Last week the temperatures were in the 40s-50s most of the week.

After last winter with our late dumping of snow and resulting flooding, we are a bit on pins and needles waiting Mother Nature out.  I do know this — cold without snow — is well — cold!

We have used this COLD afternoon to dye fiber.  Our vermilion sock yarn is gorgeous!

We have a bit of snow on the ground and a nip in the air – it is “finally” winter in Vermont.  It has been a long time coming.  The goats and alpacas are growing fleece rapidly these days as they keep up with the increasing cold temperatures.  The chickens just carry on – how do they stay warm?

Soon, I’ll be making mittens – my January evening past time these days.  Weekends will be for dyeing yarn!  We have boxes back from our spinner – more than enough to get started.  If we are smart we will be sending out more of our spring fleece to be processed soon, too.  And Jim…we be making YARN BOWLS.  Lots and lots of yarn bowls.  His plan is to “get ahead” of it all!  Hah!  We will see how well both of us really do!  Spring seems to come much more quickly these days and with it our list just seems to grow and grow!

Happy New Year from all of us here at Yellow Dog Farm!

21 goats…4 alpacas…4 chickens…2 dogs…and…2 humans!

Jim is in the barn – turning Christmas gifts!  Very soon we will be rearranging the animals – we are hoping for babies this spring.  Clyde will be smiling soon!

Happy Holidays to everyone!

Ellen and Jim

This year Jim is bringing his small lathe and will turn drop spindles for his adoring fans! He will be out in front of Dodge Hall under cover – let’s all cross our fingers for the weather!

So, are you interested? The Vt Sheep and wool Festival is at the Tunbridge World’s Fair Grounds.
The 23rd Annual Vermont Sheep and Wool Festival
October 1 & 2, 2011, taking place as scheduled
Tunbridge Fairgrounds, Tunbridge, VT
The Tunbridge Fairgrounds sustained no damage in the hurricane and is operating on schedule.
Need directions: CLICK HERE

Saturday 10:00 am – 5:00 pm, Sunday 10:00 am – 4:00 pm, rain or shine
$6.00 for adults, $5.00 for seniors, $1.00 for children under 12

The devastation and the costs to continue are so high – in people hours and money.

Yellow Dog Farm was lucky – for this storm we sat high upon a rock in the middle of the lake. Not so lucky were our small business friends in other parts of the state. In fact, one of our very own artists at Grand Isle Art Works, potter, Jeremy Ayers is working hard to reclaim his studio and working space in Waterbury.

Help us help them by donating to the www.VTIreneFund.org/donate/

Thank you!
Ellen, Jim, Zeke, and Elvis

Yellow Dog Farm has been out and about this summer and has more plans for the fall. We have many of our products at our gallery: Grand Isle Art Works on rte 2 in Grand Isle. And we are planning on a few shows, too. Please visit us at:

September 17-18, Finger Lakes Fiber Arts Festival in Hemlock, NY

October 1-2, Vermont Sheep and Wool Festival in Tunbridge, VT

October 7 – 9, Stowe Foliage Arts Festival, Stowe, VT

November 18-20, Craft Vermont, Fine Art and Craft Show, Burlington, VT

We look forward to seeing you!
Ellen, Jim, Zeke, and Elvis!

PS – These are our newest critters! Telemark, Dorito, M&M, and Dazzle

It is has been a crazy spring. Lake Champlain is still over 102 feet and with this new rain, it will probably rise higher! We just barely saw the water level go down to allow for a dry run across the Sand Bar Causeway.

Even so, we have the return of so many wonderful birds – the skies are in constant movement and the songs are the best ever. Last night, Jim and I sat on our deck watching the goats and a tiny humming bird – who decided to take a rest on a tree near us. What fun – you hardly ever get to see them still. I miss having the herons fly over the house throughout the day. I get that their new nesting area is closer to their food source, but I miss their majestic flights. Felt like a right of passage for the spring when their babes are little. Our little barn has its share of barn swallows, starlings (too many) and morning doves. We have been listening to a catbird try to trick us with his songs – could be a mocking bird – we are just not sure. And those snipes have been so very active – I hope he finds a mate soon!

The grass is green and getting greener with the rain.

And we have new critters…M&M, Dorito, Dazzle and Telemark. Zeke and Elvis are the reigning yellow dogs of the farm.

Happy Spring!

We are developing a new website presence for the farm. It seems that when our son, Christopher (web guru) moved to South Carolina a few years back, our website update process went into a tail spin…or a no spin.  So, it is time for us to come into the 21st Century and learn how to do it ourselves.

BEAR WITH US!  WE ARE STILL LEARNING THIS STUFF!

We do miss you, Christopher!

Ellen (mom) and Jim