This is my Auto Knitter that I got from Ebay. These were made at the beginning of the last century for people to use in home based businesses making socks. It has become quite the craze buying and fixing these antique hand-cranked sock knitting machines. I have wanted one for a long time but was intimidated by the prices and the possibility of getting a lemon. Tom finally convinced me to bid on this one on Ebay, and we got it for a reasonable price. Then I had to wait and wait for it to be shipped for Canada. Then we spent hours taking it apart, cleaning and oiling it, putting the pieces back together and manipulating it until I finally got it to work. Here’s my first sock!

Otherwise it;s been more or less the same on the farm. I sold 4 of the rabbits last weekend and have 11 more to go. The goats are due starting this next weekend so we have everything ready. The vet came out this week to check our cows. Both our Highland cows are pregnant by our Dexter bull. It had been 15 months since we purchased him so we were getting concerned. One cow is due within 2 weeks- to the point the calf was sucking on the vet’s hand when he was checking inside. The other is only 35 days pregnant so we have a long ways to go. The vet also drained Olivia’s hoof abscess- I was never able to get it to drain.

Yesterday I did the usual farm chores and gave shots to the pregnant goats. I trimmed all the rabbits toenails and sheared the Jersey Wooly. I cleaned out the rabbit pen in the feed shed and put them in cages since it was getting stinky. The urine was getting under the tarp and soaking into the floor- not good. This weekend Tom’s supposed to butcher an aggressive rooster that’s been in the barn pen the rabbits used to be in, and I can clean and repair that pen and get them in a better environment again. Then I pruned the orchard’s trees. I didn’t quite get done but at least I made a dent in it. I was also going to transplant some bamboo and do llama training but ran out of time and light. I’m looking forward to spring with nicer weather, flowers and more light but am dreading all the work with the baby goats, sheep and cow as well as getting the vegetable garden going again. Each season has it’s unique chores and weather challenges here but also it’s own special beauty.

PS I just realized it’s the second anniversary of this now-old farm blog!