February 2026 Happenings at Withers Wool and Farm

Farm and Animals

Is meteorological winter just about over? All of the animals (Merino sheep, Angora goats, chickens and peafowl) and I are ready for spring. Early February we had the polar vertex and the snow that fell just before it started. Then mid-February we had a warming trend (which melted the snow) before another drop in temperature and another winter storm bringing more snow. Then finally late February it warmed up again and the snow is mostly melted. My weather app shows a brief cold day early March with some precipitation, but I am keeping my fingers crossed that this is a non-event and meteorological spring is about here.

During the polar vertex, the Merino sheep stayed in their covered shelter, the Angora goats stayed in the barn (that had the heat on), and the chickens and peafowl stayed in their respective areas. So the sheep and goats ate lots of hay. They were so happy to get out again mid-month. Then back in again for a few days after snow fell the second time and then back out again. Of course, the vegetation in the pasture is not great, so they are all eating lots of hay in the evening and morning before I let them out during the day.

I bred three Angora does and I think they are pregnant; it can be hard to tell, especially as their fleece grows. The window for them having their babies is from 18 March to 22 April. Around 15 March I will separate these three from the rest of the herd and put them in areas at night which have cameras (and a baby monitor) so I can periodically check them and during the day they will go in fields that have access to a shelter and also which I can easily monitor.

In the fields I had cleared of brush (which I mentioned in the January newsletter), I have thrown out a forage mix (composed of fescue, chicory, alfalfa, red clover, birdsfoot trefoil, orchard grass, and peas) to try to get a more bountiful and nutritious growth of vegetation for the sheep and goats.

Merino sheep out on pasture as snow is melting

Fiber and Shop

I did make a trip to Lancaster Creek Spinnery in February to both pick up some mill spun yarn as well as to drop off fiber to get some more yarn made. The yarn I picked up was a 2-ply white DK weight composed of 50% mohair and 50% wool and a 2-ply fawn DK weight also composed of 50% mohair and 50% wool. In a few months I will get back one set of skeins in a worsted weight and, for the first time, 2 sets of skeins in a bulky weight.

Lots more work making batts both with the large and small Patrick Green drum carders. On 27 February I did a post on using the rove guide system to make roving from the Supercard machine (the smaller Patrick Green drum carder). Most spinners prefer to use roving (versus batts) to hand spin - but not all.

For yarn production, I focused on making singles, two plys, and cable yarns. On 5 February I did a post on making a cable yarn, using a previously made low twist 2 ply.

And here now is a short story about a yarn I tried to make that did not turn out as intended - which happens from time to time. First I twisted together a 2 ply (some more of the low twist 2 ply) and a single in the Z direction and then another 2 ply (more of the same low twist 2 ply) with a different single in the Z direction: thus I had two 3 plys (really 2 crepe-like yarns) twisted in the Z direction. Then I started plying these two back in the S direction - to make a cable like yarn. However, right in the middle of this ply back, I was using the majacraft Rose and the hook on the majacraft flyer came out (the glue weakened and the hook would not stay in place). So I had to pull out the yarn I had plied, put clamps on the unpiled yarn (so it would not twist together), fix the flyer, (quickly) spin back on the plied part of the yarn, and resume plying the two 3 plys. Somewhere in there I miscalculated and for a couple of yards in the middle the ply angle and twist are all different. Oh well. It is an interesting yarn - but not what I was aiming for, so I put I on my diamond rack. (The diamond rack, a take-off on “diamonds in the rough”, contains (solid) yarns that did not turn out as intended and are discounted 50%.)

Despite the cold weather and snow for much of February, there were a fair number of visitors to the shop; thanks to everyone who came by.

New DK weight mill spun yarn

Events

There were no formal external or internal events in February. We did have a few classes: beginning spinning, beginning drop spindle, fiber preparation and 3D needle felting (making a lamb). In March, there are some more one-on-one classes scheduled for folks that have reached out to me and a formally scheduled needle felting class on 21 March to make an alpaca that you can sign up for if interested.

If you had not heard, the Fiber Art Studio officially stopped. Here is the announcement that went out:

“In case you missed it — the Fiber Art Studio Tour has officially cast off its final stitch. After ten wonderful years, this beautiful chapter has come to a close.

What started as a small spark between a few fiber friends grew into a vibrant community of makers, visitors, and supporters. Together we shared studio tours, special events, laughter, learning, and even found ways to stay connected through the pandemic. Your enthusiasm, kindness, and curiosity helped shape FAST into something truly meaningful — and we are so grateful.

While the tour itself is over, the story absolutely continues. Each of our studios is still creating, growing, and welcoming you — just in new ways and on our own paths. Think of this not as goodbye, but as a new skein being wound.”