Buying and selling at BSG

I didn't get a photo of my table, but above is my banner over my one little pen stuffed full of four sheep. Like I said in the last post, I was thrilled that Bluster was purchased by Thistledown Shetlands as a new flock sire, both because I'll be able to hear how he turns out AND because it gave Blizz and Bella more room in their half of the pen the rest of the weekend! Below is Bluster (left), moved in with Joyce's two ram lambs on Friday, waiting to go to his new home in Washington near Spokane.
On Sunday, I took Bella's coat off and walked her around the fairgrounds, in and out of the buildings. I really wanted to find a home for her, so I figured the best way to do that was to show her off! Her halter manners are wonderful, her fleece is nicer this year than it ever has been, and she did get admired and touched by several. A bit later, a Jacob sheep breeder came through the Shetland barn, saying she was really drawn to the breed. We got to talking and she mentioned that she noticed they tend to be friendly and even saw someone walking a Shetland around the grounds. Of course, I had to take her over to meet Bella, the Shetland she had seen on the leash, and she ended up buying her! I unfortunately neglected to get a photo of Bella before she headed off in a trailer with three Jacob sheep for her new home, but at least she got to travel like a sheep. These two little girls (not mine) were going on a 2 1/2-hour trip in a motorhome to their new residence. Using Depends was a clever solution - but will they ever live down the humiliation? :-)
Of course, I had to do a little shopping myself at BSG (no, I didn't buy any sheep!). I limited myself to some good hoof trimmers, a couple bars of soap and some pot scrubbers as gifts, a soap scraps bag, and some lovely midnight blue superwash merino/alpaca roving. The latter went beyond my self-imposed limit, thanks to a "10% off" postcard the vendor sent me. Last year at OFFF I bought from them about 14 oz. of the most beautiful heathery green roving, in the same superwash merino/alpaca blend. With my coupon I bought an equal amount of the midnight blue, which I plan to ply with the green to have enough yarn for a heavenly-soft garment.

Why did I restrict myself so? Because I took NINE fleeces to BSG, intent on finding a processor to turn them into roving! After talking to three different processors who all said they use a mechanical picker on Shetland, I met Leza at "From Barn to Yarn." When asked, she told me what I had been waiting to hear: "I prefer to hand-pick most Shetland, because the mechanical picker is just too hard on it." Roving from her will cost a little more (more than I made on the sheep I sold at BSG!), but I am hoping I will end up with a superior product to offer for sale and use myself.

This morning bright and early, I loaded Blanche into a crate and drove her to the Continental Airlines cargo office at the Portland International Airport. She should arrive in Anchorage, Alaska late tonight to add a splash of solid white to the Silveraurora flock. My sweet angel-faced lamb was a hard one to give up, but it does feel good to have half the sheep I need to sell moved on to good homes!

That's it for now at . . .