# Web site is up



## Liese (Dec 12, 2005)

Hi Everyone, With Lezlie in CA's expertise Little Meadows Farm has a web site up and attached blog too! I don't have the Sheep page text done but am working on it, so for now it's just a front page on the site and a few blog entries. If you have any thoughts or opinions about something please let me know. http://littlemeadowsfarm.net/


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

Sure is nice putting a face to a name. (now I know who littlemeadows on Ravelry is!)

Your website is very user friendly. I like the looks. The only thing I would suggest is to make the font size larger ....


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## Liese (Dec 12, 2005)

Cyndi, would another font style also be easier to read? And does this apply to the web site, blog or both?


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## Slev (Nov 29, 2003)

Hi Liese,

I like the web sie too. I agree to increase the size, but keep the font the same. 

Also, just because there are weirdo's out there, I would put a "lock" on your pictures, just so no creap does anything with them. And, I would maybe list the types of sheep, dairy goats etc. that you have. Unless of course you plan on listing them on future pages.


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## Liese (Dec 12, 2005)

Hmmm... will check out this lock on pics thing, we don't want any creepy things done. Thanks for the input on the font size and yes the sheep and goats will each have their own pages. Lezlie says it's easier to design the page around the text and I am the originator of that text....so I best get cracking eh?


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

It's alreay my bed time and I only just clicked on the link :Bawling: So far it looks great but I'll have a better look tomorrow I hope.

Good work Liese!


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## Liese (Dec 12, 2005)

Thanks Susan but I only supply the text, Lezlie has done all work, I send her words and pictures and magic happens!


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## IowaLez (Mar 6, 2006)

I can make the font larger on the webpage for you all. It's no big deal, it's all done in CSS and easy to change with one stroke, unlike old-school table-based web sites.

I don't really see these photos being stolen; this site really won't get that much traffic, in the great big world of the web, and I don't think sheep pictures are real popular web theft focuses, to be honest. We can keep an eye on it, tho.

Liese's site is fun to work on because I love spinning and homemade soap, and animals. So much more fun than a business site, although web sites are not my line of real-world work, just a fun thing I do when I feel like it. The site is a team effort.

Lezlie
www.saladette.com
Lezlie's Seeds World Headquarters


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## Slev (Nov 29, 2003)

Lezlie, 

Of course the critter pics are of no concern, I was referring to the people pictures. If it were my site, I'd ask that my people pictures not be able to be copied by viewers.


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

Liese said:


> Hmmm... will check out this lock on pics thing,


Lezlie - just add the following JavaScript to disable the right click functionality. You might be surprised on the hits - at least from web crawlers!! 

*<script language=JavaScript>
<!--
//Disable right click script 

var message="";
///////////////////////////////////
function clickIE() {if (document.all) {(message);return false;}}
function clickNS(e) {if 
(document.layers||(document.getElementById&&!document.all)) {
if (e.which==2||e.which==3) {(message);return false;}}}
if (document.layers) 
{document.captureEvents(Event.MOUSEDOWN);document.onmousedown=clickNS;}
else{document.onmouseup=clickNS;document.oncontextmenu=clickIE;}
document.oncontextmenu=new Function("return false")
// --> 
</script>*

Another thing you might want to add to increase hits is your META Tags

Here is what I have on the homepage of our site:

*<META NAME="Description" CONTENT="*Mullers Lane Farm offers a glimpse of past. We implement 19th, 20th & 21st century techniques on the homestead. Heritage poultry wander freely on the farm. Draft horses are used on the hay field. Blacksmithing, soapmaking, spinning and weaving are just some of the daily activities on the farm. The products made are offered for sale. Take a trip to the past at Mullers Lane Farm! Rock Falls, Illinois*">*
*<meta name="ROBOTS" content="INDEX,FOLLOW, all">
<meta name="rating" content="general">
<meta name="keywords" Content="*Hands on learning bout the old way of living on a family homestead farm. Illinois, muller farm, mullers farm, homestead, homesteading, heritage turkeys, heritage turkey, milk soap, soaps, goats milk soap, recipes, raw milk, muller picks, homesteading, heritage poultry, homemade soaps, horse picks, hoof picks, farm tours, century farms, jersey cow, dexter, soap recipes, handcrafted soaps, Illinois, organic, raw milk, rfhs, csa, farmstead, how to, rock falls, carla emery, El JabÃ³n, america's heartland, pbs, america, heartland, education, historical farm, animals, tours, got milk, working farm, vacation farm, Illinois soap, goat soap, nais, stop national animal id system, AWFA, American Working Farmcollie Association, Farm Collie, Border Collie, farm collie, blue heeler, fiber, wool, handspun yarn, hand spun yarn, Handwoven, Weaving, Fiberarts, Fiber Arts, Fibrearts, Fibre arts, Interweave Knits, Natural Home, NaturalHome, Spin-Off, Spin Off, hoegger,klove,k-love,klove,k-lov,klov,milk soap, milk soap recipe, making milk soap, gift soap, soap gift basket, natural soap, all natural soap, luxurious natural soap product, pure natural soap, homemade lye soap, milk, soap, milk, raw milk*"> * 





Leise - you want that I should put a link to your page on my links page? I get crawlers coming from LocalHarvest, RealMilk, EatWild and few others. Let me know!


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## Madame (Jan 1, 2003)

I like it but had a hard time reading black type against a dark background. Everything else is great.


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

the font on the left panel (under Philosophy) is different than the font used for Welcome to our Farm! I like the font used in the center panel the best!


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## Liese (Dec 12, 2005)

Thank you Cyndi for offering to link our pages, that is so generous and I would like that very much.
Your whole post is so generous, now Lezlie knows all this stuff but I'm curious, does the meta name description actually show on the web site or is that some sort of internal code for web crawlers, like the keywords? 

Madame and everyone, The font colour is dark green, would it be more easily read if the colour was black as well as making the font size a bit larger? 

The weather is supposed to warm back up here this weekend so Bob and I will be out posing sheep - ad hoc pics are usually all butts!- and getting fleece close-ups so Lezlie will have more material real soon and then you will really have something to look at. In the meantime thank you all for your critiques, interest and help!


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Quick note! I don't seem to have much of a problem with the font or the colors but I have a high resolution screen. I'm not sure if that matters or not. 

The links/buttons at the top are all blank but the blog is that correct? I think the whole thing is lovely. 

Liese you and Bob are from Mich.? Me too!


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## Liese (Dec 12, 2005)

I've asked Lezlie if she would change the font colour to black, up the size a notch and use the same font style as the centre section so let me know if that made an improvement. 

Yes, those buttons are blank because I haven't gotten material to Lezlie yet - and thanks for the compliment Susan. 

Yup, we're from near Flint ...don't know if Lapeer makes it on maps.


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## MTDeb (Feb 20, 2003)

It's very nice! And, I love your philosophy. It's a very peaceful website. 

I like the green but I do have a problem with being able to read it cause it's a bit dark. I think it'd be better if the green was a tad lighter. I really had to strain to read it. It could just be my screen and old eyes though.


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

Liese said:


> does the meta name description actually show on the web site or is that some sort of internal code for web crawlers, like the keywords?


the meta name description is what shows on search engines when some keys in one of your meta keyword description.

If you google muller lane farm, you'll see what I mean!


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## Liese (Dec 12, 2005)

Yes I do see what you mean, did you know that goggling your site takes up the whole first page?! That's fantastic!

MTDeb, let's see if darker font and style helps - I don't think Lezlie's had a chance to change it yet but I'll give a heads up. Again, thanks for your input.


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

And once I get your link on my links page, the same web crawlers that crawl on my page will follow the link to your page to crawl it too. If you have good meta tags, the crawlers will have info to store in the search engines!


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## hoggie (Feb 11, 2007)

I like it - not that I am ANY sort of expert . But it feels calm and relaxed - I can just imagine your animals grazing peacefully outside 

Good luck with it 

hoggie


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## Liese (Dec 12, 2005)

MullersLaneFarm said:


> And once I get your link on my links page, the same web crawlers that crawl on my page will follow the link to your page to crawl it too. If you have good meta tags, the crawlers will have info to store in the search engines!


And I am more than thankfull to ride along! I did send Lezlie a very long list of meta keywords springboarding from what you wrote out. I'll work out the meta description also. Thanks so very much for sharing and helping me understand the world of Meta!


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## Liese (Dec 12, 2005)

Hey Hoggie, you are an expert - I'll bet you know what you like when you see it 

And thanks that's what I strive for here, today I was watching the 2 Alpine girls; Iris was on the wooden wire spool and Gardenia was standing there reaching up to twine her neck around Iris', then she'd pull back look at Iris and then they would embrace again. Of course I didn't have the camera but a camera would never have caught the interaction. What a great way to live, eh?


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## hoggie (Feb 11, 2007)

Sounds good to me 

hoggie


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## Madame (Jan 1, 2003)

Liese said:


> Madame and everyone, The font colour is dark green, would it be more easily read if the colour was black as well as making the font size a bit larger?


Speaking only for myself, I'd say either a lighter background or white text, so there's a definite contrast.


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## Liese (Dec 12, 2005)

Madame I don't know if the template Lezlie is working from allows changing the background colour but I'll ask her. 

In the meantime, she has changed the front page font style & size. Yesterday we spent a couple of hours taking photos of everyone and trimming hooves then I spent a couple of hours making up an album on a program Lezlie couldn't open but eventually I did get the photos to her and closed my weary eyes at 10:30. She already has one page started - Bethany's, so please let me know how clear the fleece is on your monitor. The info about Bethany and her fleece will go over on the left side.


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## IowaLez (Mar 6, 2006)

Got a bunch of work done this morning and last nite on the site. All the sheep pages are up and beginning to be fleshed out. See if reading is easier now. I really would hate to start changing colors as it is really quite lovely as it is. But I made the fonts significantly larger on the main section. Sometimes your monitor's contrast is darker than others. I know when I got a new monitor last year, I realized how dark my old one had become over time and from use. I had had a hard time seeing things on the web. I wear glasses to read, and now i can read the text pretty okay.

Feedback?


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

I love looking at your sheep! 

Lezlie, could you (if Leise thinks it is a good idea) put the links to the various sheep on every 'about' page instead of making the viewer go back each time?

eta: Puck's link goes to Teacup and Teacup's link doesn't work.

I love the look of Kira's fleece!


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## Liese (Dec 12, 2005)

Liese thinks that's a great suggestion, thanks Cyndi. Kira's fleece is very nice and so is Jester's but we don't have his pic yet since we have to divert Issac's (the ram) attention to do it - corn works great but it takes some planning, lol.


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## swamp_deb (Jan 9, 2004)

From a newbie's standpoint can you list the type of sheep they are beside their name on the picture page? I've still got a lot to learn.

I am really enjoying getting to watch your site build, it's great to be able to 'see' you when I read your posts.


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## Liese (Dec 12, 2005)

Deb, there will be text about each sheep and his or her fleece. It's just that I take pics faster than I can write, lol.


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## hoggie (Feb 11, 2007)

I thinkn it's great. ican't wait to read the info on the sheep - and if the more experienced fleece buyers amongst us wanted to share their expertise and "talk us through" the fleece on the sheep, I for one would be all ears. You know - when you look at the pictures of the fleece, what you would be looking for if you were buying? 

Maybe someone here could do a "sheep a week" or something?

Sorry suggesting more work for someone I know, but although I loved looking at the pictures of the sheep, I wouldn't have a clue what I was looking at really 

But the website's looking good to me - keep it up 

hoggie


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## swamp_deb (Jan 9, 2004)

Liese said:


> Deb, there will be text about each sheep and his or her fleece. It's just that I take pics faster than I can write, lol.


Thanks Liese, this south ga native needs all the help she can get, I see sheep in fields about as often as I see elephants. :help:


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## Liese (Dec 12, 2005)

swamp_deb said:


> Thanks Liese, this south ga native needs all the help she can get, I see sheep in fields about as often as I see elephants. :help:



LOL, fortunately my sheep eat lots less than elephants would! But I want you to know that wool socks are comfortable to wear in the summer as winter according to many Florida folks.


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Hoggie I think that is a great idea! Ideally what you want to see when you look at the fleece on the hoof is someone parting the fleece so you can see not only the length og the fleece but also the crimp, luster, and amount of dirt and maybe VM in the fleece. Sometimes you can actually see in the fleece a line where that particular animal may have been ill or stressed, that would most likely be a weak spot in the fleece and not at all desirable. Another way to test for that is to have a hands on tug on the fleece once it is sheared, snap it between your fingers.


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## Liese (Dec 12, 2005)

Susan, I'm curious about the stress breaks - I've not experienced this with my sheep's wool but this is the only raw wool I've been exposed to - is it common? Now for instance on Fiona's fleece there is always a yellowish band where there is more lanolin which I understand to be called "yolk" but this washes out and isn't a break. How does a stress break differ in appearance? Maybe diet has some part to play - I put out minerals and kelp which does improve the fleece just like when we are on good nutrition our hair and fingernails improve.


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Lies I'm no expert by any means. My experience comes from helping a friend with er flock at shearing time a few times and that was many years ago. But I remember her having a few ewes who had very stressful births or had been ill during the year. They may have been rescue sheep or bought at auction. But she showed me that when the fleece is off the take a lock of wool and give it a good snap, wind it around your fingers and tug it hard. If the fibers break that is a stress point in the fleece. She showed me on one ewe where you could actually see it in the fleece as it was on the hoof. I guess this one ewe had been really really abused and ill until she got her. There was a definite difference in the wool from when the ewe had come to live with her. I am sure nutrition has a lot to do with it. Im sure some of our other member may have more input. I know some people think yolk is a deficit in a fleece. It seems we had a discussion about yolk in fleece years and yards ago. I know Carol had some good information on that and how to deal with it in a fleece if you get a yolky fleece.

Here is something I found in a search http://www.midstateswoolgrowers.com/management.htm

" Defect wool may be due to high vegetable-matter content. This can be corrected by not feeding over the top of the sheep's back and neck or by mowing pasture fields to control burrs. Defect wool may be due to fiber strength. This is caused by stress sometime during the growth of the wool fiber. This may be due to poor nutrition, excessive worms creating an anemic situation, or fever at lambing. Defect wool may be due to short fiber length, off-color fibers or kempy fleeces. All of these defects can be corrected through management. Mother Nature will grow a strong, clean, usable wool fiber if the sheep are properly managed."

Here is another one. This one is actually not too far away. I think OceanRose has gone to it. http://www.shepherdsharvestfestival.org/FleeceShow/fleece.htm

"Several qualities of the wool are considered. Tensile strength is important because weak fiber or fiber with a break (a weak spot in the fiber often caused by illness or stress to the sheep at some point during the year) may be torn up during the carding process ruining the fleece. Staple length should be appropriate to its class and generally, longer length is more desirable. The crimp of the wool is what gives character and resilience to the yarn it is spun into. The crimp should be consistent throughout the fleece as well as within each lock. Each fleece is also checked for consistency of grade or fiber diameter throughout the fleece."


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## MTDeb (Feb 20, 2003)

Any kind of change or stress can show up in the fleece. Such as, having to give antibiotics, lambing, change in feed, a stressful move, an attack by a predator, any kind of stress or change. 

That being said though, even though you can "see" a change in the lock, it doesn't always result in a break or weak spot. It may be just a slight change in the crimp or a change of color. It doesn't necessarily mean it's going to be weak and break. The above snap test is great for determining that. Also, different breeds are affected in different ways so it can vary from breed to breed.

And, Liese, you're right. Sheep's wool is just like our hair. Our diet and nutrition and health shows up in our hair and nails, as does the sheep's. 

And, that "yolk" band in Shetland's is completely normal. It's part of the process that they go through to "shed" their fleeces.


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## Liese (Dec 12, 2005)

"The presence of yolk is quite normal and can be dissolved in water and detergent. If fleece is left unwashed, however, yolk can harden into tiny fragments which bind fibers together and interfere with drafting or stretching of the fibers, a necessary pre-spinning process."

This is from Legacy Lane Fiber mill's page

"Yolk is the natural grease and suint covering on the wool fibers of the unscoured fleece and is excreted from glands in the sheep's skin. It lubricates the fiber and prevents entanglement and injury as the wool fiber grows. Lanolin and other products are produced from it. 
Yolk is usually more abundant in finer wool. It gives the wool a light to dark yellow color, hence the name "yolk." 

This quote comes from Producing & Marketing High Quality Wool

Do you think I should have an "explanation page" to help me and others determine which fleece is best suited, why fleeces look the way they do and any other questions for folks not used to seeing a living, breathing sheep or only familar with processed fleeces? I've got a lot to learn too since I haven't been shepherding but 3 years. I didn't know what to call the grease in Fiona's fleece but since it washed out I didn't care either - then later read about "yolk" and thought ah ha!

Definitely will be doing snap tests on the sheared fleeces.


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Liese maybe if you are describing each fleece and you have one that has a lot of yolk you could mention it and then have a like to an explanation about what yolk is and how to deal with it. I think an explanation page is a good idea for various terms. I think there are a lot of people that don't know much about fleeces and how to choose one.


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## Oceanrose (Mar 25, 2005)

Hi Liese,

Good work so far 

What I'd do is have a comparison page with each sheep and a straight across ranking score: Softness, strength, length, etc. And then an explanation page to explain about it.

I'd also link to a processer that you're willing to ship to. Not everyone wants to process their own, but that way they may be interested. Also suggesting strongly they share a fleece, or even having a half a sheep adoption option might be a thought too.


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## Liese (Dec 12, 2005)

Oceanrose, if I'm going to ship a fleece to a mill I would feel more comfortable with that mill being chosen by the adopter but I'm all for sending it out. So you'd rather not take an full fleece? When buying raw fleece what are your usual options? I'd rather not get too far away from the adoption idea tho' since like a CSA it may help everyone feel more connected and a part of the experience. The ideal would be to have everyone signed on feeling like they were virtual shepherds.

I've sent the first draft of the text to Lezlie so descriptions will be forthcoming. Keep your suggestions and thoughts coming because we're incorporating them! In the meantime does anyone find the front page easier to read?


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## Oceanrose (Mar 25, 2005)

Hi Liese,

Well I buy a whole fleece (or a whole barnyard full..) at a time, but many people do not want to do that. Offering to co-adopt either between friends or strangers gives you a broader base. 

Maybe a list of mills then? Just in case.


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## Liese (Dec 12, 2005)

I could do a list of mills by region - of course all the big ones are online but it'd be nice to help out the smaller, lesser known folks. I'll have to send out inqueries on various forums. I'll start right here.


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## Sherri C (Jun 21, 2002)

Liese said:


> Yup, we're from near Flint ...don't know if Lapeer makes it on maps.


Oh my gosh, you're from Lapeer? I'm from Imlay City!!!! :dance: Do you ever get back up to Michigan? We're going back next weekend for my grandmother's 90th birthday party. I'm weaving her a shawl using some of my homespun yarn as a birthday gift but it's turning out so nice I wish I could keep it for myself.  

I just took a quick look at the website and I like it very much. It has a very calm and peaceful feeling to it.


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## Liese (Dec 12, 2005)

Us Michigan folks sure get around don't we? Bob was just back last fall to visit his family - I'm the milker so I stay home - but we do get up to the flat lands every couple of years. I sure hope you have a good visit, your Gran will no doubt be thrilled that you made both the trip and such a thoughtful gift. My Gran is 93 this year and all she wants are sweet goodies - she says she has enough stuff and that is most certainly tru, we're pack rats! I made & sent her fudge in the mail recently which tickled her enormously - I put it between 2 pieces of cardboard and it made it fine. So if your Gran has a sweet tooth, keep that idea in mind.


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