the daydream fund challenge thread

lostinrates

Lotus-eater wrote: »

Please get a carbon monoxide alarm, get one of the ones which show a digital display to show the amount of CM in the air. In case you haven't already.

Very, very right. Thank you LE. Yes, I will get one before I try again.

Lotus-eater

lostinrates wrote: »

Very, very right. Thank you LE. Yes, I will get one before I try again.

And take it to bed if you think your chimney may be leaking

Actually the chances of anything happening are low when the fire is going, as the draw should pull any gases out of the top of the chimney.

I'm actually guessing here, but it might well be worse when you close it down at night and it smoulders.

Anyway, glad you are not going to take any chances. I was almost in very serious trouble with CM quite some years ago, at a flat I was staying at, not something I want to see happen to someone else.

RAS

choille wrote: »

Yesterday a neighbour from a mile away came round with a list - all his livestock for sale. His wife has up & left & it's all to be got rid of. He came up here a few years back & a lot of his sheep are very elderly & would be best putting away - but he won't hear of it. I don't think he's going to get many takers. I have said I'll take some of his poultry, but I have had to put away some of my old ewes so I'm hardly likely to take on their's.
It's all a bit of a tangled mess as they have so many animals. He wants them to go where they will get loads of cuddles, but realistically that aint gonna happen............

Sad, two people's dreams in tatters and their relationship, perhaps for the sake a little more realism on his part regarding the livestock.

Animals cost a lot to keep unless your stocking rates are low enough and climate kind enough to allow year round forage and you get some sort of harvest from them, whether it is wool or meat or young.

alfie_1

i have changed my pic to display ONE OF my SLIM, AGILE SHEEP!!....NOT. we now have only 3 as we lost grandma and one daughter this summer. one daughter and 2 grandaughters left. they are only grazing by the lakeside and dont have excessive grass but are real "butter balls"... i have a lovely local chap that shears them for me now. [i did buy proper electric shears but when you consider the "record" is about 1 1/2 mins per sheep and mine was an hour!! i gave up..] alas no one wants the fleeces. BUT whilst in morocco i had a basic lesson on how they grade and spin thier wool [sheep, goat and camel] so will give it a go next spring. another useless/usefull fact i learnt there was that camels can only be fleeced every 3 years as thier coats grow so slowly.... maybe why pure camel hair clothes cost a fortune???

choille

Hi RAS - It is sad we used to do stuff together, gather sheep, go in on vacinations (cheaper buying in bulk) get hay in together. She/they are much more knowledgeable than I regarding sheep & I did rely on them until they became rather unreliable - now all is clearer...........

I don't make money on the sheep but I don't have the sheer amount that they have.
The new EID has been a bit of a begger & I read the cover of Farming news (don't buy it) they are talking of changing that - it's just in & cost me £60 for tags & applicators - yes - different applicator needed. It's all money to the big companies. Small farms/crofts can't really take all this expensive nonsense.

Just had a phone call & my lambs got good prices - yipee!

lostinrates

alfie_1 wrote: »

alas no one wants the fleeces.

ooh I do. I fancy doing our insulation with wool...natural product etc etc, but can't afford it

Another potentially lethal thing with the house...we do have some insulation, but its bales of straw :eek::eek: makes that defunct chimney scarier, eh:o

choille

Alfie - How much did your shears cost?

I put my fleeces off to the wool board but, although better prices this year, it's hardly much at all. I have advertised them privately & sold some that way - as they are top quality - shetland & such, it goes no way to pay for the shearing though.

Sheep wool insulation is an old idea come back - I would think you will need to treat them? Comb them?

ukmaggie45

Alfie, depending on the breed of your sheep you might be able to make felt with the fleece. You could make your own yurt then! I bought some dyed fleece to try and make felt rugs a few years ago, but then my parents got ill and I never had the time to give it a go. Might give it a whirl when we finally move into the new house.

alfie_1

choille wrote: »

Alfie - How much did your shears cost?

I put my fleeces off to the wool board but, although better prices this year, it's hardly much at all. I have advertised them privately & sold some that way - as they are top quality - shetland & such, it goes no way to pay for the shearing though.

Sheep wool insulation is an old idea come back - I would think you will need to treat them? Comb them?

i paid about £180. i think for the shears. from scats. could get cheaper elsewhere ie internet but i wanted to have a reliable local seller incase of problems also i like to "see" before i buy...
my sheap shearer man charged me £40 to do 5 sheep but he also checked/clipped thier hoofs for that!
p.s. it was bloody hard work doing it myself... suppose if you had time and energy its worth it for a lot of sheep!!

alfie_1

lostinrates wrote: »

ooh I do. I fancy doing our insulation with wool...natural product etc etc, but can't afford it

Another potentially lethal thing with the house...we do have some insulation, but its bales of straw :eek::eek: makes that defunct chimney scarier, eh:o

im not sure about the safety factor of fleeces? i am not sure but i think you have to get all the lanolin out as this can be inflammable ?? sorry but im a bit paranoid about fires and would hate to say its ok and then its not !!...