Happy Holidays!

Little Snowflake got a visit from Santa following our viewing of the Macy's Day parade. She gave him a kiss but was a bit startled by the result. The pups have become 'little dogs' with their individual personalities starting to develop. They're now playful with each other and with us and are beginning to romp when they venture outside the whelping box.

They've also started eating solid food this week. We feed them Canidae, our favorite dog food. It has four protein sources and no grain. We find that feeding this food from puppyhood on minimizes the development of food allergies. In fact, we ran out of Canidae a few weeks back for our adult dogs and in the emergency went to the grocery store and picked up some Purina ONE. Big mistake. By the end of the week every one of our five dogs had developed ear infections. Don't know what's in that kibble but it was most disagreeable to our dogs.

Four Weeks and Time to Play

Four weeks old... already?! Now the fun begins. Our adult and teenage dogs are now allowed by Bromley to play with the young 'ens in the whelping box. Sedona's mothering instinct came into play as the babies tried to nurse from her (just like Bromley did for Sedona's pups). Meanwhile, Bryce is at home with pups crawling up and over and all around her. That is, until she finds her nyla-bone and then she's all business.

This week will be a transition for the puppies and for us, too. At four weeks old they're ready to transition to solid food. Bromley's probably ready too, though of all our dogs she is the last to wean her pups. But with the puppies doubling in size nearly every week she's maxed out her capacity to share calories.

Three Weeks!

What a difference a week makes! Eyes open and beginning to roam, these little guys are summed up with one word: CUTE! This is little "Snowflake" one of five females in this litter. They're finding their voices, too! Tonight they enjoyed romping with our 10-month old lab, Bryce, in the whelping box. Even Aunt Sedona got into the act, crawling in to let the pups phantom nurse. What a family affair...

Another Sedona Pup

Here's "Kipper" who was also known as "Jerome" in our Arizona-themed litter this Spring. He's also the brother of "Phoenix", shown in our last posting. A handsome guy, weighing in at 49 lbs., who loves to swim, according to his owner, Sabrina. Kipper's father, Nicholas, sired our newest litter and we expect these pups to be just as beautiful. Keep those photos coming!

Growing Up Pups - Past Litters

We love hearing from owners of our puppies and getting pictures is even more fun. Here is the fox red female "Phoenix", from Sedona's litter last Spring. A spitting image of her mom!

Today, we heard from the owners of the pup we called "Matsimoto", son of our MIngus. That's him on the left. Beauty, eh?

Two Weeks Already?!

Their eyes have opened, their snouts are black, and these little guys now stand to eat. Each pup now weighs some 3 lbs. My how they've grown! Check out some more photos at: http://web.me.com/penkofflidbeck... look for Bromley Pups. Also note that we changed Rudolph's name to Kris Kringle at Nadia's request. Ho! Ho! Ho!

Happy Holidays! Litter is here!!!

Just in time for Christmas?! Bromley's long awaited litter arrived last night over the span of nine hours. Three males and five females were born to the proud parents of Bromley's Yankee Doodle and Legacy's Willcare Nicholas, a.k.a. Bromley and Nicholas. All pups weighed in at about 1 lb.

The puppies will be eight weeks on December 22 so we thought what a better theme than the " Happy Holidays". You're looking at Rudolph. Yes, his nose is pink but his fur is red. Not much to look at yet but just wait--his eyes will open in two weeks and he'll multiply in size twelve-fold between now and Christmas.

Puppies Due Oct. 23-25

Our yellow lab, Bromley, is showing signs of motherhood in a big way, and we mean BIG! The last week of maternity is always interesting, and she is suddenly showing significant girth. Stasia and Anastasia have been taking her on morning walks to help keep her physically strong and prepared for whelping. The final week will consist of shorter walks and a lot of resting up. Bromley enjoys puppies more than any other dog we know.

Praise for our Pups

We work hard to raise the best labrador retriever puppies possible, focusing on good temperament, gentle dispositions, and strong 'English lab' features. Recently we heard from one of our new owners, and this is what they had to say:

"We have enjoyed watching Roscoe grow from a small puppy into a well behaved young dog. He has enjoyed becoming the favorite puppy of all the neighborhood kids, and a regular on the ferry to Nantucket. I have enjoyed receiving countless compliments and words of praise from fellow travelers who are amazed at his gentle disposition and doggy model good looks. I am asked almost every week if I plan on showing him, and one man even asked if I would contact him if ever planned on breeding Roscoe (he was too late, he had already been neutered). I was told by one man, who trained police dogs for a living that Roscoe was one of the best behaved Lab puppies he had ever seen. On one faithful day Roscoe even received praise from the rich and famous, when Trey Anastasia (of the band Phish) and his wife and kids fell for the pretty yellow puppy sitting next to them on the ferry." --Keith N.

Roscoe was born in November 2007 to our black lab, Mingus, and Black Dux Legacy's Shain. We're always excited to hear about our 'babies' and to see pictures, too!

New Litter Due in mid-October

Our "super mom" yellow lab, Bromley, is expecting her litter about October 16th. She was bred with Legacy's Willcare's "Nicholas", who has sired a previous litter for us with excellent results. We're taking reservations for this litter. If you're interested in learning more about our puppies and our practices, please contact us.

Cottonwood to Cheshire

Little Cottonwood proved to be popular after all. She was shortly off to her new home in Cheshire, CT, after our last post and until today we've received several inquiries. Alas, we've been very busy with our farm markets the past month and only now have a few minutes for an update.

Our next litter is in the late planning stages, with our 'super mom', Bromley. She loves her pups, and as many saw from the last litter, is willing to step in for nursing duties--as well as grandma duties, too. We're hoping to have a mixed yellow/black litter but that will depend on whether we can find a suitable mate.

We have a list of several potential owners, so feel committed to a Fall litter. Stay tuned!

Cottonwood -- One of the 'gang'

'Cottonwood', the last heroine in our Sedona litter, is enjoying life as a 'real dog' now that her litter mates have gone on with their new lives. What do we mean? Instinctively, dogs like to live in packs and she's at home hanging out with the rest of the gang. When puppies are together they tend to roam and explore (and sometimes wander!); alone, they find comfort in being one with the pack. Thus, even though she's the last, she's the easiest to care for. Well, no longer confined to the puppy enclosures, i.e., the whelping box or puppy pen, she gets to be with the big family, that is, her mother, grandmother, great grandmother, aunt, and cousin. Where's Cottonwood? Just look for one of the big dogs and you'll find her right nearby.

We often have prospective owners looking to replace a recently deceased 'best friend'. Sometimes they're looking for a puppy to immediately fill a void or start anew; others find they need the passage of time to dull the loss before beginning again. In Cottonwood's case, we've had that happen twice in the past week! Someone falls in love with those coal-black eyes but then someone (the husband, in both cases!) decides he's not quite ready... and so, Cottonwood waits for her prince to rescue her and bring her to his castle. Someday, soon, she will live happily ever after...

A First: Pup Heads for Cuba

Little Cedar, one of two females remaining from Sedona's litter, is heading for Guantanamo Bay to join her new family, a couple serving in the US Navy and stationed at the naval base there. She's very excited about the move, and has picked out her favorite bathing suit. We thought of packing some sunscreen and shades but will leave those to her new owners. Lots of splashing in the waves await this lucky pup!

Thus, we have our little Cottonwood as last female available from this litter. She has the whitest fur of the group, a bit smaller than the others but catching up rapidly. We still think she looks like one of those little seal pups you see in pictures from northern Canada!

Schnebley now calls Westbrook home...

Our last caballero, Schnebley, was picked up today and will call Westbrook his new den. No doubt he'll go to work with his new "dad", Lee as a painter's helper or will join them for a fishing trip in search of stripers in Long Island Sound. Only two girls left, one of which may go home later today.

Copper follows Phoenix

"Copper" selected her new family today, after they found her to be the one continually returning to them when they were trying to choose one of our three remaining female pups. Lo and behold, she's moving to Simsbury, too! Maybe they'll becoming playmates at the local dog park or go shopping together at Simsbury's new Farmer's Market held on Thursdays, 3 - 7 PM. We hope so since we participate in the market as vendors of our organic honey, skin products, and beeswax candles. It's always fun to see "our" offspring in their new settings and to follow them as they grow.

Phoenix moves to Simsbury

Our gorgeous redhead, "Phoenix", relocated north to her new family's home in Simsbury, CT, leaving the 'Land of the Sun' for the happy homestead complete with pool and a very excited family ready to spoil her with all the affection and toys a young puppy deserves. It was not an easy choice for Virginia and her daughter and son: "Cedar" was nearly the twin of Phoenix in so many respects that we offered to "flip the pups" while they called heads/tails... whichever landed the way they called it... fortunately for the pups Phoenix won their hearts and we never got to test the coin flip with dogs theory. Perhaps it was Phoenix 'smile', so much like her mother, Sedona, that won them over.

So now, it's down to three sister pups, all of which have 'dates' with prospective owners today through Saturday. As the doting 'parents,' we screen the suitors and are looking forward to another match made in heaven. That likely leaves one... will she be our Cinderella? We'll find out: another caller has an appointment for Saturday afternoon. If the slipper doesn't fit, our damsel pup will assuredly be rescued by another charming suitor.

DON'T BUG ME! a best seller

Our newest product, DON'T BUG ME! natural insect repellent made its debut over the weekend and was an instant hit... selling out completely by late Saturday. Stasia wanted to develop a more pleasant smelling and EFFECTIVE bug spray than those found on the market and she SUCCEEDED.

We joke about it being "GIRL SCOUT" tested... during a camporee in May Nadia's troop got to try the new spray and reports were: NO BITES. Containing a variety of essential oils in skin nourishing jojoba oil, DON'T BUG ME! is effective against mosquitoes, ticks, black flies, and 'no see-ums' for 4-6 hours. Since then, we've tested ourselves in the twilight hours when mosquitoes are feasting and can say not only are there no bites but you can see the mosquitoes approach with 3-4 inches of your skin and then fly away... it really repels!

The nice thing is DON'T BUG ME! contains no DEET or synthetic chemicals and is safe for use on children and animals. We're very excited about our bug spray... it's made with quality ingredients that cost a bit more but we have the peace of mind that it is SAFE and EFFECTIVE!

It will soon be available at our online store (we had to reorder all the ingredients)... Look for it there or at our farm market stands by July 4!

Adios to our Three Caballeros

Well, the boys are spoken for... Yesterday, "Tucson" rounded up his new owners and rode high in the saddle of his new owner's Honda into the sunset, heading for greener pastures in Madison, CT. It was love at first sight for both parties. It didn't hurt that Tucson turns to mush when you hold him on his back and rub his belly! Tucson's new owner, Mary Ann, was a bit hurt that we nixed her plan to feed him pizza (the crust ends, of course!). Hard to resist pleading puppy eyes but we don't recommend human food for dogs. Well, a little crust here and there can't hurt, right?

So, now it's an all-girl party for this litter! Strange, as we often have high demand for female pups and this time they're the last to go. Two are likely to go in the next couple of days, and we expect the final two to be on their way to new homes by weeks' end. This has been a fun litter but, in all honesty, mix summer with puppy and that recipe begs for individual/family time with new owners!

Pictures from New Homes

We love receiving pictures of our pups in their new homes and this one is a doozy! Now known as KIPPER, (a.k.a. Jerome in Sedona's litter) this little guy is all decked out for the upcoming July 4th weekend. Surrounded by toys and cared for by a loving couple, he's doing well. He had a brief bout with a loose stool for a couple of days--possibly brought about by a change in drinking water (chlorinated vs. our well water) but a couple of additions of Pepto-Bismol has returned his situation to normal. The new owner has had a few questions for us along the way and Kipper's transition from litter mates to best friend seems to have gone well. Thanks to Kipper's owners for sharing his photo!

NEWS FLASH! Nicholas Wins!!!

The sire of our latest litter, Legacy's Willcare's NICHOLAS won Best of Winners from the Bred-By Exhibitor class yesterday and got his first Championship points. His owner, Kevin Bergeson, is justifiably proud. Maybe he'll walk in the footsteps of Sedona's grandfather, Broad Reach Ruff Stuff ("Colby"), #1 AKC champion in 2001 and 2002 for North America.

Eight Weeks and Ready to Go!

Time flies when you're having fun! Our pups just turned eight weeks and are on their way to their new homes. 'Jerome' was the first to go, heading for nearby Deep River, CT. His first night without his siblings apparently went fine. A few trips outside overnight to do his business and the rest of the time he was a snoozer! As for the rest of the gang, it seemed like, "Great! More chow for the rest of us!" This picture is of "Cedar" a female with some nice cedar color. She's still available and looking for a new home...

Bee Time

It was a tough spring with weather below normal aggravating life for the bees and beekeeper. The cool weather kept the bees in their hives and slowed the onset of the spring bloom and nectar harvest. The result was the loss of several more hives, on top of those lost over the winter. Not a pretty picture. Fortunately, we've replaced the lost hives and expanded our operations with the goal of increasing our honey production this year. We continue to suffer or enjoy, depending upon your perspective, from annual sellouts of our honey. This last year our Lavender Honey was a big hit and we look forward to offering it again this year. We planted significantly more lavender from which we'll harvest buds for infusing into our wildflower honey. Those plants are young but look to add some nice flowers in a couple of weeks. Our older plants have a profusion of buds that will give us a good start on the harvest.

As for honey production, we have a couple of hives that are filling fast with honey while most are slow to take off this year. It's too early to tell how this harvest will turn out but it's a bit discouraging at this juncture. The locust is about to bloom and the clover appears to be in full bloom--a very important nectar source for us. We have about three weeks remaining of the Spring/summer blooming period before we hit the dirth of summer. Sometime in late August the first of the goldenrod will appear and the bees will be back at work racing the calendar to bring in the fall flow.

Six weeks and Time for the Vet

How time flies when you're a puppy! Sedona's brood is now six weeks old and they got their first shots...all received a clean bill of health from our veterinarian. Even little 'Cottonwood', who started out her life at a wee 5 3/4 oz. tipped the scale at over 5 lbs. Of course, her big brother, Schnebley, nearly broke the scale at 9 lb. 7 oz. By the end of the visit this litter came through and promptly snoozed through the remainder of the visit. An interesting twist this time around was the inclusion of a measles vaccine with the traditional parvo/distemper shots our pups usually get. It turns out the measles vaccine works to bolster the puppies' immunity against distemper during the time the puppies immune system is adjusting to the post-nursing phase of life. The mother's milk provides antibodies that suppress the effectiveness of the distemper vaccine; the measles virus is apparently similar in structure to the distemper and the vaccine is not suppressed by the mother's milk. Thus, an additional measure of protection is provided by the measles vaccine. No, the puppies won't develop little red spots and turn itchy!

This picture reveals our snoozers following their check. Note the coloration by the tails... how else can one keep track of an all yellow litter?! We use Sharpies to mark each pup. This helps us distinguish each one so we can better track weight, personalities, etc.

A stroll outside on a beautiful spring day is a must for every puppy and brings a smile not only to their faces but ours as well.

Sunshine on our Shoulders

Nothing beats a day in the sunshine. Taking advantage of some nice warm weather, the litter gets time outside to run around and then can doze in the luxury of a Little Tykes playhouse. Getting seven squirming, excited little guys to pose for their mug shots isn't easy, as you can see here!

Sedona Seven

Congrats to our newest mother, Sedona! She gave birth to seven healthy puppies on April 21. Every puppy arrived squirming and ready to take on the world, even the littlest one, nicknamed "Cottonwood".

Of course, being Sedona we had to give this litter an Arizona theme. So names include Copper, Cottonwood, Tucson, Schnebley, and even Cedar. Well, cedar may not seem Arizonan but Nadia insisted on the name, and almost every puppy has a reddish coat like mother Sedona, so even red Cedar fits!

Schnebley? The town of Sedona was named for Tom Schnebley's wife so we had to have a Schnebley (there's a landmark in Sedona named Schnebley Hill). Besides, it's a great dog name, don't you think?

Ten Days to Puppyhood!

Hard to believe another litter is on the way. Our Sedona (reddish yellow lab) will experience birthing for the first time. The stress meter goes up a bit with a first litter and we're a bit anxious about how she'll do. Thankfully, she's a strong, healthy mom-to-be and has been an observer of several litters born to her mom (Bromley) and aunt (Mingus) so we're confident she'll do well. Stasia, on the other hand, pegs the stress meter. Each of the newborn pups are her 'babies' too!

The sire of this litter is Legacy's Willcare Nicholas, who's father is Am Ch BISS Willcare's Prestige. Both Sedona and Nicholas have excellent pedigrees with a substantial number of AKC champions in their lines. Sedona is a granddaughter of Legacy Labrador's Broad Reach Ruff Stuff, a.k.a. "Colby". He's a Best in Show and Multiple Best in Specialty Show American and Canadian Champion. Colby was #1 Labrador Retriever in the country for 2002 (All Breed) and 2003 (Breed & All Breed). And was the PEDIGREE AWARD WINNER for Labradors in 2003. While we take pride in our breeding program our main interest is providing individuals and families with the best quality puppies. We do this through extensive hands-on socialization so that when they are placed in their new homes they will become a welcome, well-adjusted addition to your family.

If you're new to our blog we invite you to browse through our archived posts to learn more about our litters and our philosophy for raising labrador retriever puppies.

Someone Please Tell Mother Nature It's Spring!

Enough with the cold weather already! Here it is the second week of April and the bees have been able to get out for a meal only once! This has been a tough winter-into-spring for the bees. By mid-March the weather has usually begun bringing on 50 degree days--the minimum most bees need to get out for foraging. Since they haven't had that opportunity their winter stores are exhausted and some hives are facing starvation. I've tried to get some sugar syrup onto the hives when it's warmed up a bit but they need the warmer weather to even move to where the syrup is, and they haven't had that opportunity.

As a result of the long cold spring, and perhaps because of the up-and-down temps all winter, we lost about half our hives this winter. I recently spoke with another eastern Connnecticut beekeeper who's experienced similar losses. I attribute most of the loss to the difficult weather and the fact that most of the dead hives were populated last Spring with new bees from the South. Oftentimes, these bees don't have the genetic makeup to survive New England winters. Compounding the problem was the extended drought of last August and September, when the bees began consuming rather than collecting honey. Despite our efforts to feed the bees in the Fall some went into the winter short on supplies. One other factor could be the possible existence of Nosema, a disease growing more common. The only registered treatment for nosema in North America is fumagillin, a natural extract from the fungus Aspergillus fumigatus.. Randy Oliver, a California beekeeper, has some excellent articles on nosema and some treatment options. Ideally, I should have our hives tested to determine if nosema is a problem.

Fortunately, we have ordered some replacement hives, known as packages, and some will be arriving today. Packages are made by shaking into a box about 3 lbs. of bees from an existing hive. With the addition of a caged new queen one has the ingredients for establishing a new hive. Once the package arrives the queen in her cage is installed in an empty hive filled with honeycomb frames and the bees are gently shaken into the hive box. The remaining bees in the screened package will pick up the queen's scent and will make their way into their new home. The lid is replaced, a small amount of sugar syrup is installed in a feeder jar and then one waits. A few days later, a check on the hive will reveal the queen has been released by the workers from her cage--they'll have chewed out the candy plug that separates (and protects her) from the colony until they've accepted her as their new leader. From there she will begin laying eggs and the new hive will begin its life here in the Essex area.

This process will continue over the next few weeks as we get additional packages. Until this year, we've had to drive to a supplier in Greenwich, NY, to obtain our packages. Fortunately, I've discovered a new source for packages right here in Connecticut. That's where we're getting our first shipment of packages from. The remainder were ordered in late January from the New York supplier. Given the high rate of hive failure experienced by beekeepers nationwide in recent years, one has to get orders in early in the season in order to be assured of new bees. Many suppliers run out quickly as beekeepers discover in Spring the extent of losses exceed their expectations.

Ideally, I'd like to get in the position of developing our own additional hives. That thought will be covered in a future posting.

Eleven weeks and all are home

We're happy to announce that all of Mingus' pups have homes (as of 9 weeks of age), from Boston to the Eastern shore of Maryland and Connecticut in between.  Her pups are always a joy for us, a very mellow group and this was no exception.  In fact, we kept 'el Capitan', to join our pack!  It'a always fun and personally rewarding for us to see the pups and their new families together.  Some are getting a dog for the first time and others are replacing a companion recently lost.  Regardless, bringing a puppy home is the first step toward many years of happy and sometimes crazy times ahead.  Congratulations to all you new owners!

Our next litter is expected in April... we'll keep you posted right here.

In the meantime, we highly recommend Cesar Millan's books and DVDs from his "Dog Whisperer" show on the National Geographic Channel. And for new puppy owners, we also suggest "The Art of Raising a Puppy" by the Monks of New Skete. Check 'em out:

Seven Weeks!

Hard to believe how fast time goes by!  Now seven weeks old, these guys/gals have become chow hounds.  They go crazy when food arrives and it disappears within about a minute--typical lab style!  The next 45 minutes are spent in play time, chasing around the kitchen, sniffing out new smells, finding flower pots, stray papers, you name it, to sample, dig, or keep away from a litter mate.  They're a roll-ie poll-ie eight lbs. each, except for little Sacagawea who still doesn't quite look like a lab!  She's spry and bounces, the fastest lab pup on the planet without the added bulk of her brothers and sisters.  Despite her diminutive size she's very popular, desired by at least three prospective owners!

Three Yellows

Here are some pics of Lewis & Clark, and Yosemite, at six-and-one-half weeks. All the pups are becoming much more playful, requiring a full hour of up-and-at-'em running around (in our kitchen since it's wintery outside) after mealtime. After that they retire to the whelping box and pen for sleeptime until the next go-around.

First Vet Check a Success

Now six weeks old, our pups got their first checkup at the vet's office today. All went well, with each getting the first of the series of three puppy vaccinations they'll need the first year.

They now tip the scales at between 6 to 7 lbs., with the exception of little Sacagawea who comes in at a whopping 4 lbs. More on her later.

The accompanying photo is of "Clark", one of the two yellow males in this litter.

New Pups! Theme: Pacific Northwest

We welcomed six black and yellow puppies from our black lab, Mingus, early on November 29th. Labor began around midnight and by 8 AM she was done (or so we thought). About six hours later she birthed a stillborn pup, which caught us all by surprise. Nonetheless, the six we have are healthy and growing fast!

As is our custom, we've named this litter after a recent vacation destination. Last summer we traveled to northern California to visit San Francisco, Yosemite, and the Redwoods, and then continued up the coast of Oregon and Washington. Thus, our three male and three femaile puppies have the temporary names of: Lewis, Clark, Sacagawea, El Capitan (F), Yosemite (F), and Wizard (M) (after the island in Crater Lake).

Our smallest puppy, Sacagawea, was born with some intriguing markings reminiscent of the first labrador retrievers that arrived in England in the 1840s from Newfoundland. Known as "St. John's" labs, these early emissaries had white paws, a white chin, and white chests to contrast with their black hair. It is not uncommon for black labs to be born with some white markings but they often diminish or completely disappear. We're not sure what will happen with Sacagawea but it seems clear that her heritage extends back to the St. John's labs.

OPEN HOUSE SALE - Dec 8

Our Third Annual OPEN HOUSE SALE is set for Saturday, Dec 8, from 12 - 6 PM. We hope you can stop by to do some holiday shopping and will sip some warm mulled cider and enjoy some good cheer.

We'll have our kitchen and dining room filled with our handcrafted soaps, skin creams and lip balms (winter's here--time to stock up!), beeswax candles, and our organic honey. This year we also have our own infused organic lavender honey. Consider stopping by our website to place an order online or simply to get some ideas of what we have for sale.

Parking will be on the grass and along the road, if you can't find a spot near the door. You may also be able to take a peak at our newest litter of lab puppies! We hope to see you there! Driving directions can be found at our website.

Raspberry Honey!

We're enjoying a great Spring and the weather has been nearly ideal for the bees. We enjoyed our highest winter survival rate ever for our bees with only a 10% loss of our hives, and the bees came on strong as the spring bloom got underway.

Early nectar and pollen sources included willows, maples, oaks, and dandelion followed by Russian olive, clover, honeysuckle, and raspberry. Yes, raspberry has been a fantastic nectar source this year as you can see by the picture, above. Beautiful in color and great tasting, we've never experienced anything like it in our eight years as beekeepers. We're seeing it in hives on both sides of the Connecticut River. Meanwhile, during a drive back from Hartford today I noticed the sumac is starting to bloom. That signals the last significant nectar source for the spring/summer period. By early July, a dirth of nectar and pollen will begin until late August when we'll begin seeing purple loosestrife, goldenrod, and eventually, asters.

We're happy to report our organic honey was showcased in the June/July issue of "NUTMEG", a beautiful food and lifestyle magazine 'from West Haven to Westerly' (contact NUTMEG Publications at 646.320.8959 for more info). We hope to have our first harvest in mid-July, assuming the bees finish 'capping' the honeycomb. This occurs when they have evaporated the honey down to about 17 percent moisture content. At that point the pH of the honey will keep it from spoiling--nature's only naturally preserved food!

For ordering info be sure to visit our website Three Sisters Farms.

Let the Picks begin!

Hard to believe our pups are now seven weeks old! They're showing their age--increasingly independent and curious, they're now willing to embark on new adventures away from the pack to explore the new and unfamiliar. Great if you're a puppy; not so fun if you're the person in charge of keeping an eye on them. It's not uncommon to have several puppies go in different directions--all at once.

Our new puppy pen is a great place for the puppies to get some fresh air, romp on the rocks and childrens' playscape, and generally get as dirty as possible by rolling in the dirt! Once this litter is gone we'll plant grass!! In the meantime, with the weather so pleasant the pen is a great place for them to hang out. The most fun is when we open the gate and take off on a game of Catch-the-breeder. Nothing like eight little yellow guys running flat out trying to catch us as we trot around the yard.



We've had several puppies selected by their new owners. Wow! Only one week until they go to their new homes. Chase It, Sunset, Pig Dog, and Everglade are now 'taken', and we hope to have the remaining new owners make their selections this weekend. We still have a couple of females available--with a new ad in the paper, they'll be finding new homes soon, too.

We've got the Munchies!

The pups had their first 'real meal' on Saturday, a few days later than we've started in the past, but the pups didn't seem to mind. Bromley, as always, has been a great mom and continues to nurse her babies willingly (oftentimes by four weeks the mother has initiated weaning--not Bromley!), thus there's been no need to thrust food on the little guys.

The puppies have their first several teeth and are just beginning to use them--on ears, tails, etc., which accordingly, results in screeches and whimpers from the unlucky recipient of the teething. When starting them on solid food we soak regular dog kibble in water until it is mushy soft (about 20-30 minutes). We've started this litter with two serving plates for sets of four puppies each. So far, there's been little pushing as they've each done a good job lapping up their fill. With some litters there's a frantic rush to eat but this group has been pretty mellow so far.

And 'mellow' is an appropriate label for this group of puppies... very easy going, content, no whiners or whimperers in this clan. They still do a lot of sleeping but enjoy getting a chance to play and explore when we let them out. The recent rain was a damper on their outdoor fun but today they enjoyed scampering about and interacting with Grandma Caicos, Aunt Mingus, and half-sister Sedona, along with Bromley mom. We're just beginning the fun puppy phase!

They're ALL 'Runarounds'!

Hard to believe our little gang will be four weeks old tomorrow (5/30)--time is flying by for us, with puppies, beekeeping, soapmaking, homeschooling, moving daughter home from college for the summer, school plays, recitals, etc. (Don't ask me about our lawn--groan...) Fortunately, this litter has been pretty easy to care for up until now.

Meanwhile, they've all become 'runarounds', as one of the puppies is formally/informally named already. It's like they woke up this morning and discovered the word, PLAY. Of course, puppy play means charging into each other, testing out new (and sharp!) teeth on each other's ears, romping, exploring, and basically discovering the world around themselves. The easy days of puppy rearing are behind us. Some last longer than others, though after about 5 minutes they one by one slip off to a corner or a cool spot and return to their prolonged slumber. As puppies, dogs spend a good 90 percent of their time sleeping and G-R-O-W-I-N-G.

At four weeks we'll start them on regular dog food. Up until now the mother nurses them as needed. Looking at their rolley-polley size, Bromley seems to be handling the task well. Even with six feedings a day, she's yet to catch up to her pre-pregnancy weight--the puppies really pull the calories out of their mother! With little puppies a little preparation is necessary when introducing regular dog food: our dry kibble is soaked in water for a good half hour until it swells nearly triple in size and is soft and mashable. This gruel is tasty for most, something strange and new for some. We'll let you know how this group takes to it. Check back soon--we'll have some fresh pictures!

Two Weeks!

This is a group of snoozers. Alas, all good things come to an end. It's been an easy litter for everyone so far. Bromley's a very attentive mother and has done a great job taking care of her little pups. We keep her fueled -- some six feedings a day and she still seems thin -- as those little guys grow seemingly exponentially.

With two weeks come two major events in the life of a puppy. Their eyes open for the first time and they begin standing and walking. How convenient! They can begin to see where they're going! Still, dogs rely first and foremost on their sense of smell. Up until now they've lifted their noses and sniffed their mom whenever she enters the whelping box. Her scent pulls them close and they instinctively begin to suckle. It won't be too long before they'll get a taste of solid food (usually between week 3 and 4)... and then OUR fun begins!

First Week Update

The puppies continue to grow -- now about double in size from their birth weights. All are doing well, keeping mom, Bromley, busy with frequent squeals for meals. She's begun taking time away from the whelping box, but only for a few minutes here and there. With this litter she's developed a habit of scrunching up the rug that covers the floor of the whelping box. The rug is there to help keep the pups warm, along with an infrared light. Bromley has issues with the rug. Several times a day we find she has gathered it up and pushed it (and a few pups captured inside) away from where she wants to sit. Okay. We've turned off the light to cool things a bit - but she still scrunches the rug! Our concern is that a covered puppy will be stepped on. It's a constant battle between Bromley and us rug smoothers...

Play Ball!

Bromley can hardly wait for the rest of the team. Counting her, the family could field a team for the big game. Now, if we could only get them to play with their eyes open!

Eight is Enough

Whew! Starting around 6:30 PM, Bromley gave birth to eight wonderful yellow puppies -- three boys and five girls. Honestly, we were expecting a few more, given her extreme girth prior to birthing. Size is deceiving until you realize that each of the pups of this litter were about 10 percent larger than our previous litters at birth. Each pup weighed between 17 and 19 ounces--pretty hefty when we reflect on some litters where a few of the pups tipped the scales at a scant 9-1/2 ounces! Looking at it another way, Bromley added about 30% of her pre-pregnancy weight.

Fortunately, all went well for Bromley, despite the loss of her last birthed pup -- a nearly four hour labor for that one! Altogether, two puppies were stillborn. It's always a mystery as to why but it's probably one reason why dogs have such large litters--the law of averages perhaps.

Sometimes a puppy is whelped (born) and seems to lack any sign of life. It's tempting to give up on 'em. We had an extreme occurence this time. One of the puppies appeared lifeless... no sound, no sign of breathing, no movement at all. However, leaving the placenta attached, Stasia worked nearly 30 minutes to bring forth the familiar cry of life that a puppy gives when the airway is cleared and it is able to vocalize his/her disagreement with all the rubbing/massaging from its human attendant. We affectionately dubbed this one "Lord's Prayer", as you'll learn more, below. Fortunately, puppies are resilient and he's doing well.

The theme of this litter is 'Ski Trails of Bromley', after the Vermont mountain for which 'mom' is named. As such we have given temporary names to the puppies: There's 'Pig Dog', 'Run-Around", 'Yodeler', 'Spring Trail', 'Sunset', 'Twister', 'Chase-It', and of course, 'Lord's Prayer'. Come to think of it, some of these would make nice dog names, don't you think?!

Wow! She's big!

Our Bromley is huge! Poor thing--she's got the 'just come on out!" look in her appearance and in her eyes, suggesting to us that she'll deliver her litter within the next 24-48 hours. She's reluctant to take food and is clearly feeling the puppies impinging on her ability to get around. More signs that birthday is coming. In recent days to make her more comfortable at night, we've let her sleep outside her crate so she can spread out, walk when needed, etc.

The whelping box is set up, with a fresh coat of paint, ready for delivery day. Stay tuned!

Puppies in May!

Well, it's nearing the end of April and our Bromley is about to become a mother once again. It's her favorite thing in the whole world. Really. We've never had a dog that loves puppies as much as Bromley. She enjoys them from beginning to end, even allowing nursing in the eighth week. Ordinarily, once pups transition to solid foods (around three to four weeks old) the mother starts to lose interest (or endurance?!), and by the time they leave she's almost anxious for the little ones to go. Not Bromley. She seems to miss her little 'uns once the leave.

For the moment, Bromley looks enormous, more so than at the same time with previous litters. It's hard to know if she'll have more than her usual 11 pups or if she's just carrying differently this time. We'll soon find out.

This litter will be all yellow. She's bred again with Bluckdux Shane, an AKC junior champion. They produced absolutely gorgeous pups last time, and we're looking forward to a good group this litter as well.

Happy New Year!

Bromley's litter is now into it's third month, and all pups have homes. "Peter Pan" remained here in Essex, just a few blocks from us, and was happy to be with his new family for Christmas. (Can there be a more spoiled pet than a new puppy at Christmas?!).

Our next litter will likely be sometime in March, with blacks and yellows, ready to go home by late May, if all goes well. Feel free to contact us via our website: http://threesistersfarms.com.

And then there was one...

What a difference a week makes...

This weekend almost all the little guys went to their new homes, stretching from Elizabethtown, New Jersey, to Glastonbury, Connecticut. Quite a whirlwind, considering it takes from 2 - 3 hours to process each departure (we spend a lot of time with the new owner going over the care and nurturing of the new puppy). Now, there's only Peter Pan. Our 7-year old remarked this morning, "Of course, it's Peter Pan--he doesn't have a home in the movie, either!"

One Down, Eight to Go

Now eight weeks old, our little guys are about ready to go to their new homes. This group of pups has shown great personality. "Sleeping Beauty", aka Miss Independence, loves to explore and is quite confident in her personality. Gorgeous and a head like a male (destined to be a 'blocky beauty'). "Beast" (M) is still a bit needy in that he will stand up and ask to be held when the others are bedding down for their naps. "Mickey Mouse" was the first to go, leaving today for his new home in Old Saybrook, CT. He'll be remembered for his unexpected dip in our fish pond! Yes, Mickey the Man, as Glenn liked to refer to him.

Snoozers!

Puppies are active for 10 minutes and then can snooze for a few hours--unless a brother or sister intervenes and bites an ear! These guys are now nearly six weeks old.

Solid Food, Scamperers

The pups are growing into their personalities. Now four weeks old, their eyes and ears have been open for about two weeks and they now pick up on sights and sounds outside the whelping box. Solid food is now on the menu and they love to be carried into the kitchen to tear into their chow. Here, they're waiting anxiously to be picked up and carried to FOOD!

Today was warm enough for them to get a taste of the outdoors. This is always an anxious experience for a new puppy. New sights and sounds, as well as textures and obstacles await. The most surprising is the step off the porch (it's a long way down when your legs are only three inches long!); really, it's more a stumble than a step. After a few minutes one or more pup invariably finds its way through the fence cordoning off our fishpond. Only 10 minutes into the adventure, "Jack Sparrow" is shivering and ready to return to the warmth of the INDOOR whelping box!

Bromley's Litter - 10/7/2006

Our Bromley gave birth to nine healthy pups, six boys and three girls, all yellow. As is our custom, each litter has a theme and the pups are named accordingly. This year we traveled to Disney World and so our pups are: Donald Duck, Mickey Mouse, Beauty, Beast, Tinkerbell, Peter Pan, Jack Sparrow (Pirates...), Prince Charming, and Snow White. To distinguish each yellow puppy from another we mark the base of their tail with a colored Sharpie pen.

All pups were born healthy and were fairly uniform in size, at just about 1 lb. each.

Nearly Six Weeks! (Mingus Litter)

As summer begins, our little rompers are earning their nicknames. They love to chase our two ducks, giving their feathered friends a good run for the money. One pup will chase a duck only to be distracted by mother, Mingus, who happens to be standing with a couple of nursing kin below her. Soon another pup spots the quacking duo and attempts to catch up to the wadders before they escape to the baby pool. Quite a sight.

The litter will be six weeks old on Sunday, and they continue to grow, now averaging about 12 lbs. each. They're fed three times daily with our favorite kibble, from Canidae. We like this brand because it is an all-ages balanced food. No need to transition from puppy chow to adult to senior fare. This makes it easier for the owner. All you have to do is use portion control. As a puppy grows it will consume twice the daily requirement of a two year old adult. After six months, feedings are reduced to twice daily and portions can be gradually cut back. We monitor the weight of our dogs, insuring they get plenty of exercise, but adjust their portions to maintain a healthy size.

We've moved the puppies outdoors during the day. Their favorite hangout is around our kids' playscape. They can find a cool shady place to burrow and snooze, or they can play tag around the legs of the playscape itself.

We've been quite busy with other tasks but will soon update our site with new photos.

Eyes Right!

Those of you with some military experience (hey, even watching your local Memorial Day parade may qualify) recognize the title as the command given to parading troops as they pass an American flag flying to the right of their formation. However, now that America has an all-volunteer military, you may instead understand the title to refer to eyesight. And, in this case, you're right! Two weeks after their birth, our pups are beginning to see their world for the first time.

They eyes start out blue but will darken to brown in the coming days and weeks. Next up: walking!

Introducing our NEW litter -- Aloha from Hawaii!

We had a welcome treat on Mother's Day when our black lab, Mingus, gave birth to EIGHT gorgeous pups. Perfect symmetry: Four black, four yellow. Four males, four females. Two black males, two black females. Two yellow males, two yellow females... what are the odds of that?!

Mingus had an easy delivery. Pups weighed between 13.5 and 17. 5 ounces. As is our tradition, our litters are given temporary names around a theme. This year, to honor our recent trip to Hawaii (Glenn returned to his roots after 29 years!), we decided to give the puppies temporary Hawaii-like names. I say "Hawaii-like" for a reason, as you will see.

We have Plumeria (flower used in making leis), Nene (Hawaiian goose), Hanauma (after the famous snorkeling bay), Guava (well, we visited a guava plantation), Macadamia, Matsumoto (a famous brand of "shaved ice" - Yummy!), Pearl Harbor (we have a black pup with a pearl of white on her chest), and of course, Humuhumunukunukuapua'a (also known as the Hawaiian trigger fish -- you may find us calling this one simply "Trigger").


Hawaiian Trigger fish

Web Page Opens Up the World

Since we established our website (Three Sisters Farms) I've been amazed at the power of the web and its ability to extend the distribution channel of the business. We've had inquiries from as far away as Gambia and Russia from people who would like to retail our honey and/or soaps. The biggest stumbling block for a small business is overcoming the steep shipping costs associated with small quantities. I talked with a business owner today whose manufacturing operations are in Thailand. Her company fills eight containers per week just with one product! In contrast, shipping a small case of soap to Russia would cost us over $3.00/lb., thus likely snuffing out a wholesale relationship with prospective vendors there.

What's really funny is the cost of shipping with the 'majors'. You know, the UPS, DHL, and FedEx's of the world. A 6 lb. shipment with one of these guys reaches as high as $333 for a 4-6 day delivery window. Are these guys kidding?!

Wind Sends Chills Up the Hives!

Yikes! Winter weather can play havoc on one's hives. Often it's the extended cold spells that can result in disaster. Bees need to take cleansing flights every few weeks or they can suffer dysentery and death. The fabled January thaw is welcome indeed. This winter has been mild and the bees have had more opportunities than normal to venture out to do their business.

What's changed this winter is the violent ping-ponging of the temperature. Last weekend the weather went from upper 50s to near zero in 24 hours. From rain to snow just as fast. Well, on Wednesday the rapid change in barometric pressure brought winds that exceeded 60 MPH in some instance that helped fell power lines and trees across the state of Connecticut. I got a call from Jerry, who has graciously given us space for one of our apiaries, with a heads up that the wind had blown over a hive.

My initial thought was, "Oh yeah, it's the stack of empty boxes that I had next to the row of hives I checked on Monday." When I arrived to the bee yard I was horrified. Before me lay the entire row of hives, all spilled over onto the ground and partially submerged in water. A tiny drainage was overflowing with runoff from the downpours earlier in the day creating a soggy bog where my hives had stood. Maybe the bees are nestled inside... and then, I noticed there were no bees flying. The temperature had dropped from a balmy upper 50s to the upper 40s. Oh my goodness, perhaps I've lost all four hives!

My first action was to restore the base foundation. Apparently a gust of wind had caught the tightly clustered group of hives like a sail sending them sprawling forward and into the streamlet. Once the wood beams were righted I began rebuilding each hive one deep hive body at a time. To my relief, the first hive's occupants had clustered in the upper hive body. The size was not large but clearly the queen was still there. And then the next, and the next, were returned to their former position. Only one of the five clusters was empty! An hour later, the temperature had dropped to more seasonal norms - high 30s. Whew! If Jerry hadn't called when he did we would likely have lost all the hives.

It's only mid January, and our hive count is already down 30 percent.

Bad Luck Day

They say Friday the 13th is Bad Luck Day. Most of the time I think the idea is bunk. But not today. I inspected the hives for the first time since November and it was not a pretty sight. Four dead outs. I'd fairly expected a couple of hives to be lost, as their numbers were a little weak going into the winter. But four?! Most likely these hives had succumbed to varroa mites, the scourge of modern beekeeping.

My immediate reaction was, "What could I have done to prevent this?" Working the hives organically limits one's options to some degree. Still, I should have been more faithful in applying the 'Dowda method' of treating hives with powdered sugar. Named after Florida's State Bee Inspector who developed the strategy, sprinkling bees every 10 days with powdered sugar helps the bees fend off the mites. I'm also tempted to try another approved method: formic acid. A multistrategy, integrated approach is necessary to offset the debilitating effects of the mites. Our customers love our organic honey and we're determined to increase production to meet the demand. Clearly, it will take a full court press on the beekeeper's part to keep the colonies healthy enough to coexist with the mite problem.

Fun on a Sunny Day

It may be cold outside but when the sun is shining, it's time to get out and see the world. And that's what our guys did this morning. "Mammoth", a.k.a. "Collins" and "Bryce" discovered the chicken coop for the first time. Both hen and pups eyed each other curiously for a few moments. If only these digital cameras were more responsive (need fresh batteries, I think).

When out together puppies waste no time finding mom, and today was no different. As the weening process progresses the mother dog becomes more tolerant and eventually gives in to the play atmosphere. Mingus isn't quite there yet but, as you can see, she doesn't have much choice.

Meanwhile, here's a look a few other little guys from this litter:
That's "Zion", (M) and "Yellowstone" (F)

We still have three pups available... why not bring some playful joy into your home this holiday season?

Wow! Six weeks already?

Hard to believe how fast time goes by, and how quickly little pups become big pups! At six weeks it's time to see the vet for first shots. In customary fashion, our litters arrive in the office as little snoozers. What a mellow bunch!

We've been very pleased with the temperment of Mingus' litter, especially with people. You can pick up any puppy and hold it on its back and it will just stare into your eyes (or give you a lick!). No thrashing or flailing about with these guys. Why? We think a lot of a dog's temperment is derived from how it is raised early on. From the very beginning we work with our pups to condition them to human contact. They're very comfortable with us now. So when they arrived at the vet's office, this is what he saw:



Don't get us wrong, they're not always like this. In fact, they're reaching the stage where they like to play for up to 45 minutes before hitting the snooze button. There's a fair amount of puppy snarls as they chase each other's tails and romp with their Aunt Bromley and Cousin Sedona.

Online Store Open!

Whew! We did it! Our NATURALS business (soaps, lip balm, honey, etc.) got off to a good start this summer as we expanded into shows and fairs. Now, our website is up and so is the
online store. All of our products, from our organic honey to handcrafted soaps are available for purchase.

We have some exciting new soaps, and even gift "Bath Tubs".
Customers have a variety of shipping options (though we're still working out the kinks for the USPS option), or can arrange to pick up their items.

JUST IN TIME FOR THE HOLIDAYS!

Play Time

At four weeks, our little guys are starting to show some personality. We don't have a kennel mentality so our adult dogs share our house (and sometimes the furnishings: "Get off the couch!") and really enjoy having new "family" members to interact with. When the pups are this young we like to give them their own space as the bigger dogs can be a bit rough in their play, thinking nothing of "pouncing" on the little furballs. But it isn't long before the two groups become one extended family pack.

First Steps!

Two weeks and paws ahead! The little guys are finding their footing, literally, and have begun the transition from rugrats to puppydom. Right around the time their eyes begin to open the pups begin testing out their legs with brief sojourns (sometimes in circles!) as they awake and search for a meal from mom. That's where we're at! A couple of the pups are beginning to open their eyes.

These pups are our most gorgeous yet! What a combination! Big W-I-D-E heads. We're amazed at the distance between their eyes. Of course, it's still very early in their development but these pups seem to be on their way to having big blocky heads with great coats. Our Mingus is a beauty and her best qualities appear to have blended with the best Jonathan has to offer, with the result being the classic English line labrador retriever.

Beautiful Pops

We've been fortunate in breeding our labs to select quality mates for our females. Starting with Broad Reach Ruff Stuff, a.k.a. "Colby", the 2000 and 2001 AKC #1 ranked labrador retriever in North America, and continuing with this litter, Willcare's Prestige, a.k.a. "Jonathan", our pups have stellar AKC champion credentials.
For a photo of Jonathan, check out this site:

http://www.lighthouselabradors.com/masonget.htm

Colby sired our Mingus, mother of this litter. A great article about him and his owner, Kevin B., can be found with this link

Although it's still quite early to tell, we believe these pups have the potential to be our best yet. They are shaping up to be gorgeous!

Nine Days Six Pups

Mingus' babies are growing fast! And Mother-of-the-Year award goes to Mingus. Wow! We've been somewhat surprised at how good a mom she is. This is her first litter and she'd not shown the same interest in pups as our other dogs had so we were uncertain how she would handle the job herself. But she's shown herself to be perhaps the most attentive mother of all. She rarely leaves the whelping box and has been quite selective when it comes to allowing the other dogs near her brood. In fact, only Grandma Caicos is allowed in the whelping box. As with Bromley's litter, Caicos feels it's her duty to check in on the grandkids from time to time. She cleans them and then settles in to to let the little 'nes try to nurse on her. Guess she misses the days of motherhood...

Sadly, we lost one of the male pups on day four. "Little Big Horn" stopped eating after the second day and would not respond to our handfeedings either. Always difficult to lose a puppy, but perhaps it was best that it occurred early on. It's not uncommon for such an event, although we've had extraordinary luck up until this point. We now have six pups--four blacks and two yellows. These young 'rangers', Yellowstone, Bryce, Zion, Jewel Cave, Mammoth Hot Springs, and Rushmore, have doubled in size and are just beginning to try to stand. Another week or less and their eyes will be open and they'll become little hikers!

New Pups! Mingus' first litter

Our black lab, Mingus, gave birth this morning to seven pups--five black and two yellow, four males and three females. All are pretty uniform in size (about 11 1/2 oz). They remind us of little chipmunks! Mingus surprised us with the first pup about 7:45 AM and was finished birthing by 10:30 AM--a very quick delivery, indeed.

We've named the pups after national parks we visited this summer. Our tradition with our litters is to give them temporary names around a theme. Past litters were given patriotic (all born on July 4th) names, or after Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Lord of the Rings, and Vermont ski mountains. It's a fun way of keeping track of individual pups until they're placed with their new owners.

These pups were sired by 3-year old CH. Willcare's Prestige of New Hampshire. He's a gorgeous yellow with terrific show credentials. Our Mingus descends from AKC champion and former #1 ranked lab (North America), Broad Reach Ruff Stuff. She's a beauty and is turning out to be a good mom.

Look for pictures in the coming days. We currently have three puppies available.

NATURALS - Debut is a success!

Recently, we started a line of soaps and creams we call "Three Sisters Farms NATURALS". All are handcrafted and made with only natural ingredients. We've been met with enthusiastic reviews from our early adopters that have found us at recent fairs and farmers markets in the area. Our Gardener's Hand Cream, made with shea butter, avocado oil, honey and other fine ingredients is a hit. It really works, especially on dry, cracked skin (wonderful for feet, cuticles, etc.).

To learn more please visit our website at http://www.threesistersfarms.com

NATURALS - Incorporating our Honey into new products

We're busy working on a new line of Natural products using our award winning honey as one of the ingredients! Handcrafted soaps, lip balms, and hand creams will debut at the Market En Plein Aire at the Florence Griswold Museum during Old Lyme's Midsummer Festival on July 30th.

We are producing three soaps: Honey, Honey Oatmeal, and Honey Lavender. Ingredients include saponified olive oil, sweet almond oil, coconut oil, palm oil, and beeswax. It takes 3-6 weeks to cure cold process soaps. Lightly fragrant from the key ingredients of honey or lavender, the soaps have an added sweet smell from the sweet almond oil. The ingredients were selected for their skin conditioning and lathering abilities. Lavender has antiseptic and stimulating qualities. The typical soap bar has a deep honey color, while the lavender bars are flecked with lavender we collected from Provence in southern France.

Currently, Stasia is finalizing the formulations of several lip glosses/balms ('blosses'?). One favorite has a sweet scent of orange. The glosses also contain the finest natural ingedients including beeswax, jojoba, castor, and coconut oils, as well as vitamin E. Easy to apply and longlasting! The hand cream includes aloe veraShe remarks that getting the ingredient mix just right is a challenge--but a lot of fun as well.


We've designed new labels and hope to have them printed by next week.