
learning
center.
Have you
checked out
the PBA
website
lately? If
not, check
out the
first new
pages of
information
produced by
the Fiber
Committee.
The
committee is
off to a
great start.
Look for
more
information
to come in
future
months.
http://www.pba-pygora.com/Fiber.html
For your
added
convenience,
Paypal is
now an
option for
you to use
when it’s
time to
renew your
membership
or pay
certain
other fees. http://www.pba-pygora.com/PayPal.html
May you all
have a safe
and happy
Holiday
Season.
Susan
Prechtl
Hidden
Meadow Farm
pygora@clatskanie.com
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