My visit to the Choctaw Indian Fair.

I wanted to to share with everyone what I did today... Our Farms is currently in slow transition from Northern Mississippi to the Meridian, MS area. While I am here at my new job I have am starting to look around and see what is happening in the area. Today I visited the Choctaw Indian Reservation  http://www.choctaw.org/ for the 63rd annual Indian Festival http://www.choctawindianfair.com/I must say that it was a great privilege to be invited to share and learn some the traditions and get a glimpse into Choctaw culture and heritage.

I wish I would have taken more pictures, but I will share all I have. I thought it was very neat to park my car and be bused in to the main gates, what a great crowd/car control that is. I arrived around 10:30am so the midway was not in full swing just yet. As soon as I got off that bus I headed straight towards the local craft area and looked at everything. So many talented individuals! The weather was not perfect, but I loved seeing and feeling the rain after we have been without sooo long, so I had to tent jump a little there but all worth it.

This was on the floor of the craft area, you can see it on every building on the reservation. There were a few tents with vendors that I checked out too. I can't post what I bought yet because most of it is for my stepdaughter who will see it next week (yup, she is first haha). I did notice that in the local craft area there was either basketry or beading. Inside, the displays had a lot of ribbons on many items (like at a state fair) I must say there was a lot of crochet!

As soon as I finished up there I headed straight toward the dancing area. WHAT A TREAT!!!! there were dances every day and all day long. I wish I could have stayed the entire duration of the fair watching! I have a few clips which I will tell you now they are not long. I intended it that way so you can get just a taste of what I saw and come visit for yourself. Also these were taken on my phone, so they are not the cleanest images.

I do not remember the name of this group, but they were neat to watch. Here they are slowly adding audience members until they get bigger and bigger, the circle never closes. I actually was able to get in there and shuffle around and laugh along with everyone. I wish I knew more about the dances so I could explain it for you as well. Here they are again with their last dance before the next group.

On the dance schedule it said Hoop Dancer...I have not seen hoop dancing at all and wasn't sure what to expect, WOW is the word I walked away with. These two men just started setting up and getting everything ready. I again apologize for not knowing names. The man on the drum and flutes was amazing with the audience and explained the meanings behind the dances and other explanations of his Hopi culture. A great musician as well... The first clip is the Eagle dance...I swear to you all I saw an Eagle in front of me! It was amazing!





After the Eagle dance was the Horse dance which the dancer and his brother created...just amazing. Now onto a clip of the hoop dancing...you know when someone makes something look really easy...you KNOW they must have been doing it for a loooong time. He has been hoop dancing since 1990 and has won many championships...yup VERY good dancer! He danced with 10 hoops today.

 

Those are all the clips I have. After the dancing I headed over to the main stage where Clint Black was to preform tonight. I headed there because that is where the main heartbeat is...the main drum!

I did not push my way through people to get a better picture, At the time they were paying tribute to the Veterans in the audience. I want to mention here that in the display area there was a huge booth where people were helping Veterans with their paperwork and giving them information on benefits etc... VERY awesome to see!

After that I went into the Choctaw Museum (very cool) Here is the country music marker outside of the museum...



 I went to the storytelling area. I missed some of the stories, but there was a man (doctor) talking about Choctaw History around the 1600's. This man definitely knew his stuff! He went on about education, touched on archaeology etc.., I wish I would have been there sooner to have caught the whole session. From there my stomach reminded me that all I had this morning was a bowl of grits...so instead of having a meal on a stick...





I opted for a local Chotow burger served in fry bread...yummm!

After all of that I headed back to the buses and headed back to my home away from home. I am really looking forward to our farm moving closer to me and I am looking forward to the 64th annual Choctaw Indian Fair!







Alabama

Another festival in the books! I had a great time at Old Alabama Town for their first ever fiber festival. It was just one day but the grounds were covered with vendors, I wish I had more time to visit everyone there.

Setting up after the rain stopped. there were so many volunteers helping everyone unload and load, it was just a superbly run festival!

Angora Acres had a shearing demonstration that I was able to participate in. I must say that Jeff did a much better job with his clippers than those slow scissors ha ha! Angora Acres also had an angora rabbit and baby buff chicks.

I was VERY fortunate to stay with Jennifer & Jeff (angora acres) where we spun, combed fiber, washed wool and just goofed off for 24 hours.

Blue Goose Farms now turns our heads towards Lexington, Kentucky. We are hoping to be there but I have found a job!!!!! Can you all believe that????? Stay tuned and I will let you know where you can see us.

Townsend, TN

We were in Townsend, TN for the Smoky Mountain Fiber Arts Festival. I wish I had more time to sight see, but there was just so much to do... The festival was located at the Heritage Center, a very nice place with a lot of displays and items from local artisans.

 It is always nice to see a few familiar faces...

Cheryl McLane from Purdy Thangz

purdythangz

Brenda Horrower from Woodenspinner

WoodenSpinner

I had a booth upstairs where I was spinning and meeting a lot of wonderful people! These were taken the day before the show, I had to sneak away to the Smoky Mountain Spinnery!

What a sweet Thursday afternoon playing with fiber, Nancy was such a wonderful hostess!

smokymountainspinnery

I stayed in Pigeon Forge, here are a few of the sights on the strip...

Titanic Museum

Drive thru wedding anyone???

It was a great time, I hope to be back next year...perhaps I will find a quieter place than pigeon forge.

Thank you so much for stopping by to see me and supporting a fiber farmer!

BREAKING NEWS!!

Blue Goose Farms has been published in the latest issue of the Goat Rancher! We can be found on page 23. Magazines can be found online at the website or at a Tractor Supply near you. The Goat Rancher has a lot of important information and very interesting articles (like us haha) get your copy right away!

The Goat Rancher

2012 BABIES!!!!!!!

They are here! Our 2012 babies have started! We never thought they would get here, running out to the barn every few hours. Listening to the baby monitor wondering if that is a getting comfortable grunt or a labor pain. We have a few does that are huge and naturally we thought they would be the first ones to kid...NOPE the little skinny doe cloud was the first to show us what she was hiding. Both of these are boys, The Buck was Comet and the Doe was Cloud.

From Sunday on we have had babies every day. The second Doe was Cami she gave us a 7.14 pound boy.

From there it was Arabella's turn to show off our only girl we have had so far... She is very cute and so tiny! This little girl likes to lay on her side so when we come into the stall area of the barn my husband and I naturally almost have heart attacks! I am sure she does this on purpose to make the other kids laugh, we will see. I hope she looses that habit very soon.

After Arabella was Winter's turn. She was bred to Pi and this was our first look at what he can produce. Why yes, these are boys too.

We have two first time moms in the flock Carmella and Screach, well Carmella beat Screach to the chase and gave us these nice looking boys

Here are a some pictures of the three remaining does, but as I am uploading all of this I received a phone call saying that Cameo & Pi also gave us two boys.

Here is Cameo a few hours ago

Alice

Screach

That is the main excitement on the farm right now. We have been incubating some eggs and have hatched out over 70 buff chicks. You will have to keep an eye on this blog for some pictures of those babies. I can't spoil you all at once.

Lots going on!

We have found an awesome Farm who is in the process of buying our herd of sheep!

ANGORA ACRES

Right now they are busting their tails getting the fencing and shelters ready to go! We predict this transfer to take place in March/April. So Alabama, watch out! you are getting a great addition to your fine state!


In other news, we are working with knit1 Oxford and selling a lot of our hand spun yarns. Located in Oxford, MS it is a great store that supports a lot of local fiber artists. SHOP LOCAL! Here are just a few pictures of our wares...100% Angora Goat!

knit1Oxford

I will post more details soon, but you can see Blue Goose Farms in the Smoky Mountains March 16 & 17 located in Townsend, TN

Smoky Mountain Fiber Arts Festival

I will talk more about this as well as it gets closer...

national goat expo

There will be a lot of seminars on Parasites, Genetics and even an inspection class! This is a great place to meet other Goat farmers and to learn a lot! We plan on being there...especially for that inspection class.