I have so many little things to catch y’all up on and I am hell bent on getting done today and off my plate. Here we go:
Our first Blanket CSA has (finally!) come to fruition! All but two or the shareholder’s blankets have been shipped (due to a color mix up that is now corrected) and we have already gotten lots of lovely replies from shareholders telling us how happy they are with their JMF blankets.
I want to thank all the Blanket CSA Shareholders for their patience- this was a new product for us and we made some mistakes. (My timeline was, well, let’s call it ambitious.) We also learned a whole lot about what to do differently next time. I’m not sure if we will do the blanket CSA again, but I am pondering it. In part because I forgot to order a blanket for myself! And after seeing them, I want one for every bed in my house.
Members of our Sock Club should start stalking their mailboxes for their first skein of lovely, hand-dyed sock yarn. It’s going out today and it is lovely. I will give you a tiny hint- it was inspired by the gloomy, wet and grey weather that we had a the farm for most of January.
Fall 2012 Yarn CSA Shareholders also have something to look forward to soon; the mill has completed our order and a couple of enormous boxes of mohair blend yarn are on their way to the farm right now! If you are a Fall 2012 Shareholder, you can expect an email in early February asking if you’ve had an address change and advising you of dyeing options.
I don’t think we will be doing the Fall CSA Shares again. The timing just works out badly for us here at the farm, and now that we have the Colored flock as well as the Cormos, it’s just too much. The Fall Shares have always had a smaller but very dedicated following, and I am very grateful for your support over the years. This was our fifth Fall Yarn CSA and it seems like a good time to draw the curtain on it.
In other news, we have moved most of our shipping from the USPS to FedEx Ground. I hated to do it, but with postal rates going up on 1/27 and the difficulties we’ve had with packages going astray this year, it was a no brainer. Smaller, more easily replaceable packages may still ship USPS from time to time.
{ 11 comments }
wow, I didn’t realize all the CSAs you had going on and forgot about the sock club. I have to admit I am saddened to see you end the fall CSA, I can’t say why but I am, it’s not like I was a shareholder for that CSA. Talk up the blanket CSA, I am always on the edge of anything you do, sometimes I take the plunge, other time, time gets away from me. Any chance of a quick comment about the Shepard and the Shearer? Sold out? Option to buy a second ‘share’ of yarn to do the second sweater? (see, right there on the edge, that one I did fall over… haha.) I know you are heading to Texas soon, safe travels! Oh yeah, I am falling out of love with the USPS too, since they managed to rip an envelope in half, which left the receipient’s address incomplete and they still delivered it to them, with a letter apologizing to the ‘postal customer’ – me, not them. Of course, when the letter went in half, so did my check and what a surprise, my payment couldn’t be processed… sorry for the rant, I defininately need to let that go now… haha…
THOSE BLANKETS. LOOK. AMAZIIIIING!!!
The blankets look wonderful….will be keeping my eye open and fingers crossed that you will do another CSA for that. Sorry to see the Fall CSA go but you have to manage your time and resources wisely. It will just make receiving the spring share that much more special.
Am I one of the two that haven’t received a lovely blanket? (I haven’t received my lovely blanket). Hope you are feeling better!
Polly
Are you going to be doing this again? I somehow missed this CSA and would love to do it if you do it again.
I am looking forward to receiving my lovely blanket. They turned out amazing.
The blankets look beautiful! Mine is due to arrive tomorrow and I can’t wait!Perfect timing with all this cold weather!
Please do this again…please please please. I didn’t order a blanket. they look awesome and I want one.
My blanket came today and I just want to tell you it was well worth the wait. I can’t wait to suggle under it with a good book and a cup of tea. I hope you do decide to do another blanket CSA because everyone should have a Juniper Moon blanket of their own.
I purchased a blanket for my mum, who is always cold and uses lap blankets. If you’re cold enough to need a lap blanket, you need one made of wool. So I happily joined the Blanket CSA on her behalf. The blanket arrived in the mail last night, and we both LOVE it. Technically I bought it as a gift for her, but I might sneak use of it for myself as well!
Good work in this new venture, and thanks to the sheep who are now earning their keep!
Oh, on another note: I understand the need to move away from USPS (stuff going astray is bad!) but would it be possible to use UPS instead of FedEx? I admit I don’t know exactly how they compare on the business cost level, but UPS is a union shop, and I support unions.