Category Archives: Uncategorized

Where are the gallery goats?

the goats and alpaca at yellow dog farm
Yellow Dog Farm – happy and content

Don’t worry, they are at home at Yellow Dog Farm in South Hero.  This has been a crazy spring.  All available times to bring them up have evaoprated quickly.  But – the good news is — the hay has been cut and is now safely stored in the barn loft.  (Many thanks to all who helped!)  Jim has had his much needed foot sugery and while he can not walk for several weeks, I am at home learning all my new duties AND working in the gallery.  So…it is highly likely that soon, I will be farmer enough to throw a couple goats in the back of my Subaru and bring them to the gallery!  I’ll keep you posted on my progress!

ellen

Painting on Silk Demonstration

Nancy Jacobus, Nancy Hunt Jacobus Art Watercolor and silk paintings, photography Member, Vermont Hand Crafters
Nancy Jacobus, Nancy Hunt Jacobus Art
Watercolor and silk paintings, photography
Member, Vermont Hand Crafters

Painting on Silk Demonstration
Date: Thursday, July 14, 1:00-3:00 pm
Nancy has been painting on silk for many years. She loves the vivid colors and flow of the paints & dyes on the silk. She is inspired by strong colors, dancing lines and anything to do with nature. She spends as much time as she can outside with my camera to capture subjects for her silk paintings (heron, turtles, dragonflies, butterflies are a few). She is passionate for purple & uses it as much as she can!

Join Nancy to see how her fabulous art work is created. Lots of time to chat with the artist and see her process.

Who: Adults Limit: 8 Minimum: 4
Instructor: Nancy Jacobus
Cost: FREE

Ella is a crowd pleaser!

Oh, that Ella!  She brings smiles to everyone that meets her.  On Tuesday, April 5th, Ella made a return visit to the Essex Town School District Central Office.  She was first spotted by our mail person before she even got out of the car!  From there she had the lay of the land…office that is!

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Ella knows her way around the office.  And she definitely knows who her “mama” is. Any time she was out of my sight, she began calling and calling.  It is exactly what the baby kids do in our field.  The mama calls back.  I did my very best!

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Bottle Baby

Ella’s mom did not change her mind.  She is not mean about it – but just will not let Ella nurse.  Jim researched feeding schedules and headed out to Milton to purchase powdered goat milk.  And our bottle baby duties began in earnest on March 9th, 2016.

This became quite complicated quickly.  Jim needed to open the gallery and still feed Ella.  Being a guy, he figured she would just wait for him ’til the end of the day.  Ellen, being a mom, thought no way!  A road trip was in the making for Ellen and two of her employees, Jane and Arik, from the Essex Town School District.  This seemed worthy of a group supported event – since this was all new to everyone.

M&M and the other girls are all interested!
M&M and the other girls are all interested!
Tansy and Daisy check things out!
Tansy and Daisy check things out!
These ladies are Sappy's daughters. They will have babies soon.
These ladies are Sappy’s daughters. They will have babies soon.

Who knew that Jane would solve the “how do we get Ella to drink out of a bottle?” dilemma by using her Minnesota farm girl wisdom?  Way to go Jane!

Jane shows Arik and I how bottle feeding works with 1 day old Ella!

Meet Ella

2016-03-08 18.06.13Ella was born about 9:00 AM on March 8, 2016 at Yellow Dog Farm in South Hero, Vermont.  Our farm.  Jim and Ellen’s, that is.  Ella is the littlest twin in the back – just peeking out from under her mom, Sappy (Sapphire).  The twins were a bit unexpected as we usually time these sorts of things for birthing in May when it is warmer here.  We suspect that Montague had a few indiscretions when he broke through the fence in November!  Ella and her brother, Satchmo are the very obvious result!

Maybe because it was cold or maybe because Ella was so small, Sappy just would not let her nurse.  Sappy was not mean – just not allowing Ella to drink.  Satchmo could nurse with ease.  So what to do?

Jim called neighboring sheep and goat farmers to find some colostrum to feed Ella.  It was into the evening and time was getting short.  Babies need this to get extra nutrients in their first few hours.  Luckily Capsand Creamery of South Hero came to our rescue and we were able to feed Ella that evening.  We were still hoping that Sappy might reconsider with a good nights sleep.

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That is Jim’s foot – he is milking Sappy for Ella!
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That’s Ella – Satchmo is sound asleep under her!