In spite of the fact that we try to run our farms as “green” as we possibly can, there are some by- products that go along with raising animals for yarn. Poopy hay, for example. We have more poopy hay than you would believe at the end of the winter. Believe it or not, once it’s composted, poopy hay is like gold. Our friends and neighbors beg us for some to work into their garden soil.

Another by-product is something that Erin has dubbed “yarn scrapple.”  Yarn scrapple is a result of the dyeing process. Before we dye yarn, we prepare each skein by tying five or six shorts lengths of yarn around the skein in a sort of figure eight pattern. This keeps the skeins from becoming tangled together while in the dye pot. After the yarn is dye and dried, the little ties are cut off and the yarn is reskeined.

And believe it or not, all those little ties add up really fast. We end up with grocery bags full of yarn scrapple. Lots and lots of grocery bags. In the past, we have disposed of yarn scrapple in the following ways:

• We’ve given several bags of it to Sandy, a paper making artist on Martha’s Vineyard. Sandy chopped up the scrapple and used it in paper to beautiful effect.
• We’ve give it to a friend who makes stuffed animals to use as filling.
• We have composted it.
• We have put it in net bags and hung it from tree branches in the spring. Bird will take the yarn to use in their nests.

This last use for yarn scrapple is my absolute favorite. It is so lovely to see the brightly colored yarn woven into bird’s nests all through spring. It makes me stupid-happy. And I think it will make you happy too! While supplies last, every order from our farm shop will include a small bag of yarn scrapple for you to put out for the birds in your neighborhood.

And now, for the winners of this weekend’s Intro to Spinning Giveaway. First though, I have to say that I really loved reading all of your animal stories. They made me laugh and get teary and then laugh again. As some of you mentioned, for me, a house isn’t a home without a dog and a cat in residence. Reading about the huge number of pets that have been dropped off at shelters due to the rise in unemployment is making me so very sad. If I could adopt another dog and cat from the shelter without Patrick having a wall-eyed fit, I’d be down at the shelter when it opened tomorrow morning.

But I digress. The winners of the Intro to Spinning Giveaway are:

Congrats to Anna, Sarah and Rebecca! You have one week from today to email us with your shipping address to claim your prizes. Send you email to prizes AT fiberfarm DOT com and put Spinning Giveaway in the subject line.

Thanks to everyone who entered and be sure to check back here in the next couple of days for another great giveaway.