# SQEEEEEEE!!! Come happy dance with me!!



## hercsmama (Jan 15, 2004)

:nanner::banana::nanner::banana::nanner::banana:

I'm getting Angoras, Shetlands, and two heifer YAKS!!!!!!!:nanner:

Yes, y'all read that right, Yaks.
Dh went with me to the Scotts Valley Fiber Fair today, we just got back a little bit ago.
He spent the entire time chatting with the Angora goat and Yak breeders.
He's madly in love with the Angoras, and he actually made the comment that every spinner should have her own Yak.
He even want's to get a couple Alpacas at some point.
He was chatting them all up about housing, feeding ,space required, the usual guy things. Then I over heard him asking the Yak guy about selling fiber. the guy explained it does better if you sell finished skiens, that they send theirs off to a mill, and the mill blends it with sheep wool. Well, dh decided that if we blend our own, with the Angora, it should be awesome stuff to be sure. So he started asking about what type of equipment is needed to do this.:gaptooth:
Yeah boy ladies, he is so on board it's scary!
Naturally he still wants to get Boer goats as well, to sell for meat, but I'm ok with that, we did them back in Texas, so no biggie.
But I get a Yak, not just one, but two!!!!!:nanner:


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## gone-a-milkin (Mar 4, 2007)

Congratulations!
Once you get your yaks you can come over to the cattle board and hang out. 
There are a couple of other HT members who keep them too.
I had a cowboy friend in NM who worked on a ranch where they raised yaks.
That is some delicious meat, right there.

Take your time finding the animals you want.
Get the best that you can afford.
Dont be in a rush. 
blah-blah-blah :teehee:

So excited for you!


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## hercsmama (Jan 15, 2004)

I'm just over the moon!!
He has been a bit resistant to me getting a "herd" of fiber animals. Wanting to stick with Boer goats, and some cattle. Oh sure I could have my two or three sheep, but, you know, what are they really good for?

Well, today he found out, and he also was extremely impressed with how low maintenance they are. Especially the Yaks.
Our time frame is still next Spring, by then our fencing should all be finished, and we should have at least the small barn, and a few loafing sheds up and ready.
We figure to start small with the Angoras, maybe four or five does, and a young buck that we can raise , so he is well handled.
The Yaks will be ready by February or March, they will be about 5 months old when we get them, so just weaned. We are only getting two, might breed them later, might not...
As far as the Shetlands, still looking for a breeder, they may wait another year, just so we can get adjusted.
Also, we have found a very good breeder for the Boers, and will be making arrangements with them come spring.


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

Yee Haw!!

:banana:


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## Taylor R. (Apr 3, 2013)

You wanna trade?? My husband has gotten into the self-sufficiency thing, but I don't know if I'll ever be able to drag him into the fiber arts thing.

Congrats!!!!


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## Pearl B (Sep 27, 2008)

Congrats!!!
Its wonderful your husband is so onboard with your dreams & pursuits!! :banana:


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## Callieslamb (Feb 27, 2007)

congratulations! Can't wait to see pictures as your animals join your farm family.


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## BlueberryChick (May 12, 2008)

Woo-hoo!


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## Wind in Her Hair (Jul 18, 2002)

doing the happy dance with you! I bought a pound of yak/silk/wool back in March and have been trying to get up the courage to spin it. It is gorgeous shiny stuff. 

Nothing quite as exciting as jumping in with both feet! YEE HAW!


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## Two Tracks (Jul 13, 2013)

I'm jealous....I've wanted Yaks for years now :bored:


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## bergere (May 11, 2002)

Oh you lucky person you!! Congrats!
I have been wanting a Yak for years!!
They are $$$$$.

Can't wait to see pictures. VBG


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## hercsmama (Jan 15, 2004)

The ones we are getting will just be babies, the breeder is selling them to us for 800.00 a piece. Yea, a bit pricey I agree. 
But considering how much cheaper they are to feed and house, over say cattle, dh gave it the okie dokie!:dance: He figures if we do decide to breed them, we can eat the extras :Bawling:, we need to discuss that a bit more...I have no problem eating extra goats, sheep or cattle, but giving up the extra fiber from a Yak????:duel:

I didn't realize they only eat about 1-2% of their weight, so much less than cattle, and who ever heard of spinning Hereford fiber?:run:


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## MDKatie (Dec 13, 2010)

Very cool!! I can't wait to see pictures!


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## Taylor R. (Apr 3, 2013)

Maybe you can convince him that keeping them and selling fiber would be a more financially sound decision :indif:??? You know, since their fiber _keeps_ producing, and meat doesn't.


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## DragonFlyFarm (Oct 12, 2012)

Wooo Hooooo! I would love to have a couple Yaks running around the field. Went to a small fiber festival in Boonville this weekend -- fell in love with the Shetland sheep. I'm thinking I need to add a couple of those sweet little faces to my flock  Keep us posted on your progress, I can't wait to see what you bring home!


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## Taylor R. (Apr 3, 2013)

I had a Shetland ram as a kid. He was a sweetie!


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## hotzcatz (Oct 16, 2007)

Okay, there's a song for this isn't there? Wasn't there an old tune that has some sort of "Yackity-Yak" in it?

Breeding the yaks and selling breedstock is a good way for a fiber herd to provide income.

Is your darling husband considering setting up a small fiber mill, too? There's several companies now who make and sell small fiber mill machinery.


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## mamajohnson (Nov 27, 2002)

:dance::dance::clap:


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## hercsmama (Jan 15, 2004)

Hotzcatz, I'm not sure what that man is thinking.
He has been doing all sorts of research, and asking alot of questions of people.
He even made the comment last night that he really likes the cabling on the mittens I was knitting!:shocked: He asked what it was called as he knew that they all had a name. When I told him it was a Horseshoe cable, he said he really thought it looked neat, and maybe I could show him how to make one????????:run:
He's kind of freaking me out a bit. You would have to know him to know how odd this all is...:run:


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## cwgrl23 (Feb 19, 2004)

hercsmama said:


> Hotzcatz, I'm not sure what that man is thinking.
> He has been doing all sorts of research, and asking alot of questions of people.
> He even made the comment last night that he really likes the cabling on the mittens I was knitting!:shocked: He asked what it was called as he knew that they all had a name. When I told him it was a Horseshoe cable, he said he really thought it looked neat, and maybe I could show him how to make one????????:run:
> He's kind of freaking me out a bit. You would have to know him to know how odd this all is...:run:


My husband and I went to North Country Fiber Fair on Saturday. If we would have had our acreage bought there would have been the cutest brown Shetland sheep in the back of my Jeep. My husband thinks we should raise CAMELS! :run: I just wanted something simple like Yaks or fiber goats. But NOOOOOO, my hubby wants at least 1 camel. Sometimes I worry about that man oh mine! :dance:


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## SvenskaFlicka (Nov 2, 2011)

When we get an acreage, we're getting exotic animals. If we could have an angora rabbit right now, hubby would get one.

He's learned to knit, and is going to start the Doctor Who scarf. The one that's ten feet long! 

Isn't it awesome our husbands are so supportive of our crafts?


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