A Fiber Life | ordinary moments on the fiber farm

Have you ever thought about what you’ll leave behind when your time on this planet is up? An amazing accomplishment of mine had me recently experiencing an existential dilemma. Searching for answers about where all of my prized fiber and tools will go when I’m gone, I turned to my daughter Ruth, and good friend Ann. We also try to figure out if you can ever have too many crafting supplies. In the end, I get the feeling my concerns are the same concerns shared by creators everywhere. This is an episode for anyone with a million ideas and not enough time to do them all.The Full Transcript can be found at www.afiberlife.comGet 15 % off your order with the code “AFIBERLIFE15” at checkout. You can use the link in our show notes. https://smallpackages.co?sca_ref=3459552.rhQIKNxovNThis podcast is a production of the Bright Sighted Network. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our goats, Daisy & Milo, taught us how to love better. In this episode, I tell you the story of how I found them and share a little bit about their breed (Pygora) and why they are so special. My husband, Greg and I will delight in our love for them. And I will tell you how I intentionally engage with their open-heartedness for my own well-being–especially when dealing with one particularly difficult female guanaco. Finally, I will play you a delightful clip of my dear mother singing to these sweet babies. Because, really, who doesn’t want to hear a loving open-hearted mama who sings to her daughter’s open-hearted goats. The Full Transcript can be found at www.afiberlife.comThis podcast is a production of the Bright Sighted Network. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What's the story behind the wrench in your junk drawer? It probably has a story. When was it purchased? Who used it first? What problems did it solve? In this episode, host, Lisa Mitchell, shares her thoughts about handmade tools. Greg and Lisa share their favorite handcrafted tools. And Lisa talks with Ed Jenkins, a very popular spindle maker. He tells you the secret of why spinners line up to buy his beautiful spindles. Linda York, one of his loyal customers verifies Ed's secret and talks about her collection of tools. Handmade tools are more than just the things we use to make our work easier. They are works of art crafted by people who love to make just as much as we do. Join Lisa and Greg as they explore how tools help them feel more grounded and deeply connected to the bigger world of making.The Full Transcript can be found at www.afiberlife.comThis podcast is a production of the Bright Sighted Network. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Fear is a fickle thing. We all feel it. It's part of the human experience. Yet many of us are also told to "fake it till you make it." Therapist turned Fiber Farmer, Lisa Mitchell lived by this motto for years. But, once she started raising wild animals she realized "faking it 'til you make it" doesn't work with fear. In episode one, of Season Two, Lisa and her husband, Greg, talk about nervous systems and survival instincts and the easiest trick to prevent adrenaline from taking over the situation. They talk with the one and only Marty McGee Bennett who taught them the invaluable lessons they needed in order to learn this new approach. Listen as Greg and Lisa give you a front-row seat to what it’s like to see the world through their guanacos’ eyes. Full Transcript can be found here: www.afiberlife.comThis podcast is part of the Bright Sighted Network. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In our second season of A Fiber Life, “Homegrown and Handcrafted,” we are going to transport you to a life of making from nature. We are going to introduce you to our baby goats, talk about the tools that we use,  and chat with many of the maker friends we’ve had the privilege of meeting along the way. From spinning guanaco fiber into yarn,  splitting and stacking wood, and growing our own food and botanical dyes, these stories provide life lessons that are powerful. I also think they can be helpful and healing.If you are someone who loves to make things with your hands, or if you love animals and nature, or if you feel like you need some help reconnecting with that maker part of yourself, we’re glad you’re here.Our hope is that this podcast will do for you what it has done for us: inspire you to live with every fiber of your being. Join us at "www.afiberlife.com" See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Pride is a tricky thing for many of us. We’ve been taught to dismiss compliments to keep us from attracting too much attention or getting a big head. We’ve been warned that focussing too much on accomplishments can suck the meaning out of living.  But there are times in life when we do something really great. In this episode, we are going to tell you about what goes into shearing our guanacos. After all, we did get these animals for their special fiber. We are going to tell you about our brave shearer, Clint, and all the many things we’ve tried to make shearing a better experience for everyone.  Then we are going to tell you a bit about this exquisite fiber and exactly why making yarn out of it is so challenging.  The story of my championship ribbon and the spinners who shared that moment with me is wonderful.  And, finally some tips on how to feel pride with joy. Survey link: https://forms.gle/YVWJmSdVKqr9YmNq5Episode Highlights: Embracing our accomplishments & feeling proud Learning how to shear guanacos To sedate or not to sedate guanacos Learning how to spin guanaco fiberBecoming a master spinner Links:Website: https://afiberlife.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/afiberlife/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alientoluxuryfiberfarmEmail us: [email protected] omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Facing death, losing loved ones, it’s a universal experience. But it can challenge you to the core. In the gut wrenching sadness, death can make you question everything about your life and your choices. In this episode, Lisa and Greg’s son, Mitch, joins them as they open up about  two beautiful guanacos that they held in their last hours. They pay respects to those beautiful boys by letting you in on the experience. This is a difficult episode.  But the story teaches something important. Something that might possibly change the way you see farms and pastures and the wool sweater you love to wear. It might just help you remember that we all have grief, we all face death, and in that basic human experience, we are all connected and held.Survey link: https://forms.gle/YVWJmSdVKqr9YmNq5Episode Highlights: Learning that Ace is sickComforting animals in their last momentsLearning Andes, the baby is also sickConnecting to other farmers through grief “More Than A Sweater” (The story behind what you wear)Read Full Transcript Here. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This episode is about waiting for the birth of our guanacos. It’s my hope that this episode helps you see waiting as a normal part of life, in this case, a whole new life. Because as you may already know, every one of us is waiting for something. Life is filled with waiting. I don’t know anyone who likes to wait. And, everyone copes with waiting differently.  It’s also impossible to end waiting.  This concept seemed to hit me when it came time for our guanacos to give birth. Episode Highlights: How can you tell if a guanaco is pregnant? What it’s like to wait for the birth of a baby guanaco called a chulengaListen to the actual birth of a chulenga sounds likeWhat happens in the moments right after a chulenga is born? Nature vs Human Interaction: How much should farmers be involved? What waiting tells us about life. Read the Full Episode and Transcript HERE. Connect with Lisa Mitchell:Website: www.afiberlife.comInstagram: @afiberlifeFacebook: @alientoluxuryfiberfarmListen To These Episodes Next: Ep 5: Guanacos In Love? (What Breeding Taught Us) Ep 4: The Great Guanaco EscapeEp 1: How It Started See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Breeding animals is like sowing seeds. They are both acts of hope.   And when you perform acts of hope, you are not only doing something for your future, but you are enriching your present. This episode is a love story within a love story.  Lisa and Greg will explain how and why they established a breeding program at their farm. You’ll learn great gossipy tidbits about guanaco seduction and hear from their vet who explains exactly why it takes guanacos 45 minutes to breed. You’ll meet guanacos Angie and Coacher, who may have found true love and leave feeling like no matter how worried or scared you are about the future, plant seeds in the present. Click here to read the full episode and transcript. Learn more about Lisa, her Guanacos, and more at afiberlife.comLinks Mentioned: https://afiberlife.com/https://www.instagram.com/afiberlife/https://www.facebook.com/alientoluxuryfiberfarmSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Trust builds connection, and over time, connection builds bonds. So, how you show up–every day, over time, matters. It’s a practice. It doesn’t happen because you just want it to, it happens because you are consistent and trustworthy. My friend Shelley, who is a wonderful therapist, boils it down to this. She says, “You can either nurture a relationship or chip a relationship. There’s no in-between.” So, you are either moving toward or away, strengthening or weakening. In this episode, we’re going to talk about how we’ve bonded with our guanacos. How, out of desperation, we had to learn a gentler way of handling them which led to deeper connections.  Click here to read the full episode and transcript. Learn more about Lisa, her Guanacos, and more at afiberlife.comLinks Mentioned: https://afiberlife.com/https://www.instagram.com/afiberlife/https://www.facebook.com/alientoluxuryfiberfarmSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.