IAGARB Coast to Coast!

The Grand Journey began when Leslie and three German angora rabbits headed out from Ontario, Canada on September 30th to begin a 2,500 mile solo drive across the US to Dixon, California for the Lambtown Wool Festival.

For Leslie this was an emotional trip.  This was a road she had taken many times with her father, Bob.  To travel it without him was like driving through memories of past journeys. Friday evening she called Erin from the California/ Nevada state line – “Hey, I did it!  Your new rabbits and I will be at your house very soon.”

The Lambtown Fair was held on Saturday, October 3rd.  It was a gorgeous California day – bright, breezy and clear.  The show was well attended.  Leslie’s classes went well.  The IAGARB display was mobbed most of the day.  Sandy H. answered questions from the crowd.

Erin and Sandy sheared rabbits for registration while the crowds watched.

Journey’s End – We arrived back in Ontario very late on Sunday night.  We could have gotten home sooner but Erin was flirting with the customs officer at the Canadian border.  (nerk nerk nerk)

We enjoyed the fall colors for the next few days before it was time to fly home again to Sacramento.

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On the Road to Rhinebeck

On October 7, Leslie Samson and I left Sacramento for Rhinebeck Sheep and Wool Festival in NY.  We traveled by car following a successful registration and series of workshops at Lambtown.  Along for the ride were a few German Angoras, including Bungalow Farm’s Ouija who was up the Adventure!  Here are a few shots of Ouija along the way enjoying the sites of America along Interstate 80 (just in case anyone is wondering, Bungalow Farm’s Klaus sneaked in there too–not be left out!):

WHERE IS OUIJA?  CAN ANYONE GUESS?

Ouija at Sunset in the Pumpernickel Valley, NV

Outside Whole Foods in Park City, UT

Klaus checking out the ski resort at Park City

The first Continental Divide of the Great Basin in Wyoming

Ouija and the Two Headed Calf at Ft. Cody, North Platte, NE

Ouija in the Cannon at Ft. Cody

Where’s My Pizza? Libertyville, IL

More Wool to the Mill!

Sue Wiley and Leslie Samson met in Frankenmuth, Michigan at Zeilingers Mill to drop off wool for another yarn run.  After all of the wool was checked for grading and lot weights, they enjoyed lunch across the river from a waterfall and a waiting tour boat.

Frankenmuth is a beautiful town located just north of Flint, Michigan.  It has tons of shopping, great restaurants and all sorts of fun activities.

We are planning to hold our 2010 IAGARB AGM in May at the Bavarian Inn located in the center of Frankenmuth.  There will be classes, registration, a special speaker, a rabbit sale day and off course, our meeting.  Final details will be announced in January.

Sue Wiley and Kathy Zeilinger were surrounded by a cloud of soft angora while they weighed in the wool for our next 80 pound run.  What a joy it is to see so much gorgeous, silky, prime German fiber.  No wonder they look so happy!

One of the Zeilinger employees tried to carry all of the angora wool in the bag – but it wouldn’t quite fit.   As far as interesting experiences go – it feels a bit incongruous to know that a container holds one of the lightest fibers in the world, but still be unable to lift the bag.

Lambtown is in October!

IAGARB is planning a big presence at Lambtown in Dixon, California this year.  Usually held in July, it has been moved to October 3, 2009, a much more hospitable time of year for both humans and livestock.  Its a fun event with lots of fiber vendors, a wool show, lamb cookoff, sheep dog trials, a Sheep to Shawl contest, and lots of other fun things to keep the entire family busy.

IAGARB is pleased to be invited to demonstrate shearing angoras, showcase angora products, and have registration testing.

Leslie Samson will be teaching classes and workshops.  On Saturday, she will teach  “Introduction to Felted Tapestry Effects”.  Leslie will also teach “All About Angora” during the weekend.

On Sunday, workshops will be held at a nearby location.  Leslie will hold a workshop on “Botanical Felt”.  This is an all day class.  To register for classes, check back with the Lambtown website as the registration information should be up soon.

We will need lots of help from the membership to demonstrate shearing, answer questions, and man the booth.  Please contact Erin for more information: registration@iagarb.com

Hope to see you all there!

More From the AGM

The AGM started off with Alexis’ “Rabbit Medicine Chest” workshop Saturday morning.  It was well attended, even by four legged folks like Nicki, who was on the lookout.

Rosalie and Cindy go shopping!

Spinning and chatting while registration was going on

Margie helping clip Carrie's doe

IAGARB President Gail Smith and Vice President Sheri Cormier admiring the table decorations sent by Leslie.

The meeting gets in to full swing with Treasurer and Newsletter Editor Nancy Ferron opening a door prize.

Alexis gets bunny ears! She is such a good sport!

Margie and Al

Molly and Carrie

Sheri showing off her newly knitted socks to Alexis

Carrie's socks made with the IAGARB Sock Yarn

Carrie and Rosalie (and those socks again!)

Greta with a door prize

On Friday, before the Saturday registration and Sunday Meeting and Guest Speaker, Erin did a workshop on dyeing self striping socks.  It was lots of fun!

Warping the Sock board for dyeing

More From the Annual General Meeting

Dr. Mark Burgess was the guest speaker at the IAGARB Annual General Meeting 2009 in Silverton, Oregon.  Dr. Burgess is a small animal vet who specializes in exotic pets.  He owns the Southwest Animal Hospital in Beaverton, Oregon. A large part of his practice is rabbits.  His talk at our meeting focused on rabbit gut issues.  It was very enlightening!

Dr. Burgess spoke about various gut problems in rabbits, treatment, and the issues regarding treatment.  He also spoke about feed–both beneficial and things to avoid.  Dr. Burgess provided a lot of information.  It is rare to find a vet who knows so much about rabbits.  He offers consultations to other vets as part of his practice.

Another Wool Record is Broken!

At the IAGARB Annual General Meeting registration held April 4, 2009 in Silverton, Oregon, the North American Wool Production record was broken.  Carrie’s fabulous doe, Harvest Moon’s Esperanza produced a total of 571 grams in a certified 90-day clip.  This is an annual total of 2284 grams!  The previous record was held by Bungalow Farm’s Furrari (2054 grams).  In addition,  Carrie brought three other German does (littermates) that each produced over 2,000 grams.  Way to go Carrie!

Shearing Party in St. Charles, IL

Joyce, on the right, is holding an enormous shorn black doe. Susan smiles from the middle and Jane cradles a black German in full coat on the left.

The Fine Line Art Center sent out only one email to its members about the angora rabbits that would be shorn March 21. We were swamped with interested onlookers all day. People asked about the rabbits and were happy to know that the animals were not harmed for their wool. We handed out several membership forms.

Some people brought their children in Easter outfits to take photos with the bunnies. It was a mild, bright day. Frogs trilled their spring songs nearby. What an enjoyable day!

Rosalie tried Aesculap clippers for the first time. She did a beautiful job of cleaning off her rabbit's coat.

Rosalie smiled over a selection of her hand-dyed and handspun yarns. It is almost unfair to call some of her work "yarn" as several of the skeins has a precious jewelry quality to them!

Mary Stough prepared her next 5 pound bag of prime German Angora fiber for a sock run. Her daughter, Kate and Amy from Illinois gave her encouragement.

IAGARB SHEARING DEMO

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Maine Shearing Party

On March 7, 2009 Sheri hosted a shearing party at her beautiful log cabin in Maine. Shearing parties are fun gatherings for members to shear animals and certify them for registration 91 days later. Part of the testing for registration is the amount of wool an animal produces in 90 days. At a shearing party, animals are certified that they were shorn to the skin witnessed by other IAGARB members.

Members use all sorts of methods to shear. Many use Aesculap electric clippers as Sheri is demonstrating here. Some use other brands and others use scissors. Michaele here is using a round table as a stand to shear. Sheri likes a table top. Others place rabbits on their laps.

Bags and other containers are nearby to place graded and sorted wool. Prime angora is separated out from seconds and thirds. While thirds (shorter than 1 inch) are usually tossed, prime and seconds have value and can be used. Much of the prime wool harvested by IAGARB members goes into the IAGARB Yarn pool to produce the Angora Blizzard and Angora Frost yarns.