A little delayed, but ready to kick off a new year in style!  Today we talk about the holiday season just past - the good, the bad, and the aesthetically challenged: Tragedy: Esther and EliRescue Great Pyrenees? www.txgreatpyreneesrescue.orgShotgun practiceSick alpacasCover article in The Allen ImageSpinning for www.txolan.org Alpaca ShowWinter Fiber Fun Retreat from www.FancyFibers.comNew chickens and Chicken Sponsor Program (http://www.jacobsreward.com/jr_chickens.htm) Spring picnic with storytelling, date TBA And a lot of miscellaneous other stuff.  So blessed to have you along with me for a visit in the Little Red Barn!  Pull out your knitting or spinning, and let's catch up...

In this episode, three fiber fans visit together on the road home from the Kid N Ewe Fiber Fest in Boerne, TX.  Mary, Laurie and I talk about lots of things we saw and did during the three-day festival including: Hokett Would Work: would.work@yahoo.com Jim Hokett's gorgeous wooden weaving and spinning tools. 575.854.3451 www.SpinningStrawIntoGold.com Christine O'Hara www.Spinolution.com www.Brooksfarmyarn.com www.FiberLady.com - handpainted bamboo rovings www.texasalpacaranchers.org STAR - State of Texas Alpaca Ranchers www.WylieTexas.gov Wylie Art Festival, December 5 www.fancyfibers.com Winter Fiber Retreat, February 5-7, 2010 We had such a great time at Kid N Ewe this year.  We hope to be back again next year.  Thanks for listening!!Cindywww.jacobsreward.comwww.jacobsreward.blogspot.comRavelry: JacobsRewardTwitter:  JacobsReward

Wow.  I'm still recovering from our incredible party this past weekend!  I want to thank everyone who made it the blast that it was: George and Sue Merritt, musicians Gene and Peggy Helmick-Richardson, storytellers (twicetellers.com) Alta Mantsch, caterer (tastyeatsathome.wordpress.net) Emma Telisak, Videographer Manual Labor of Love specialists: Laurie, Hayden, Jennifer and Donna Everyone who came and brought food and spinning, knitting, crafting of any sort, and who soaked up the top-drawer entertainment and sunshine - friends old and new. Upcoming Events: Huffhines Art Trails (huffhinesarttrails.com) October 24, 25, 2009 1500 Apollo Road, Richardson, TX Meet the Processor/Fiber Harvest Day Sunday, November 1 Lynn, Jim and Deanie Snell (spinderellas.com) Kid 'N Ewe and Llamas, Too Boerne, TX November 13-15, 2009 Visit our blog: www.jacobsreward.blogspot.com or our webpage: www.jacobsreward.com On Ravelry and Twitter, I'm JacobsReward

What an incredible fall we have shaping up!  In this episode I detail all the amazing things going on around the farm in the coming weeks:Fiber Harvest hand delivered by our processor:Spinderella's Fiber Mill - www.spinderellas.com"Spinning Yarns" Storytelling Day with great food, live music and old Texas yarns told by the Peggy and Gene - www.twicetellers.comThe Kid N Ewe and Llamas, Too Fiber Festival in Boerne, TXwww.kidnewe.com2010 Shares Available:  Current shareholders have until October 31 to reserve a share, and then on November 1, all remaining shares will be open to the public.My sound quality needs some improvement, and I could use some advice about that.  Hope it's not too distracting.Remember:  Life's uncertain - Spin dessert first!

This week, you and I do morning chores together, look over what's on my needles, and discuss upcoming events here at the farm.  Let's top off our coffee, pull up a chair on the porch and enjoy this incredible weather!  Farm on! In this show I mention these cool sites: www.kipingitreal.com where Jackie has a cool site and a cool podcast. www.fiberfarm.com where my mentor, Susie Gibb's awesome farm has a cyber home. www.Ravelry.com where knitters in the know hang out and party www.kidnewe.com about the wonderful fiber fest in Boerne, TX (this site has been having issues - sorry if it won't come up.). And please drop by our sites if you'd like: www.jacobsreward.com www.jacobsreward.blogspot.com God bless, Cindy xo

Another fun sit-down with our friend Mary Berry of www.fancyfibers.com.  We discuss:Best Laid Plans- we were supposed to be picking up Mary's new goats,Weather woes,Fun at the Feed Store,Animals waiting all over Texas,Urbanites detached from the natural cycles and seasons,Finding balance with the natural rhythm of life,Fine tuning the business - cleaning fiber,Shearing,Room to grow.Enjoy!  Check our our daily updates on the blog: www.jacobsreward.blogspot.com

Today I visited with Shareholders Chris Ingle and Carol Waller as we enjoyed the coolness of the Red Barn. We talk about CSAs, local production, and why it's so much fun on the farm. Plus a reminder: Spinning in the Red Barn the third Saturday of every month at 10 AM.

I'm joined by my right hand farm-hand, daughter Emma, as we discuss muddy alpacas, dog beds, beaded suri yarn, local farmers, and a teen blog.

Thanks for dropping by for our very first "test" podcast episode. In our inaugural episode, Mary Berry and I give a brief account of our trip to Auxvasse, MO to visit Ann Mayes, and pick up our four new suri alpaca boys, recorded live from the road. Check out these related sites: Mary Berry's Fancy Fibers www.fancyfibers.com Ann Mayes' alpaca farm, Alpacas D'Auxvasse: www.alpacasauxvasse.com