New Patterns! Update: And Angora Socks!

Posted on 2010-11-27 by ErinML

©2010 Bungalow Farm Angora

The  Mont-Tremblant Neck Gaiter.  Fast and easy to knit, using just one skein of Bungalow Farm’s Angora Frost yarn.  Washable.  Makes a great holiday gift!

To order see below.

©2010 Bungalow Farm Angora

The Woolly Winter Gauntlets are also knit with the Bungalow Farm Angora Frost yarn.  One skein, quick and easy to knit.  Soft and luxurious, yet practical at the same time.

Bungalow Farms Angora Frost is a three ply, washable yarn that knits like a dream. It is 50% German Angora, 30% nylon and 20% superwash Merino Wool.  The yarn is made in the US and the angora is raised in North America on small farms.  Our yarn is spun to our specifications and offered directly to you.  These homegrown yarns will bloom as you knit.

$25 per skein.

Patterns are free with yarn purchase.  Holiday special, through December: FREE SHIPPING (within Continental US)! To order yarn and patterns, email me. Paypal Accepted.

©Bungalow Farm Angora

UPDATE: Just in from the Mill–luscious, luxurious, Angora Socks!  Makes a great Holiday gift or treat yourself!  These socks are the same blend as our Angora Frost yarn, so they are machine washable.  Available in both men’s and womens sizes.  Crew and 1/4 cuff (womens only on the 1/4 cuff).  $25/pr.

 

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The Amazing German Angora

Posted on 2010-10-30 by ErinML

Bungalow Farm's Boris

As the days get shorter and weather turns chillier, the German angoras here at Bungalow Farm get a little friskier.  The summer heat is gone and the angora wool coats are a bit longer.  The soft, dense wool will be ready for harvest in the next few weeks.  German angora rabbits are not only known for the quantity of wool they produce, but for quality as well.  Through decades (over 80 years) of selective breeding, the quantity of wool produced by many German angoras has surpassed their ancestors by hundreds of grams per 90 day shearing.  Yearly totals increased from mere ounces to over four pounds. The wool is silky, crimpy, yet strong and can be commercially processed without damage to the wool.  The soft wool is pure luxury to wear next to the skin, yet will not matt or felt with wear.  What more could you ask for?

As for Boris, he is due for a shearing soon.  Next week will be ideal as day time temps should warm up a bit.  A warm Berber bunny coat for nighttime and a lamp over the cage should keep him warm and toasty until his wool quickly grows back long enough to keep him warm without it.

Bungalow Farm's Klaus after shearing

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A Trip to Remember

Posted on 2010-10-24 by ErinML

Lake George, NY

Fall in the Northeast.  After helping Leslie in her booth at New York Sheep and Wool Fest in Rhinebeck, we headed north to Quebec.  Stopped along the way and took lots of photos.  The fall color was amazing.  We hit it at the right time.  Barely!

 

 

In Quebec we headed to the Laurentides, north of Montreal, to Maud and Diane’s farm.  They raise Fresian sheep and make fabulous cheese, milk and butter.  Diane Gonthier is also a felter and makes good use of the wool to that end.

 

Diane uses old maple syrup equipment for washing and dyeing her wool.  This one is heated using the firewood from the farm.  You might notice the water in the evaporator–it had a nice thick layer of ice on it.  It was -6 c. (about 20 deg. f.) that morning!  Diane uses large wire baskets that hang from a old manure conveyor system above the evaporator.  The baskets can be lifted to change the water during the washing and dyeing process.  I was so envious!

Pond on the Farm

Some of the Sheep on the Farm

Great Wheel in the Old House

Cave Door where the Cheese is Aged

 

 

From Quebec, we went to Leslie’s house in ‘tropical’ Ontario.  Back to more fall color and warmer temps!  We made another visit to the St. Jacobs Market where we bought ingredients for a marvelous duck dinner.

St. Jacobs Market

Potatoes at St. Jacobs

The Grand River from Paris, Ontario

The Parting Glass: Innis and Gunn Ale

Another great adventure with a dear friend at a beautiful time of year.

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Another Denizen of the Barn

Posted on 2010-09-25 by ErinML

A new resident

This spider is so big, it should be named.  This lovely arachnid seems to have found a good home in the barn.  She has made her web right next to the bug zapper!  Clearly, she has plenty of food.

My neighbor took this photo with his big fat digital camera that has all the bells and whistles.  If you noticed, this same spider was photographed by me in the previous blog post. Only I used my iPhone camera.  While I love my iPhone, there is no comparison between the two!

There has been quite a bit of discussion in my neighborhood and among friends regarding exactly what kind of spider this is.  Garden spider or orb weaver?  Apparently, there are hundreds of varieties of both and I was even told the orb weaver is a garden spider.  Or a garden spider is an orb weaver.  Once I find out for sure, I’ll report back.

Now it appears we have yet another unusual visitor to the barn.  Discovered this afternoon, this praying mantis has moved into Ms. Orb Weaver’s territory.  Ms. Orb Weaver is still with her web, but moved to higher grounds.  This could get interesting.

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The Dog Days of Summer

Posted on 2010-08-29 by ErinML

Morning Glory

Hard to believe this is late August in No. California.  The morning glories are still blooming, but we sure aren’t having our usual hot August days.  The bunnies are enjoying the respite!

Shasta enjoying a cool summer day

Rubicon, hangin'

Spider, hangin'

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It's Summer When…

Posted on 2010-07-08 by ErinML

…the fuchsia Magellanica is blooming.  Although this hardy fuchsia seems to bloom almost year ’round, the are in full flower now.

…six-week old bunnies are sheared down.  It got pretty hot a week or so ago, and the bunnies were feeling the heat.  So off the wool came.  These are the same babies in the previous post and then were less than a week old!

…and new Angora projects are stalled on the needles.  Just too hot to really knit especially when a new design for the fabulous Angora Frost calls for some creativity!

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Late Spring Litter

Posted on 2010-05-23 by ErinML

Here is Aspen’s litter born less than a week ago.  They are big and robust!  They should have their eyes open soon and once the weather warms up a bit, be out of the nest box before I know it.

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Oh Canada!

Posted on 2010-05-04 by ErinML

Just back from a couple of weeks in lovely Ontario, Canada.  Weather was pretty perfect.  One day, while in Oakville, near Toronto, I came across this copy of the Toronto Sun.  Seems as though urban chickens are wanted everywhere!  Here in Sacramento, similar pleas for legislation making chickens legal are being urged.  With any cluck, it will happen!

Also on the itinerary was Niagra Falls and fabulous Niagra on the Lake.  Lilacs were blooming at the arboretum in Niagra. What a treat!

We missed the peak lilac season at the Royal Botanical Garden in Burlington by a week or two.  Too bad I couldn’t have stayed longer!  That place is incomparable.  800 different varieties of lilac.  The Centennial Garden in Niagra is much smaller, and maybe a little forgotten.  Lovely specimens though even if it was a  little early for some.

Niagra Falls.  What more can you say?  Pictures don’t do it justice.  And it was a spectacular day.  We stopped by on our way to the airport in Buffalo.

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Spring Batts are Here!

Posted on 2010-03-26 by ErinML

The new batts are here!  See them in my booth at CNCH 2010 in Santa Clara, April 9-11.

These are luscious, lofty, hand dyed batts perfect for spinning and felting.  The blends are German Angora/Polwarth, Merino, or fine wool.  Available by the oz.

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Two Cute!

Posted on 2010-03-12 by ErinML

Two cuties from Aspen’s February Litter.  Photo taken at 3 weeks.

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