In the middle of all that is going on this past week it has been hard to take the time to sit down and write on the blog - partly because I've been busy, but mostly because I don't want to miss out on anything else that may be going on=) There are two major things I want to write about but I don't have the pictures to go with it so we'll back up to last Wednesday and write about what happened that day....it was pretty cool, too!
Several years ago we met a lady by the name of Judy Cox. Matthew built an addition on the front of her house and we enjoyed getting to know her and staying in touch with her since then. She is an amazing lady! 
So when our home school group was invited to go to her house for the October activity we were quite excited. You see, Judy (among all the other cool things she's done) raises her own llamas, sheers them, and uses the 'fibers' to make amazing yarn and handmade articles. This was the process that we were invited to come and see!
So when our home school group was invited to go to her house for the October activity we were quite excited. You see, Judy (among all the other cool things she's done) raises her own llamas, sheers them, and uses the 'fibers' to make amazing yarn and handmade articles. This was the process that we were invited to come and see!As soon as everyone arrived Miss Judy explained to the kids what would be happening and some of the rules to obey on a llama farm. She even added to their experience by pointing out the outhouse that the kids were to use as needed=) Then we all walked over to the llama pens and the kids got to pet and feed them - one dozen llamas, 6 males and 6 females.
They were a bit shy at first....
but warmed up pretty quick when they saw the treats that awaited them.
but warmed up pretty quick when they saw the treats that awaited them.Jesse fed the llamas some but, in his typical Jesse fashion, he wandered around checking out all the sights and seeing what trouble he could get into!
Also typical was the fact that the 'funnest' part of the activity for the oldest two was just getting to hang out and visit with their friends.
It's hard to get a good picture of this rascal because if he sees the camera pointed at him he gives me some delightful goofy look!
Monica on the other hand stops and smiles no matter what she's doing.....I think it's the difference between a boy and a girl=)
After seeing and feeding the llamas we went inside - all the kids and moms crowded into Miss Judy's big, beautiful, front room (that Matthew built! =) while she explained and talked the kids through the whole process from shearing to a finished product.
Now, unfortunately for myself and my readers, I don't remember the terminology or names of anything so I'll just make it up.....The first thing once the llamas were shorn (typically once a year although it takes 2 years for them to grow a full coat), was to run the fibers through this machine that spins it into a big connected bunch while cleaning some of the dirt out. Unlike sheep wool it is not pre-washed before this step.
Then she tears the big section into smaller strips and those pieces are what she will use to spin into yarn. She pedals away at this loom and slowly between her fingers the fibers twist and are pulled onto the loom and formed into yarn.
After the yarn is done she will either dye it or leave it it's natural color depending on what she plans to do with it. Below you will see the variety of colors she can get from her llamas, as well as the finished prize winning product once it has been dyed. 
She makes a big variety of different things, basically anything that you could make with sheep's wool you can also make from the llama yarn, and it is less itchy! Here is a rug she made which is a combination of angora, llama and sheep wool.
After she finished explaining the process out to the kids they were able to try some things out themselves as well as ask some questions. Miss Judy even had snacks and a drink ready for all the kids so we finished on a yummy note=)
After the morning activities at her place we all caravaned back into Buffalo Gap and filled our house with about 30 home schoolers and their picnic lunches. It made me grateful all over again for the spacious house that we have=) It was a fun day!
Also typical was the fact that the 'funnest' part of the activity for the oldest two was just getting to hang out and visit with their friends.It's hard to get a good picture of this rascal because if he sees the camera pointed at him he gives me some delightful goofy look!
Monica on the other hand stops and smiles no matter what she's doing.....I think it's the difference between a boy and a girl=)
After seeing and feeding the llamas we went inside - all the kids and moms crowded into Miss Judy's big, beautiful, front room (that Matthew built! =) while she explained and talked the kids through the whole process from shearing to a finished product.
Now, unfortunately for myself and my readers, I don't remember the terminology or names of anything so I'll just make it up.....The first thing once the llamas were shorn (typically once a year although it takes 2 years for them to grow a full coat), was to run the fibers through this machine that spins it into a big connected bunch while cleaning some of the dirt out. Unlike sheep wool it is not pre-washed before this step.Then she tears the big section into smaller strips and those pieces are what she will use to spin into yarn. She pedals away at this loom and slowly between her fingers the fibers twist and are pulled onto the loom and formed into yarn. After the yarn is done she will either dye it or leave it it's natural color depending on what she plans to do with it. Below you will see the variety of colors she can get from her llamas, as well as the finished prize winning product once it has been dyed. She makes a big variety of different things, basically anything that you could make with sheep's wool you can also make from the llama yarn, and it is less itchy! Here is a rug she made which is a combination of angora, llama and sheep wool.
After she finished explaining the process out to the kids they were able to try some things out themselves as well as ask some questions. Miss Judy even had snacks and a drink ready for all the kids so we finished on a yummy note=) 
After the morning activities at her place we all caravaned back into Buffalo Gap and filled our house with about 30 home schoolers and their picnic lunches. It made me grateful all over again for the spacious house that we have=) It was a fun day!PS - In the next couple posts I'll share our surprises with you=)
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