Knowing when to cull breeding ewes can be a complex question and varies from farm to farm based upon your farm’s goals and management style. We call sheep that no longer meet your goals culls. These sheep are typically sold. Especially for shepherds with small flocks, the decision to cull can be daunting and wrought with emotions. Depending upon farm … Read More
Though most shepherds I know do much of their own “vet work” for their flock, each one will tell you there are times when you need a reliable large animal vet. Finding a vet you are compatible with is golden. Together you can work towards maintaining a healthy flock. Here are six things to look for in a large animal … Read More
The speed with which a brand new lamb pulls itself up onto its spindly legs, gets acquainted with its mother and learns to nurse, and begins to hobble – then hop – then frolic – around the barnyard is amazing. Every shepherd loves to stand in the middle of their paddock, surrounded by running, bouncing, playing lambs, and watch them … Read More
Before your lambs are born you need to think about how to lamb proof your barn to prevent accidents from happening. I write this post with a heavy heart after losing a beautiful ewe lamb to an unthinkable freak accident. This guide will walk you through how to look critically at each area of your barn to ensure it is … Read More
Keeping a small flock of sheep has it’s own set of challenges and advantages. A few years ago, I wrote a blog post on the challenges small flock owners face. Today, I will focus on three advantages of keeping a small flock. The farmer with the biggest tractor wins. We’ve all heard sayings like this before right? Sometimes in circles of … Read More
Are you considering getting a starter flock of sheep? Here are some tips to think about before you go shopping for your first flock. What is your purpose in owning sheep? This is the first question you need to ask yourself before bringing home sheep. The answer to this question will help you make many other important decisions along the … Read More
Three years ago, our farm joined 4 other farms in the United States in an exciting breeding program importing 100% pure Swedish embryos into the United States. Anette Skoog of Gotland Sheep and Wool International, facilitated the import, using genetics from her Swedish flock of Gotland sheep. This spring, all five farms, including ours, Vermont Grand View Farm, welcomed their … Read More
Some shepherds lamb in great numbers. And that is amazing. And some shepherds lamb in wee small numbers. And that is amazing also. The commonality among shepherds, regardless of how many sheep they have in their flock, is their love and passion for their flock of sheep. I shared the conversation below with a shepherd I know in Gotland, Sweden. … Read More
I stand looking at 2020 as if seeing it through the rear view mirror. I still see all the challenges that the year brought to our farm and many others, but I am moving forward. As a small business owner, I began this pandemic determined to get through the year and meet 2021 on top. So while the year threw … Read More
This summer we cleared a stand of red pines from our farm. The pines were planted in the 1970’s in a reforesting effort that swept across the state of Vermont, leaving patches of tall trees across the hillsides. Our trees had been neglected through the years. They stand spindly, and tall. On several occasions, we had talked with foresters about … Read More
Through the shepherd’s hands new life is welcomed to the farm. These same hands care for each sheep, feeding them, tending them when sick, guiding them to new pastures, and giving them security. The sheep learn the touch of their shepherd’s hands and the sound of their voice. They learn that when in their shepherd’s presence, they are safe, cared … Read More
One topic that will often launch into passionate discussions among sheep people is parasite management. I have met hardcore sheep people who scoff at using natural means to battle parasites in ruminants. They question the effectiveness of various herbal or garlic based remedies and rely heavily on available anthelmintics in treating parasite infestations. I have also met shepherds who swear by … Read More
If you have spent much time on my blog, then you know that I am passionate about teaching and helping other shepherds gain the confidence they need to successfully raise their flock of sheep. Through the years, I have written countless blog posts to help each of you on your journey owning sheep. Though my blog has provided me with … Read More
Our family was the first in over 50 years to bring livestock back to this farm property. We spent our early years reclaiming pastures for our sheep and pollinators until only one field remained longing to be renovated. When we purchased our property a stand of red pines provided a buffer between our fields and the deep woods. Once a … Read More
Our little rejected lamb Ofelia is growing and thriving. If you have followed our Instagram then you have kept up with her shenanigans and growth. She’s fully bonded to me and follows me where ever I go when I am in the barn. If she can’t find me, she calls waiting for me to call back. Though her mum has … Read More
Our 2020 lambing season has come to a close with 17 new lambs on the ground. This year was much better than last in terms of our ewe to ram ratio. After only getting one ewe lamb last year, I was in need to nice ewes. The final count was 7 ewes to 10 rams, not as high a ewe … Read More
Every lambing season I am reminded of how delicate life is. I am humbled by how much more I have to learn about shepherding lambs. This year, we began with a set of triplets to a new mom. She delivered on a frigid day and that night the temperatures dipped to the coldest of the season. It was a long … Read More
Do you have a farm and need some help designing an awesome farm website? Then keep reading because I am going to give you a few pointers. Do I need a farm website? You may wonder if you even need a farm website, after all, you most likely have a farm Facebook page or Instagram account. It is rare for … Read More
Special Gifts for Special Shepherds 🎁 I thought I would give you some gift ideas for the special shepherd in your life. Chore Time Mittens – My all time favorite chore mitten is a double layer rag wool mitten. These can either be hand made or store bought. In our cold wet temperatures, I prefer wool over leather as wool … Read More
Words like this are spoken out of ignorance, having never had opportunity to embrace rural living and out of a lack of being connected to the people and systems which feed us, care for us, and clothe us. It is almost comical to read yet actually quite tragic to think that someone can be so disconnected. Let’s remove rural life, … Read More
There are two key components to profitable shepherding. As shepherds and farmers, we have a tendency to over look one of these components, putting all of our energy and time into just one area. If we want our farm to be sustainable and for our sheep to earn their keep, then we need to invest into both areas of our … Read More
Our community lost a shepherdess about a month ago. She and her husband have raised sheep for nearly 40 years on a mountain side farm overlooking the village. The white steeple church in town was filled to over flowing the day of her memorial service. Whether you had known her since childhood or for just a few months, you were … Read More
Our farmstay guests often seem to have a romantic view of what I do as a shepherd. I have come to realize that they really have very little knowledge behind the skills of a shepherd. It’s as if they are looking through mist, only getting half of the picture of the life of a shepherd. They can see the general … Read More
Nina is headed for the NY Sheep Show in October. The first few training sessions for lambs are always the most fun. Nina had to throw a bit of a hissy fit today as she was being taken out on her first walk about the driveway. In the time it took us to walk her out of the barn and … Read More
Ask the Shepherd-Best Practices in Purchasing Sheep A subscriber to my email list has written to say that they want to purchase sheep and wonder what questions they should be asking of the shepherd they are purchasing from. So, here are some basic guidelines for best practices when purchasing sheep from a breeder. Sheep Management Purchase sheep from a farm … Read More
Women crave to create. It provides respite. It provides time to reflect. It provides opportunity to connect. For an entire day, 12 women gathered in a farmhouse in Gotland, Sweden. Guided by two lovely Swedish women, Lotta and Karin, we felted, sewed, and crafted. We stretched their minds-having to search for English words to teach us the crafts their hands … Read More
This place, this space, these hands and these women create magic. The Spinneri was top on our list the first day of our Gotland tour. We scheduled ahead of time so that we could listen, learn, and see the magic unfold. As we stood and listened to the history of the mill, again I was reminded of the passion that … Read More
A trip to Gotland island would not be complete without venturing to the far reaches of the island. It is the places and beauty of Gotland that reveal the island’s history and explain the deep love the Gutarna (the people of Gotland) have for their island. It is the places of Gotland that tell of the character of its inhabitants. … Read More
Farmers farm for the love of farming. They love to watch and nurture the growth of plants. They love to live in the presence of animals. They love to work outdoors. They love the weather, maybe even when it is making them miserable. They love to live where they work and to work where they live. If the scale of … Read More
You MUST visit Gotland, Sweden! Eight days ago, we returned from leading a tour group of 12 people to Gotland island. For the past week, my mind has been occupied with thoughts and fond memories of the wonderful people, places, and “sheeps” of Gotland. I have been hibernating since our return; trying to adjust to the time change, trying to … Read More
Three years ago, my husband, daughter, and I set off for Gotland island. We were visiting our daughter in Germany, and Gotland was just a short jaunt away. We had just purchased our first Gotland sheep and I wanted to see 100% Gotland sheep in their own environment. I wanted to talk with shepherds that raised them and lay my … Read More
Winter just would not give up this year! Spring arrived late to Vermont as snow piles lingered and cold temperatures hovered over our farm! Then, just when we thought winter had finally released us from its grip, we woke to an early May snow. So our spring has looked a bit like this… I escaped to the deep south for … Read More
A couple of weeks ago I was interviewed by a podcaster. Her last question was, “what part of your job do you like the least?” I think the interviewer was stunned silent when I responded with, “book keeping”. It took her a few seconds before she commented on my response. I think she fully expected me to say something like, … Read More
Let’s keep those parasites in check this summer! Next to moving fencing, parasite management probably takes up more time than anything else on my farm during the summer. I am always trying to figure out the best way to monitor, test, and record stats on each sheep. Parasite management is one of my greatest concerns as a shepherd during the … Read More
Several years ago, I wrote a blog post about the challenges small farming operations face. I wrote about how the lack of equipment, proper infrastructure, and funds are not sustainable and require much more muscle to get chores done. Since writing that post, we have added a hay elevator and a small tractor to our farm. These two pieces of … Read More
As a shepherd, lambing season can be one of the most stressful times of the year, but it doesn’t have to be. Understanding the natural process of labor and delivery, and learning how to recognize the different stages of labor, takes much of the stress out of lambing. Understanding the Natural Processes of Labor & Delivery I taught natural childbirth … Read More
Through the years I have seen countless birth stories played out from both two legged moms and four legged laboring ewes. Each labor has its own unique story, place, and people. Believe it or not, animals have similar labor needs as women, and they seek out ways to have these needs met. Sometimes it is their instincts that take over, … Read More
This family of three checked in for a farmstay experience at 4:00 this morning. I woke at 2:00 am, hearing the mom hard at work over the lamb cam. I laid in bed trying to half sleep and half be attentive to her noises. I struggled to stay awake. There was no need to go out to the barn until … Read More
There are probably as many different lambing systems as there are shepherds. Some lamb on pasture, some put laboring ewes in pens, and some shepherds choose to put their bred ewes in group pens to labor and deliver. Each farm must evaluate their own situation and what works best for them to give them the optimal outcome. Shepherds need to … Read More
Gotland wool comes in a variety of shades of gray from a pale silver to a dark charcoal. Gotland sheep produce a true gray as their fiber does not discolor due to sun exposure. Gotland lambs are born solid black. They keep this lamb fleece for 2 to 3 months when their true gray coat begins to come in underneath … Read More
Join Anastasia Williams from Garden Wool & Dye Company as she interviews me for the second episode of her new podcast, Local Wool. Listen while I share how Gotland sheep came to Grand View Farm and hear a historical perspective of the Gotland upbreeding program in the United States. Learn about the lovely wool characteristics of this special breed and … Read More
A skilled shepherd knows when to assist ewes at lambing. Most of the time, ewes lamb completely on their own. Their bodies are created to give birth naturally without intervention. As a shepherd, you must learn to resist helping until a ewe really needs assistance. It is usually obvious when a ewe needs help with a birth. Typically, it can … Read More
Hypothermia is a condition that shepherds need to watch for in young lambs. It occurs when a lamb’s body temperature drops below a normal temperature. This can be life threatening to a lamb and immediate detection and treatment increase the lamb’s survival rate. Several factors put lambs at a higher risk for getting hypothermia such as: small lambs triplets or … Read More
shepherd ~ a person who tends sheep Merriam-Webster Merriam-Webster defines a shepherd as one who tends sheep. This definition just doesn’t fully express all that encompasses shepherding. “Tending sheep” does not tell of the long nights, the being covered in amniotic fluid from a birth gone awry, the sore back from bending and lifting animals almost equal in your own … Read More
Farmers farm for the love of farming. They love to watch and nurture the growth of plants. They love to live in the presence of animals. They love to work outdoors. They love the weather, maybe even when it is making them miserable. They love to live where they work and to work where they live. If the scale of … Read More
We kicked the new year off with these words displayed on a 30 foot billboard in Times Square, NYC: Keep 2019 Kind – Leave Wool Behind PETA Seriously? In recent months, there has been an anti-wool movement sweeping across the nation from Times Square in New York City to the Pacific West Coast. It seems to be the trend to … Read More
My sheep love eating pine. Our Christmas tree provides a tasty treat to their rather boring winter diet of hay. Every year, I toss our tree over the fence for them to enjoy. At first, they stand at a distance just watching as the tree lands in the snow. As I turn to walk away, I see them bounding and … Read More
Hypothermia – having an abnormally low body temperature. Though our lambing season usually falls near the end of March, we can still have bitter cold weather until the second or third week of April. When ewes go into labor, we focus on keeping lambs warm. Hypothermia often causes death in new lambs. It can often go unnoticed and slowly takes … Read More
Do you need some last minute holiday gift ideas? Are you at a lose for what to buy the shepherd in your life? Here are a few ideas to add to your list of gifts for sheep farmers. Last minute gifts for sheep farmers… Head lamps– Our head lamps are probably the most used piece of equipment we own. They … Read More
I want my yarn customers to enjoy knitting with Gotland yarn. I want them to create hand knits that will forever evoke in them pleasant thoughts and memories of the actual knitting. For me, knitting is about so much more than just the yarn and the needles and the finished project. It provides hours for contemplation and for gaining perspective. … Read More
Ask the Shepherd: How should I have my wool processed? Should I make roving or yarn? What mill should I use? Recently, I have been contacted by several people, who have fiber farms or are first time shepherds, asking me the same question, “How should I process my wool?” Some of them have Gotland sheep and some have other breeds. … Read More
We came to Vermont over 30 years ago just to experience New England snow. We told ourselves and family that we were only coming for 5 years. We wanted to ski and snowshoe, something that is not easily done where we grew up. But Vermont took hold of us and we began to feel our roots sinking deeper into … Read More
Fiber artists clamber to get their hands on the lustrous Gotland curls. Felters, doll makers, and hand spinners all enjoy digging their hands into a lovely curly fleece. As a shepherd, it is my job to know how to properly skirt a Gotland fleece. This is one of my most important tasks on the farm. Our … Read More
I’m just going to put this right out there….Great Big Graphics is the best graphic designer in Vermont! Many years ago, when I was ready to launch our farm business into the world, I googled “women graphic designers in Vermont” and I found Nichole Loati. I wanted a woman’s perspective on my marketing plan and website design and wanted … Read More
There seems to be an art to preparing show lambs for the ring. Go to any sheep show and you will quickly begin to realize that each shepherd has their own way of getting their sheep ready for the judge, from how they trim their sheep, condition their wool and clean their feet to how they handle them in the … Read More
We have begun to synchronize our sheep breeding season with the use of a CIDR (Controlled Internal Drug Release). A couple of years ago I had a ewe that did not get bred the previous season. A friend and fellow shepherd suggested that I use a CIDR to force her into estrus. A CIDR is a applicator that is … Read More
Gotland Tour 2019 I am so thrilled to announce that my husband and I will be taking a group of 10-15 people on a tour of Gotland, Sweden in June of 2019! In cooperation with Milne Educational Tours, we are offering eight days of exploring the Best of Sweden’s Gotland, while enjoying a full immersion into farm life on the … Read More
Biosecurity refers to management measures taken to prevent disease agents from being introduced and spreading… U.S. Department of Agriculture I recently had a discussion with a friend about best practices in biosecurity on sheep farms. One of the best ways to keep your flock disease free is to prevent disease from coming onto your property. The following are some … Read More
A typical Saturday afternoon on our farm goes like this…… Anna: Hello…..I’m home! Mom: Good, you are just in time to help collect fecal samples from the sheep. Anna: I should have driven slower……(smiling) . Anna puts on her going out to help collect fecal samples pants with rubber boots and gloves and we head out into the … Read More
Do you want to buy sheep? Have you always wanted to purchase your first flock of sheep, but have lots of questions about shepherding? Just this week, I received a phone call from a woman saying that she is going to move to a new property that would allow her to start a small homestead. She had many questions about … Read More
The past couple of weeks have been busy ones on our farm as lambs have reached weaning age. We sold several sets of lambs to new shepherds who are looking forward to the docile, friendly personality of the Gotlands. Along the way, I have sent them a series of emails to inform them on how to prepare for taking home … Read More
When we purchased our first sheep, years ago, we had little knowledge of sheep behavior. Those early days and weeks of getting to know and care for our new flock of sheep were full of mishaps and escapades. If someone had only told us these five things you should know about sheep behavior-our lives would have been much easier. Once … Read More
You might remember me. My name is Magnus. I started life as the third born of a set of quadruplet Gotland lambs. I slipped into this world almost unnoticed as I was so tiny. I only weighed three pounds at birth and my shepherd thought I was not alive. But I took a deep gasp for air and let … Read More
Three years in a row, I have purchased sheep from a breeder in Oregon. They traveled just over 3,000 miles to get to our farm in Vermont. Some have come the southern route, and some have come the northern route, making the trip within 5 days to within 3 weeks. Basically, my flock of Gotland sheep have seen more of … Read More
In the early spring, we literally sit and stare at the grass on our farm. Here on our Vermont hillside farm, we only graze 5-6 months out of the year. After months of eating hay, the sheep can not wait to get out on grass. With grazing comes the joys of pasture management for parasite control. On our farm, … Read More
Ask the Shepherd ~ Why do sheep curl their upper lip? Flehmen Response Curling back the upper lip. Inhaling deeply-head held high. The transfer of air carrying pheromones to an organ in the roof of the mouth, provides the animal with information about the scent. It’s a sheep thing. It’s the way that they gather information. It is how … Read More
As the farmstay movement has grown across the United States, more and more farms have jumped on board, offering their own version of what agritourism means to them. Over time, I feel that two distinctly different farm experiences have emerged for families and couples to choose between: farmstay or agritainment. Agritainment is simply providing an opportunity for entertainment in … Read More
Raising Quadruplet Lambs Our bundle of Gotland quads have reached day 24 and are growing strong! In raising quadruplet lambs, we have all learned a few quadruplet survival skills along the way: Mum needs proper nutrition to feed quadruplets! We have been supplementing Kamila’s diet ever since the quads were born. She gets extra grain and fermented alfalfa … Read More
Magnus….the greatest My daughter says that everyone needs something to strive for….so we named the smallest Gotland quadruplet Magnus. He was the third lamb born, slipping into the world with hardly a notice by mom. She was busy cleaning off baby number 2. His body was so tiny, I almost thought the lamb was born dead, but his lungs took … Read More
Twas the day before sugaring, When all through the woods, Not a maple was left standing without a spout or a hood. The buckets were hung round the maples with care, In hopes that springtime soon would be there. All over town, sugar makers nestled all snug in their beds, While visions of evaporators whistled in their heads. At Grand … Read More
For ten years, I had the privilege of working with young expectant mothers and fathers. I taught them about the birthing process, what to expect, and how to work alongside of their bodies to bring forth new life. Now, I work with bred ewes, but there is nothing to teach them, as it all comes instinctively. Knowing what “normal” labor … Read More
Winter loosened her grip early this year, bringing sugar makers out from the warmth of their homes and into the woods to begin maple sugaring – a Vermont tradition. Steam now rises from sugar houses that dot the valleys as sugar makers, large and small, tend their fires. The warmer spring temperatures persuade the sugar maple trees to convert stored … Read More
Manure management can be daunting on any size farm, even small farms. The state of Vermont has taken a serious interest in the impact agriculture and manure management has on water quality. In late 2016, the department of Agriculture, published RAPs, Required Agricultural Practices for farms of all sizes. These standards are intended to improve the quality of Vermont’s waters … Read More
I’ve been busy felting with our Gotland and Border Leicester curls. I thought I would share a few tips for successful felting with curly locks. Tips for Successful Felting with Curly Locks I lay a fine wool base of merino underneath my curls. You could use other fine wools, but I prefer using merino for felted garments. You can either … Read More
Have you ever wondered why women create? More and more, I find myself yearning to create more. My life as a shepherd revolves around caring for my sheep. The demands of the farm and running a small business tend to overtake me and dictate how each day must be spent. I have recognized, however, a strong need to spend more … Read More
Hanging on to family Christmas traditions, not wishing the years to pass and times to change, we wait. Sometimes we wait until nearly the last minute. While Christmas lights fill our neighbor’s homes and living rooms with warmth and the spirit of what follows, only single candle lights stand in our windows. As always, we wait until children are home from … Read More
Felting with Gotland curls has become a passion of mine. A very special Gotland breeder commissioned me to make a felted vest using her own Gotland curls. She wanted a vest that was light weight, one that she could use for layering under jackets. She sent measurements to me and a vest which fit her well to use as … Read More
How to Drive Sheep driving involves the dog working on its own, pushing the sheep or cattle away from the handler, sometimes for considerable distances…It has a great number of uses and although driving has a reputation for being difficult to teach because a dog’s natural reaction is to bring the stock to the handler rather than push them away… … Read More
Ask the Shepherd The song and dance of breeding season has begun on our farm! As the days shorten and the temperatures drop, ewes begin to cycle and the rams begin to pine away at the fence line. Once the rams are turned in with the ewes, the dance begins. A new shepherd wrote to me the other day asking … Read More
Since the very first time I visited a sheep farm, I have been touched by the camaraderie, encouragement, compassion, and sharing of knowledge within the community of sheep people. Through the years of raising my own sheep, I have come to believe it is because shepherds understand the heart work of raising sheep as well as the day to … Read More
Though peek foliage has passed, we are still in the height of the work of foliage season. In Vermont, autumn ushers in a time of preparation for the 5 months of cold weather ahead. Both man and beast must be kept warm and fed through the winter months. In the fall, life centers around putting the farm to rest, and … Read More
Where there is a will, there is a way. Transporting sheep is not a problem for most sheep people. They will do what it takes to bring home a new member for their flock! Kristi, of Harvest Thyme Homestead, is one of those crazy fiber folk. She is willing to travel the miles and do what others would consider … Read More
There is a nip in the night air and the color on the distant mountains is turning from green to shades of red, orange, and gold. The change of season perpetuates the rhythms of farm life. One leads into the next. Time is marked by these rhythms and routines. Fall becomes “breeding season”, winter becomes “our slow time”, spring … Read More
I’ve been an empty nester for 2 years now. I homeschooled all three of my children and have launched them all into the world. My son, the youngest, is a junior in college. This time of year, I get a pit in the bottom of my stomach, knowing that the house will soon be empty again. Once the children are … Read More
With the sheep on pasture full time now, managing summer parasites becomes top priority on our farm. At this time of year, an over load of intestinal parasites is the primary cause of illness and even death in sheep, often effecting those with a compromised immune system, nursing ewes, or young lambs. I have found that the key to … Read More
It is weaning time and this little one is going to miss getting her bottle each day. Lisbeth was an unthrifty lamb from one of our triplet groups and is nearing weaning age. I never encourage bottle feeding in my flock as I feel that mum’s milk provides the best nutrition for the lambs. I would rather support the nursing … Read More
With summer on our heels, I have had many inquiries from people wanting to add sheep to their farms or homesteads. I thought I would bring this blog post, written a couple of years ago, to the forefront on tips for starting your first flock of sheep. Here are some of the typical questions new shepherds ask me. How many … Read More
This time of year, my sheep stand at the fence line gazing at the fields as they begin to turn green. The lambs will stick their heads through the fence and under the gate just to get a nibble of the short grass growing on the other side. Once they get a taste for grass, they are intent on convincing … Read More
Having nearly completed my third winter with Gotland sheep, I find I am still learning about this wonderful breed of sheep. Gotland sheep originate on Gotland island where the weather is a little more temperate than on our farm in Vermont. Our winters are longer, more snowy, and colder. Gotlands are now scattered across North America, living in all kinds … Read More
shepherding ~ a person who tends and rears sheep. The past two weeks have been one of those heart wrenching times when shepherding has not been easy, when the tears flow gently. The dictionary makes the job of shepherding sound so cut and dry, so black and white. It does not talk about the heart work of shepherding-the clinging … Read More
Phew! Despite the whirl wind of activity the past two weeks, I have learned two helpful tips for shepherds this lambing season. Our lambing began on March 15, one day after our big snowstorm, and ended this past Wednesday. The day before the storm, we worked feverishly to tighten up our old barn. With lambs due any day, and wind … Read More
Last week, Stella hit our farm with force. Weather maps had been mapping her path as she geared up to be our “biggest snow storm of the season”. Reports for 40 mph winds and frigid subzero degree temperatures put us on high alert. We expected lambs to begin arriving on the cusp of the storm. We had to figure out … Read More
This is the last of a three part series on three things to love about Gotlands. I have shared their fun loving and playful personalities and their sweet and loving dispositions. It is the third trait, however, that brings more laughter to our farm, their sense of curiosity. Things to love about Gotlands – Sense of Curiosity The dictionary defines curiosity as: … Read More
Last week I began a series on three things to love about Gotlands. Gotland sheep are great for family farms. Their personalities make them easy keepers and a joy to be around. In my first post, I shared with you their playfulness and sense of adventure. Today, we will see their desire to converse and form a bond with their … Read More
Last week, winter raged with wind and snow, making fences grow shorter and hay feeders disappear. The distant mountains were white on white and the snow plow left a swirl of snow behind it. Friends and relatives sent messages that read, “I know you’ll be glad when spring arrives.” or “Stay inside where it is warm.” They do not understand … Read More
We have had Gotland sheep on our farm for two years now. In that time, we have discovered many things that we love about Gotlands and their personalities. I thought I would share with you some of our most favorite character traits. Gotland Sheep – Fun Loving & Playful It is a delight to go out and do chores each … Read More
I am often asked how my sheep can survive the harsh Vermont winter storms. Yesterday our first big snow storm hit with a vengeance. We woke to swirling snow, subzero wind chills, and deep snow banks. With proper shelter and feed, our sheep have no difficulty with these winter conditions and cold temperatures. Proper Shelter Well ventilated…protection from wind…plenty of space … Read More
Keeping fleeces clean is one of the most difficult challenges to combat on a sheep farm, and it all centers around chore time. Who would ever think that feeding sheep would be one of the most significant moments on a fiber farm? Sheep are like most other creatures, they talk with their mouths open, they dribble their food all over … Read More
Nature brings most lambs from the womb into this world with ease, filling lambing pens with new life. Ewes care for their young, bonding with them, loving them, and nourishing them. On occasion though, what should be straight forward and simple becomes entangled, even backwards at times, with lambs choosing new ways to enter the world. There are a few … Read More
Curls…lustrous gray Gotland curls…that’s what spinners and felters are so eager to get hold of. Though I raise my own Gotland sheep, I too have ventured beyond my own flock in search of these silver ringlets. “One can never have enough,” I tell my husband when he asks why a box of raw fleece arrives in the mail. raw wool … Read More
She gave her daddy a boomerang for Christmas, a photograph of herself with a little smirky smile taped to the front of it. “Sorry,” she said as he opened his gift. After being away for 4 1/2 years, seeking knowledge and seeing a different part of the world, she came back – the boomerang child. She wants to experience Vermont … Read More
~Woven~ All that I do as a shepherd is part of an interconnected community of individuals, from sheep shearers, to veterinarians, to mills, to hay farmers, to local feed stores, and to knitters and fiber artists. Our lives are all woven together through my flock of sheep. This felted vest represents that woven community and our relationships, one to another. … Read More
Beneath the blanket of snow that covers our farm, lush pastures rest and wait. Winter provides one the longest stretches of time when our pastures can rest before another grazing season begins. Rotational grazing is an important component in our sustainable farm practices. Each summer and fall, we utilize rotational grazing. We subdivide each of our fields into smaller … Read More
With 2016 drawing to a close, I thought I would take a peek at which posts you gravitated to the most in 2016. So here they are: Top Shepherding Posts How Can Sheep Survive Bitter Cold Weather-with Vermont winters, our flock must withstand snow, ice, and sometimes subzero weather. Here I shared the unique qualities that allow sheep to adapt … Read More
Eating habits and personality traits seem to go hand in hand when it comes to sheep. Here are four distinctly different eating habits, and the personalities that go with them, in my flock of Gotland sheep. Social eaters enjoy the company of family and friends while eating. Food is essential to bonding and social interactions. Social eaters put the needs of others … Read More
Last year, I gave you three gift ideas for the shepherd in your life. I thought I would add to that list for those of you still doing your holiday shopping. So here goes: Lamb Cam – During lambing season, we do round the clock barn checks to see if new lambs have arrived or if laboring moms are doing … Read More
Are you looking for a unique gift for someone special this holiday season? Here are some special gifts from our farm to you. Simply click on the title of the item and you will be directed to our online shop. Handwoven Gotland Wool Blanket made with our Gotland yarn by a local Vermont textile artist. Gotland Curls Pillow hand felted … Read More
Winter seems to have settled in on our Vermont farm, and it is the season for restoration, reflection, and knitting. After spending 8 months caring for new lambs, teaching fiber art students and serving overnight visitors to the farm, I look forward to winter. I love the short days and long nights. It is the time for hot tea, fires … Read More
The Gotland ewes have enjoyed some freedom from the paddock behind the barn. With the mild temperatures and lack of snow, they have been staying up on the hill behind the house. This snowy morning, they woke to a dusting of snow on their backs. The weather forecast was for snow all day, so we brought them down by the … Read More
For the past month, my dining room, and living room, and kitchen, and bathroom have been filled with felting projects in various stages. All flat surfaces are covered in wool, yarn, buttons, needles, and silk. I don’t respond to emails, laundry goes undone, I let the answering machine monitor phone calls, I don’t write blog posts, and the dog has … Read More
When we moved to Vermont years ago, I remember that our first significant snowfall was on October 5. Winter had come early that year, and would linger far into the spring. The next year was the same, bringing early snows and subzero degree weather early in the winter season. This year, autumn is lingering. The display of beautiful colors and … Read More
Recently, I received a phone call from someone needing some help re-homing their 8 month old border collie. They had purchased the dog thinking it would be a good companion for their son, but have begun to have trouble with the puppy. Now, they wonder if a border collie is a good fit for their family. When I questioned him … Read More
Autumn is one of the things my children miss most about our hillside farm. “Take pictures”, my son pleaded the last time I spoke with him from his dorm room in Pennsylvania. So this post is for my college kids, Emily, Anna, and Luke.
It was the perfect day for shearing. The sky was blue and the sun was warm. Even Kai enjoyed the day. Our shearer brought her dog Lyle along, and he and Kai played a game of tag around the truck. Now shiny backs of gray graze in the field.
It’s wool sweater weather in Vermont. Smoke rises from chimney tops. Mist lays in the valleys in the early morning. The dew lies heavy on the grass, and the leaves have burst forth in full color. I finished knitting the long sleeve version of the Vermont Cardigan, just in time. One test knitter told me that she loved her long … Read More
In early spring, a robin built her nest in the holly bush right next to my front steps. There she raised two clutches of eggs-six babies in all. I watched as she diligently cared for them. This was a summer of letting go, for mother robin and for me. As a parent, there are multiple times when you have to let … Read More
It was mid morning at a small town in New York, just over the Vermont border, locals whizzed by on their way to work, grabbing their coffee at the corner shop. We waited in the parking lot for a woman from Oregon named Heather, whom we had never met, driving a truck with a livestock trailer in tow. We, … Read More
It has been a good couple of months, gaining ground with some leisurely reading and knitting – nourishing my soul. Reading Gaining Ground found its way into my hands a couple of months ago. Through its pages, Forrest Pritchard tells of his journey to reclaim his family’s farm. One would think that such a book would most inspire the “farmer … Read More
Merino wool + Gotland curls + Soap & Water = Pillow This pillow is made by creating a sleeve using a resist during felting. I laid Merino wool on both sides of the resist and then put Gotland curls on top of the wool. I used the deep palm felting tool by Heart Felt Silks to speed the felting process and … Read More
Through the past 10 years, I have taken felting and fiber art classes from some pretty amazing artists-Robin Russo, Neysa Russo, Jean Gauger, Inge Bauer, Katia Mokeyeva, and Andrea Noeske-Porada. Each of these artists generously opened their studios, knowledge, and lives up to their students. Not only did they share their technical skill, but also that space within themselves that … Read More
Last week I had the joy of hosting a woman from Canada who wanted a private farm and fiber art retreat. She had been felting for a few months- exploring on her own and discovering the delight in working with wool. She wanted to move her skill to the next level, learning new surface design techniques and the use of … Read More
Alaska, our guardian llama, is really an independent soul. Her motto has always been, “Look-but don’t touch.” She prefers to eat her hay and grass without the sheep underfoot and she prefers to lay down and relax away from the flock. Every year, the lambs have to learn how to live with their giant friend and protector. Alaska lets them … Read More
Recently, someone sent me an email asking a question about grazing: Is it true that when sheep graze a field, they bite down to the nub of the forage and leave nothing left of the grazed plants, and that this was part of the reason for the range wars between cattlemen and shepherds between 1870-1920: the cattle had nothing to eat … Read More
Reporters beware! If you come to our farm in the spring, you just may have trouble getting your work done. A couple of weeks ago, a freelance reporter, Tammy Donroe, visited our farm on a fact finding mission. I began by showing her our Farmhouse Suite that we rent to overnight, farmstay guests. She took notes diligently as I told … Read More
I was born and raised in the south where spring ushered in green grass, flowers, and warm weather. Then, I moved to the north, where my preconceived notions of what each season represented was challenged. Vermont spring is a season of contradictions: warm temperatures-frigid temperatures delightful blue sky-gray snowy sky beautiful daffodils-sad droopy daffodils green fields-white fields open greenhouse-close greenhouse … Read More
Many times I have wished that I was blessed with the ability to design my own knitting patterns. Sometimes, I find it difficult to find just the right pattern for my yarn. Last year, I began searching through patterns on Ravelry for one suitable for my Gotland yarn, and came across Hanna Maciejewska, a knitwear designer in Poland. Hanna incorporates delicate … Read More
Everyone loves new lambs…even our border collie, Kai! Kai knew there was something new in the barn even before he stepped foot through the doorway. There were a few days during lambing, where I left Kai in the house so that I could tend to new lambs and moms. Kai saw my activity, going to and fro, and he could … Read More
When we were on Gotland island, one shepherd we visited with, kept saying, “Gotlands are smart sheep.” He told story after story of the many different ways his flock of Gotlands have shown him just how smart they are. In most of his stories, the sheep, and their intelligent inquisitive nature, usually got them in trouble with the shepherd as … Read More
We had a knitting tour group come to the farm today to visit with the lambs. We put hay bales around in the barn for the ladies to sit on while they watched the lambs play. After everyone had gone home, the lamb antics began. All afternoon they played on the bales of hay. Mama Carie seemed as though she … Read More
Meet the lambs at VT Grand View Farm, one lamb a day. Day 5: Meet Kayla, twin to Kajsa, 92.56% Gotland ewe lamb ~ friendly and sweet.
Meet the lambs at VT Grand View Farm, one lamb a day. Day 4: Kajsa, 92.56% Gotland ewe lamb ~ shy and timid ~ mama’s girl.
Meet the lambs at VT Grand View Farm, one lamb a day. Day 3: Kendrick, twin to Kendra, 88.4% Gotland ram lamb ~ curious and inquisitive.
Meet the lambs at VT Grand View Farm, one lamb a day. Day Two: Meet Kamila, 91.02% Gotland ewe ~ a bit independent and free spirited ~ always tap dancing and on the run.
Meet our new Gotland lambs, one lamb a day. Kendra 88.4% Gotland ewe lamb ~ Sometimes, only photographs are needed.
At last, all my Christmas knitting is done! (more on that to come) My reward-to enjoy some stress free knitting with our Gotland yarn! Last winter, I knit a handful of hats to take to festivals to showcase our yarn. Throughout the course of the year, all of my hats sold. Our Chore Time Bobble Hat, sold the most … Read More
Frost seeding provides an easy, no-drill method to boost your pasture nutrition and extend your grazing season. With frost seeding, you can add various herbs and legumes to your existing pasture. Seeding is done in the early spring when the night time temperatures fall below freezing and day time temperatures are above freezing. In Vermont, this coincides with sugaring season. The … Read More
Not long ago, I became a member of the Northeast Felt Maker’s Guild. They recently put out a “call to artist” for their upcoming collaborative exhibition. This year, the exhibition is titled, The Fiber of Our Being. …As felters we work the wool with every fiber of our being. There is a direct connection from our fingertips to our medium … Read More
With udders filling, and bellies rounding, my thoughts go to readying for lambing season. If I have learned anything at all from my many years of lambings, it is that with each year, I will push myself to my limit, I will see and do things that will bring me to my knees in awe and wonder, as well as … Read More
Scrapie is a fatal, degenerative disease affecting the central nervous system of sheep and goats. There is no cure and there is no treatment for scrapie, though scientists around the world are searching hard for one. Scrapie is classified as a transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE). Both scrapie and bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE; a.k.a. “Mad Cow” disease) are TSEs, as is … Read More
Joining Nicole at Frontier Dreams for Keep Calm Craft On, to share my latest felting project. I spent the past few days, felting with Gotland gray curls. I set out to make a felted jacket, but had to abandon the sleeves when I realized that I would not have enough wool for both sleeves. So instead, I made a … Read More
Joining Ginny at Yarn Along to share my latest knit! Thanks for stopping by! Once I made the decision to begin selling my Romney sheep so that we could bring Gotland sheep to our farm, I began hoarding the last of my Romney yarn. As I sold off the ewe lambs more than a year ago, I tightened my grip … Read More
About 18 months ago, we made the decision to transition over from raising Romney sheep to raising Gotland sheep. A little over a year ago, our small starter flock of Gotland sheep arrived to our farm. Looking back, it was, and still is, an extremely difficult process, and I am learning the challenges of keeping two breeds of sheep. Selling … Read More
A few weeks ago, someone asked me the following question: Many of the short-tailed breeds are able to be “rooed” yearly due to a natural rise in their wool. Do you know if Gotlands could do this if they were not sheared in the spring? This is an interesting question, which I myself, had also wondered. While visiting Gotland island this … Read More
They say that people in the same profession often share common traits and interests. Over my years of shepherding, I have certainly found this to be true among sheep people. So if you are wondering if you just might be a shepherd at heart, read on. Here are twelve reasons why you might be a shepherd at heart: you walk … Read More
Almost all signs of Christmas have been packed away. All the ornaments are stored away in the attic, the window lights put away, the baby Jesus carefully wrapped in the Christmas creche for another year, and all the kids have gone back to college. Only a small pile of pine needles, sprinkled on the porch, remains of the Christmas decor … Read More
Christmas arrived from Gotland, Sweden about a week before Yuletide. The postman dropped a small square box, wrapped in brown paper at my doorstep. You may remember reading about Annette at Lamm & Bi Farm on Gotland island. She and her husband own one of the largest, if not the largest flock of purebred Gotland sheep in all of Sweden. This … Read More
According to Chinese zodiac, 2015 was the Year of the Sheep. I am not exactly sure what that means-in terms of being Chinese-but I know what that means in terms of my life. Let’s take a look back at a year in the life of a sheep farmer-me. Twenty-fifteen most definitely was the Year of the Sheep-Gotland sheep. It started … Read More
Two Christmas knitting projects sit in the basket on the table in front of me. One is 3/4 finished, the other 3/4 unfinished. Both for my college kids who keep looking longingly at my knitting needles in hopes that I will finish their gifts in time for them to take them back to college. So, I have no business … Read More
With the moon full and round in the sky on Christmas Eve, our sheep laid out under the night sky-awaiting the hour of midnight. For on this night, Christmas magic takes place and the sheep and llama come to life, talking in whispers in the field and barn. An old Scandinavian Christmas legend says that on midnight of Christmas Eve, … Read More
Do you need some last minute gift ideas for the shepherd or farmer in your life? Here are a few things I would not want to live without! Practical work clothes-I wore through numerous pairs of jeans before finding a pair of work pants that fit me well. Most work pants are not made for women, but Arborwear has perfected … Read More
Ask the Shepherd: What factors do I need to think about when purchasing a breeding ram? I am often asked this question by folks wishing to start their own flock of sheep. The ram you select provides more than 50% of the genes in your flock. His genetics will carry over into the offspring of your ewes for years to … Read More
We have learned a few new things this fall about living with rams, and the rams have learned a few tricks about living with us as well. If you asked my two Gotland rams what they thought about breeding season here on VT Grand View Farm, they would tell you that we do not have enough ewes. Then, they would … Read More
Do you remember when you were a young child and you would go into a store with your mom or dad and you would see something that you would like to take home, but couldn’t. Do you remember that longing in the pit of your stomach? Do you remember how you would find yourself scheming of ways to convince your … Read More
Border collies just instinctively know how to work sheep, right? Wrong. It is true that border collies have particular instincts which help them work with sheep and make them trainable, but they are not born already knowing how to work with a shepherd. The Border Collie Rescue website explains the natural instincts of the border collie: The herding instinct in … Read More
Legacy and stewardship summarize the work of Curre and Lotta of Sigsarve Lamb in Gotland, Sweden. Working the very land he was raised on, living in the very house he was born in, Curre, along with his wife Lotta, devote their lives to shepherding one of Gotland’s most lovely flocks of sheep. When asked why they chose farming, Curre … Read More
A glimpse into Kai’s day off from farm work…. Amos 4:13 He who forms the mountains, who creates the wind, and who reveals his thoughts to mankind, who turns dawn to darkness, and treads on the heights of the earth— the Lord God Almighty is his name. Border Collie Training: Hikes
While traipsing across Germany and on to Gotland, Sweden this summer, we left our border collie, Kai, with a sheep dog trainer. Being 1 1/2 years old, he was eager to begin his journey as a sheepdog. With a summer full of moving kids to college, and visiting those afar, I had little time to work with him. So instead … Read More
When I stepped off the plane on Gotland island, Sweden, I felt my whole body relax. The air was full of salty mist, ocean breeze, and sea weed. We were greeted with open arms by a Swedish friend I had made via instagram. She unexpectedly met us at the airport, embracing us with Scandinavian hospitality, maps, and a bag filled … Read More
Part of the reason I went to Gotland, Sweden was to learn about the mystery behind the beautiful Gotland gray curls of wool. Gotland sheep in Sweden are known as, Pälsfår, or pelt sheep. Shepherds raise their sheep primarily for their pelts, which command a high price. Every shepherd we visited sold their lamb pelts in their own farm stores … Read More
Three weeks ago, I set off with my adventure bag in one hand, suite case in the other, and my husband by my side. We traveled across the ocean to visit our daughter in Germany, to see places we had never seen before. We toured castles, climbing steps worn smooth from centuries of use. We traveled by train and bus … Read More
Visiting Fårö Island, home to Gutefår (Gute sheep), is like stepping back in history. Undeveloped by man, this northern most tip of Gotland, Sweden remains much as it was centuries ago. The island’s landscape, molded by time, weather, and beast alone, tells its story. Its rocky coast has been sculpted over centuries by wind and ocean, leaving behind limestone formations. Rauks and … Read More
Knitting soothes the souls and clears the mind, bringing a sense of calmness and peacefulness. I crave knitting time, as I find it relaxing and soothing. When I set off on vacation to Europe, 3 weeks ago, I took knitting needles and yarn with me. About a week into our stay in Germany, I took a day off from touring … Read More
Travelogue LIX: Gotland I: Cottage: Guest posting today is our travel companion and daughter, Emily Goodling. With camera in hand, Emily shares part of our journey to Gotland Island with you. September 19, 2015 My dear parents are visiting from Vermont, and the last stop on their journey is a week on Gotland, a tiny island off the coast of … Read More
Today, we fly from Frankfurt, Germany to Stockholm, Sweden. From there, we take a short flight across the Baltic Sea to Gotland Island-home to the curly sheep. I have arranged to meet with shepherds on Gotland, whose flocks of sheep carry the same genetics that are in my own flock of Gotlands in the United States. I will also attend … Read More
I have been in Germany for one week now. Sometimes I forget that I am more than 3000 miles away from my hillside farm in Vermont. In many ways, Mainz feels like any other city, with shoppers bustling, families on outings, and cafes inviting people to stop and relax. From time to time, when I hear people speaking around me, … Read More
Our dear friend and felt artist, Jenny Hill, visited with us for a couple of days after attending the Felter’s Fling. Jenny came to our farm three years ago as an intern, to learn as much as she could about homesteading and living off the land, and she left a fiber artist, specializing in felting. With one 2 hour session … Read More
Home is now behind you, the world is ahead! – Gandalf We are off to visit our daughter in Germany to see castles, cobblestone streets, cafes, and cathedrals. Then we head to Gotland Island, Sweden to visit with shepherds and attend a ram auction, to learn as much as we can about Gotland sheep. I promise to share lots of … Read More
I once had a musician tell me the key to singing barbershop harmony was minding your own business, staying focused on your own voice, and not getting confused by all the other voices around you. I find this bit of advice holds true to knitting lace. While knitting the Hermaness Hat for Karen Templer’s hatalong, I did as much unknitting … Read More
Hobbit: You! Mr. Bilbo where’re you off to? Bilbo Baggins: I’m already late. Hobbit: Late for what? Bilbo Baggins: I’m going on an adventure. The Hobbit by J.R. R. Tolkien The Gotland adventure began a year ago, when we brought two Gotland ewes to our farm. In another four months, 5 more Gotland sheep arrived to our mountainside from far … Read More
One year ago, we set out on a long journey to bring a small flock of Gotland sheep to our farm in Vermont. It all began with a rental van, and two Gotland ewes. Prior to that, I had only read about Gotland sheep and their lovely wool, but had never wrapped my arms around their wooly necks. Now, I own … Read More
When the crickets chirp all day in the grass, and the sun begins to set by eight o’clock in the evening, I know that fall is lurking just around the corner. By the beginning of September, I want my winter hay for the sheep in the barn, A common question that new shepherds often ask is, “How do you … Read More
Loft and warmth, that is how I would describe my latest knitting project. At last, I found the time to join in on a Fringe Hatalong. A friend nudged me to knit the Hermaness by Gudrun Johnston-I would knit it in my Gotland worsted weight, and she would knit it in her Bluefaced Leicester. So I cast on, excited to … Read More
The sign at the end of the road reads, “Sheep Dog Trials” and an arrow guides you down the long dirt road to the farm at the end. Here you find border collies, sheep, and spectators. The Sheep Dog Trial at Spring Valley Farm is in the quiet village of Strafford, Vermont. Handlers come from as far away as Canada to … Read More
Black currants still cling to the stems of the bush-little black jewels, dangling among the green foliage. The other day, I picked deep into the center of the bush, gathering a handful of currants each time I reached in. As I parted the stems in the center of the bush, to my surprise, I noticed that someone else had grown … Read More
Anticipating my impending “empty nest”, I began reducing the size of our vegetable garden a few years ago. The first year, I planted blueberry bushes in a large section of the garden. The next year, I put in black and red currant bushes. With children setting off across the globe, I no longer needed to grow food for a family … Read More
I am joining Ed today for his Sunday Still challenge-groups of birds. This picture was taken at Fort Foster on the coast of Maine while taking the day off from farming.
I just spent three amazing days in a church basement with 11 other women and one fiber art teacher, Jean Gauger. Northeast Fiber Arts sponsored the workshop, providing sustenance midday, and camaraderie. Through Jean’s instruction, a few yards of colorful silk, and a pile of soft merino roving, we each completed a nuno felted shawl. But this class was about … Read More
Last week, I took a 3 day felting workshop. While showing the teacher pictures of our farm, the pigs, the sheep, the chickens, the garden, Mosie-the barn cat, and Kai-the border collie, she asked, “how do you ever take a day off from farming?” Leaving the farm for an extended period of time, takes much planning and the help of … Read More
Turmeric is one of those fun spices to have in your kitchen as it can go from spice cabinet to dye pot! It has been used in India for hundreds of years for both its herbal and medicinal properties. In cooking, turmeric gives curry its yellow coloring, adding a peppery, warm flavor. Curcumin, the main active ingredient in turmeric, has … Read More
I know that June brings rain to Vermont and summer does not begin in earnest after July 4. So it is this Vermont summer, the heavens poured forth rain all June. Some days it fell in sheets straight to the earth, pounding and pounding. Other days it passed in unexpected showers daring you to leave home without umbrella and jacket. … Read More
Guest post by Anna Goodling. Yes, we did it again. Yesterday my wonderful and distracting-in-the-best-way Mother and I returned to the fiber studio to felt, when I should have been reading Rene Girard and preparing for summer research back on campus (which starts in little over one week! Eep!). We experimented a bit more boldly this time, creating our own patterns … Read More
Visitors to our farm love to stand and watch our pigs. I would say that they are one of the most photographed animals on our farm. We have even had farmstay guests sneak over the fencing to try to steal a hug from our pigs when we were not looking! When Charlotte carefully wove in her web the words, … Read More
~Guest Post by Anna Goodling~ Living on a farm has uncounted benefits–free-range chickens keep the bugs down; there are always cats lolling in the sun, just waiting to be stroked; the sheep are never too far away to go hug. One learns to trust one’s reflexes when it comes to catching the greased lightning that is an escaped pig, and discovers … Read More
Jonas and Jari have grown so much since they were born mid-April! Their wool is turning a lovely blue gray, with wonderful tiny ringlets of curls. I love to sink my fingers into their fleeces and feel the silky softness. Both rams have been sold to a fiber farm, and will go to their new home in July. Jari-91.4% Gotland … Read More
Within the first page of The Art & Science of Shepherding, the authors paint a beautiful picture of the relationship between the shepherd and his dog-a bond of “reciprocal knowledge and mutual trust”. When a hiker in Provence, France, out for a day in the mountains, sees at some distance a shepherd and his herd, he may think at first … Read More
When I can’t sleep at night….I think about felting projects. This project has been on my mind for several months ~ a nuno felted floral vest. Yesterday, I could not resist the sun was shining through the fiber studio windows. It was calling to me to come and spend the afternoon felting. I thought I would join Nicole at Frontier … Read More
Last spring, we made the decision to reduce our Romney flock of sheep and to begin a process of switching to Gotland sheep. Last summer, we began selling our breeding ewes and finding new homes for those sheep who could no longer be bred, making room for the new flock of Gotland sheep that would arrive to our farm in … Read More
Joining Ginny this week for Yarn Along to share a story about a shawl for a shepherd friend. It seems fitting that as I have been knitting the past two weeks, I have also been reading a book titled The Art and Science of Shepherding, as I have been knitting a gift for a shepherding friend. (The book deserves its own … Read More
Guard Llamas This post ends a series on livestock guardian animals. We have interviewed shepherds who use miniature donkeys and shepherds who use livestock guardian dogs, and today, I will share some thoughts on guard llamas. We have one guard llama who lives with our sheep year round on our farm. Since bringing her to VT Grand View Farm, we … Read More
Guest Post by Anna Goodling The Floating Bridge~One of Vermont’s hidden secrets, lies in the small Vermont town of Brookfield, affectionately called “Pond Village” by the locals. The New England village is located along one side of Sunset Lake, its houses and barns hugging the shoreline. The whole village is miniscule – perched there on the edge of the lake, … Read More
My husband is a good sport. He married a visionary, and I am not sure he fully understood what that meant when he married me. I constantly look at things from a different viewpoint than most other people. I tend to see the potential in something, and have a vision for what it could be. About five years ago, I … Read More
Sharing in Ed’s Sunday Stills this week. “L” is for lake. Sunset Lake lies in the center of Brookfield, Vermont, a quaint New England village. The oldest standing floating bridge in the United States spans the lake where locals come to fish and swim. A mama hippo and her baby, sculpted out of granite by a local artist, watch over … Read More
While the New England garden lays bare in the unpredictable May weather, one plant bursts forth with much enthusiasm~Rhubarb. This past weekend, our farmstay guest asked,”What is that?” when she saw the lush plant filled with pink and green stalks in our herb garden. “Rhubarb,” my husband responds proudly, “New England’s first harvest.” That one plant that New Englander’s long … Read More
It has been a while since I joined Ed for one of his Sunday Stills. This week, I just could not resist when I saw he selected babies as the subject. I have two absolutely adorable Gotland ram lambs to share with you! They are enjoying the green spring grass. Thank you for stopping by! Please leave a comment … Read More
Dandelion blossoms fill the field across the road, leaving yellow faces on our Romney and Gotland sheep. In the early spring, we use this field to reintroduce the sheep to grazing after the long winter of eating hay. It takes about two weeks of going back and forth from the barn to the field, eating the lush grass a little … Read More
Amidst the many spring chores that needed tending to, my daughter and I crept away to the New Hampshire Sheep and Wool Festival a couple weekends ago. I had not been to that festival in several years, and my husband was game to tackle the “to do” list on his own for a day. My daughter and I spent our … Read More
It all began with a good book, a book about fishermen and wool sweaters. My husband was next in line for a handknit sweater. He had patiently watched me as I knit shawls, vests, cardigans, hats and mittens for other people. I saw the longing in his eye, that look of “is it my turn yet”. A little more than … Read More
Part II~Protecting Your Flock-LGDs In my first post about guard animals for livestock, we explored protecting your flock of sheep with the use of miniature donkeys. Today, I have asked Hannah Smith of Vinegar Ridge Farm to talk with us about LGDs or Livestock Guardian Dogs. I first met the Smith family at the Vermont Sheep and Wool Festival about 11 … Read More
Throughout the years, I have had many people ask me questions about guardian animals for their flock of sheep. Guardian donkeys make excellent guards against outside predators. Today, I have invited Jennifer King of the Sachem Farm in Connecticut to talk with us about her guard donkey, Georgia. Tell us a little about your farm and flock of sheep. I live … Read More
In the evenings, the lambs get playful. Yesterday, I had left the bucket I used to haul water sitting in the paddock. After filling the hay feeders, I went back to get the bucket and found the lambs having fun with it. Finally, the hens in the barnyard could not resist any longer. They had to come over … Read More
As I flew west to visit my daughter in college, a new lamb arrived to our farm. I knew the night before I left that the ewe would soon deliver. She had that motherly look in her eye. My husband and son played tag team to keep an eye on her all day. As my son left for baseball practice … Read More
Friends and family are the first to tell us that spring has arrived. They boast of warm sun, daffodils, blues skies, and buds on trees. We have to leave the farm to experience this kind of spring. For while spring has come in full force in other parts of the country, it stops and hesitates here on our Vermont farm. … Read More
It’s a funny place-this in between seasons ~ winter leaving, spring awaiting. The hope of new life lingers long in the evening air only to be numbed by the morning chill. Excitement and anticipation fall from the tiniest branch on every tree, waiting for the sun’s warmth to burst forth life from their tips. And this, in between seasons, that … Read More
Shearing-an annual ritual on every sheep farm-where sheep fall still in the hands of the shearer and wool falls to the floor in thick blankets. Shearer works with confidence and ease, talking to the sheep as clippers buzz, balancing between knees and carefully placed feet. Ewe sits, completely trusting the hands of the shearer. Onlookers wonder at the rhythm of … Read More
Joining Soulemama to capture a single moment in time~a moment to remember. New Life~ Our First Gotland Lamb
For Ginny’s Yarn Along and Keep Calm Craft On, I thought I would give an update on my year-long gansey knitting project. The first ganseys, traditionally fishermen sweaters, had several distinctive features. One of these features included a shoulder strap which carried one of the motifs, from the front of the sweater across the width of the shoulders and down the … Read More
Join me today as guest writer at Carolina Farmhouse Kitchen. Learn the secret to making your very own Maple Candy! With our move to Vermont Grand View Farm, we dug our feet deep into the roots of Vermont’s agricultural heritage. Bringing back a farm that had laid fallow for 75 years, we brought new life to the property. We filled … Read More
Welcome to the first official post in my “Ask the Shepherd” monthly feature. The best place to start in most things is at the beginning, so my first post is dedicated to those who work full time jobs, but dream of owning their own fiber farm one day. It can be difficult to know where to begin. Here is an … Read More
Joining Soulemama today capturing one single moment to remember from this week. Spring has been slow to come to our northern Vermont farm. The animals seem to grow weary of the snow, longing for green grass.
Lambing season brings out my nesting instincts. Every year, just before lambs arrive, I go through this ritual of preparing for the new lambs. The barn has been swept clean. The lambing pen has been set up, ready to welcome the new lambs to the farm. I have readied my lambing kit, restocking, ordering, and taking inventory of my supplies. … Read More
For Keep Calm Craft On-I thought I would share this wonderful tutorial I found over the weekend on making useful pouches. I have been working on stocking our new online store, the Gotland Wool Company. I wanted some nice knitting accessories for the store. Several years ago, a friend of mine gave me a zippered pouch for my birthday. It … Read More
Hop over to Woolful to read my guest post on lambing season. Tomorrow, we being our watch here for our 2015 lambs to arrive. For now, we savor and remember the sweet moments from last year’s lambing season with this one picture which captures a single moment in time to cherish. (Join Soulemama to share your moment to remember.)
Fiber farming is sort of like eating a bag of Oreo cookies…it is hard to stop at one. The first cookie fills your senses with all of its goodness, the sweet scent of chocolate and the perfectly round dab of white cream filling between two crisp wafer cookies. I never even go down the cookie isle in the food store, … Read More
Fiber farming is sort of like eating a bag of Oreo cookies…it is hard to stop at one. The first cookie fills your senses with all of its goodness, the sweet scent of chocolate and the perfectly round dab of white cream filling between two crisp wafer cookies. I never even go down the cookie isle in the food store, … Read More
Sharing a quick baby knit “Keep Calm Craft On” at Frontier Dreams. I am using our angora-cormo blend yarn to knit little Mary Jane booties for a friend. The yarn has 25% angora and 75% Cormo wool. The angora makes the yarn soft to the touch with a subtle halo effect when knit. Cormo wool has a fine crimp and … Read More
Are you dreaming of owning your first flock of sheep one day? If so, read this first. When the calendar marks the first day of Spring, our thoughts turn towards the hope of summer, gardens, and a longing for new life. This time of year, I receive many inquiries about lambs from people who want to start their own little … Read More
Joining Soulemama this week to share one moment in time, captured while doing chores.
For Ginny’s Yarn Along this week-I want to share a special friend with you. My children were just babes in arm when she entered into our lives. She lead the children’s story hour at our local library. “Come a little closer hun,” were the first words she said to me as I sat with my baby of just 3 months … Read More
Hear about my journey into the world of sheep and fiber art on this week’s Woolful podcast . Join me and Sue Blacker for Episode 15: Gotland sheep, building a fiber mill, raising kids on a farm and rare breeds.
Years ago, we chose to live surrounded by open fields and mountains, to make do on a single income, to raise our own food, to learn through living life, to have dirt between our toes, and to allow animals into our lives. Our three children had no choice but to enter the lifestyle my husband and I had chosen. They … Read More
Joining Soulemama to record one single moment from this week. A moment in time to hold captive and remember. My daughter, home from Germany, and a very dear 91 year old friend.
Though the calendar reads “March”, I know better than to think that winter has had its last fury. Just before sunset last night, a snow squall came through, laying another inch and a half of fluffy snow. The snow fell full and hard. The snow squall left behind a fresh layer of snow and a beautiful sunset.
The calendar reads “March” and all thoughts turn towards sugaring season. Visit Carolina Farmhouse Kitchen to read my guest post this week about how we make make our very own Vermont maple syrup here at Grand View Farm. Please leave a comment and share your own favorite sugaring season or maple syrup story.
Joining SouleMama for a single remembrance from this week.
I have just received my first box of my very own Gotland wool yarn from the mill and have knit my first swatch. With each row I knit, I fell more in love with this yarn. Gotland sheep come in a range of true natural gray, from light silver to a deep charcoal. This yarn, from my two ewes named … Read More
Joining Yarn Along and KCCO this week to share my knitting. Picking up stitches for sleeves and necklines can be daunting and met with hours of frustration. With a few helpful hints, and a little planning, the task is not so intimidating. Basically, you need to first, calculate the number of stitches needed to be picked up, and then space … Read More
Kai, my border collie, knows the routine. Every morning, he and I go for a walk…except when I am super busy or have a deadline that demands my attention. On those days, he has to show much restraint and patience-a difficult task for a young pup. The past two days, I have been preoccupied with trying to get our new … Read More
When telling someone that I raise sheep, they almost always follow with, “Sheep are really dumb animals, aren’t they?” Many people think that sheep fall at the bottom of the scale of intelligence, but after 11 years of shepherding, I know differently. We may think that all sheep look the same, but studies show that sheep can recognize and remember … Read More
Rug hooking has always looked so tedious to me, with all those tiny strips of fabric pulled through a piece of cloth, forming intricate patterns, details and pictures. Though I love the result, the process seemed intimidating, until a few weeks ago, when I discovered hooking with washed wool locks. I am working on my second piece. Before deciding on … Read More
I always check for daily mail before coming inside from afternoon chores. The other day, I walked to the location where my mailbox should have been, but the mailbox was not there! The past month, I have watched the snow slowly creep up the post which supports the box. With each new snowstorm, the post got shorter and shorter. The … Read More
As I am anxious to finish up my husband’s gansey, I find myself already planning my next knitting project. In December, I over dyed some gray Romney yarn with a mixture of cochineal and madder. The result was a lovely deep red. I have four skeins of this lovely yarn and I have been eyeing it ever since it came … Read More
Only one word describes our weekend weather…brutal. The temperatures dipped well below zero bringing wind chills to minus 40-60 degrees. Needless to say-I stayed indoors. Days like this provide a good time to finish projects. Sitting by a sunny window with my cup of tea, I finished my Gotland sheep rug hooking project I shared last week at KCCO. All that … Read More
I am often asked how my sheep can survive the harsh Vermont winter weather. Temperatures in our area often hover in the single digits with spells well below zero at times. Snow piles high around the barn, and cold winds blow frequently. With proper shelter and feed, our sheep have no difficulty with these winter conditions and cold temperatures. … Read More
Living With Rams To maintain a peaceful existence with your rams, there are just a few things you need to understand about them. Peeking At the Rams Through a Hole in the Fence 1. Rams need friends. Often people forget that sheep need other sheep. They will put their ram in a field by themselves when not in with their … Read More
A Gansey Update for Yarn Along A year ago, I began working on a Gansey for my husband. I wanted to knit a sweater which represented our lives together on our farm. Through the process, I have grown and stretched as a knitter, learning new skills, and challenging my thinking. A couple weeks ago, I finally finished knitting both the … Read More
My grandmother loved rug hooking. She always had a large round frame with a project on it of intricate patterns and colors. I inherited her device for cutting thin strips of wool fabric. Years ago, I set out to learn how to cut my own fabric. I never learned how to use the strip cutter properly though, as my fabric pieces would … Read More
Capturing this moment in time… Snow Moon Snow Moon Joining in with SouleMama to share one moment in time from this past week.
Just a short time ago, I had never heard of Gotland sheep. Now, I have my own small flock of Gotlands out in my paddock. If you ask any shepherd, they will tell you that THEY have the best breed of sheep. They will rattle off a list of reasons why you too should love their sheep. Today, I will … Read More
Joining in on KCCO to share a simple way to tell your sweetheart you love them with a wool heart! It is so simple, even children can make them. 1. Gather a small zip lock bag, wool roving, shiny glitz, and locks of mohair. Gather your supplies 2. Pull tufts of wool from the roving and lay them … Read More
Have you ever wondered what your sheep talk about? I mean, we all know that they talk to each other, right? What are they saying? I caught little Idris telling her Aunt Chloe a secret the other day….wonder what she said!! Psst….Auntie Chloe….
Everyone knows that each individual snowflake carries its own unique shape, but how many of you know that a Vermont farmer made that discovery-just a self educated Vermonter, wearing flannel, with an eye for miracles and an appreciation for winter.“Under the microscope, I found that snowflakes were miracles of beauty; and it seemed a shame that this beauty should not be seen … Read More
Poor Moses, he had no intentions of being the only barn cat at Grand View Farm! He brought his cousin, Aaron, along when he moved in. Unfortunately, Aaron had places to go this summer, and we have not seen him for months. Having lost his snuggle partner to keep him warm during the cold winter nights, Moses has moved in … Read More
“Elohim” ~ God our CreatorI started a book study this week, with some woman from my church, on the many names of God (LORD, I Want to Know You, by Kay Arthur). Chapter 2 speaks fondly to my heart- “Elohim”, creator of heaven and earth, and all that is in it. Each time I pick up my knitting needles, I am … Read More
Ears Up-Happy Llama Much to the surprise of many, I loved it when my children entered their second year. I did not buy into the “terrible twos” mentality. A two year old puts their emotions out in front, no one ever needs to guess how a toddling two feels and I see this as a good thing. They have extreme … Read More
Mariana Now that you have met our Gotland rams, let’s take a peek at the ewes! Our five Gotland ewes came from two different farms. You have already met Izzy and Mariana, in our settling in post, and then some of you met them at the VT Sheep and Wool Festival. I will say, that Izzy is the culprit who … Read More
Joining in on Ginny’s Yarn Along with an update on the twin baby boys and preemie sweaters I knit for them. A couple of weeks ago, I posted a preemie sweater I was knitting for twin grand-nephews. These little boys entered the world a month early and so spent the first 10 days in the NICU. Both boys are home now, … Read More
Wet Felted Wool Purse Joining in on KCCO and sharing my love of felt making. Felting~the process of taking disconnected fibers, and turning them into a strong, smooth piece of fabric. The felting process begins with a web of fibers. The web consists of individual strands of wool. Each piece of fiber has scales, which open when warm water is applied. … Read More
I thought it time to properly introduce you to Vermont’s first flock of Gotland sheep! We will start with the rams, Franz and Evret. You may recall that Evret was the sheep who took a tour of our little village of Washington before arriving to our farm. The transporter, who delivered the sheep to our farm, could not make it … Read More
Farm life presents many photo opportunities-from new lambs, to catching llamas with an attitude, to barn kitties basking in the sun. Cuteness and the wonder of God’s creation abounds in my life, and I want to capture it all. My daughter gifted me with her “old” DSLR camera this Christmas and I have set out to learn how to use … Read More
Our farm environmental mission statement can be summed up in four words: Compost…Recycle…Reuse…Re-Purpose…. Our sheep often reap the benefit of our desire to protect the environment and to live responsibly. I re-purposed our Christmas tree after all the decorations had been taken off, and gave it to the sheep to enjoy. The sheep swarmed the tree. Within just a few … Read More
Snow fell all day on our Vermont farm, leaving a 6 inch layer of new white snow by afternoon. When I went out to do chores, I interrupted the Gotland ewes frolicking in the barnyard. I believe the new snow has made them a bit frisky, what do you think?
Joining in on Keep Calm Craft On, I wanted to share my latest craze. ( Rachel invited me to share at her Yarn Fanatic Party and while I am at it, I think I will share at Ginny’s Yarn Along. Ok, so I am breaking the rules a tad, these are not actually made with yarn, but they are made with … Read More
I have a fetish for all things fluffy, soft, and furry, but you already know that if you have been around this blog for very long. Though my initial interest in the Gotland breed of sheep did not begin with a love of their fiber, it has quickly won a place in my heart. Gotland sheep have long, lustrous fiber. … Read More
Kai, our border collie puppy, loves spending time outside. Once cold temperatures settled in, he put on a thick winter coat. He loves days when we have lots to do outside, he hangs around, playing with sticks, and visiting with the sheep. Kai Posing for the camera. Who can resist a stick?!
Giving the gift of handwork, portrays the ultimate expression of love, a gift from the heart. Creating gifts with my hands has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. As a young child, my mother taught me to sew, crochet, and do needlework. Grandparents often received hand sewn pouches or pot holders on Christmas … Read More
At last, today was the day that my two flocks of sheep became one flock! Since the arrival of the Gotland sheep, I have kept them in quarantine. About a week ago, the rams were permitted to go in with my Romney boys. I have kept the ewes out a bit longer though, because I realized that they too needed … Read More
Through my years of homeschooling my three children, I wanted to instill in them a love of learning-an excitement for discovery, a life time love of knowledge. When people would ask me about our homeschooling, I would tell them that life itself is our curriculum. Learning became a way of life, everything we did revolved around gaining new insights, skills, … Read More
Every New Year’s Day, we host a Snowshoe Party at the farm. Friends gather to warm by the woodstove, while catching up on the events of the past year, sipping hot cider. Once warm, we gear up with hats, mittens, and lots of Vermont flannel to head out for some time in the fresh air. Though snowshoes were not needed this … Read More
Shopping Bag Made with Re-purposed Grain Bag All summer long, my son supplemented his pigs with a GMO free grain by Green Mountain Feeds. When I saw the art work on the grain bags, I asked him and my husband to save the bags for me as I had a project in mind. The good news is- I finally found … Read More
Dear readers, Since moving to Grand View Farm, my passion for farming, sheep, and fiber art has been inspiration for my writing, and YOU have been my reason to write. I see you every week, stopping by to read about our farm-connecting with our lives from all around the globe. I want to extend a special greeting to those who … Read More
The time has come. The Gotland rams discovered their ewes on the other side of the fence. Upon letting the Gotland ewes out with the rest of my flock, they quickly caught the attention of the rams. Either I stand at the common fence and wave my arms and yell at the rams all day, or we come up with … Read More
Escorting the Rams to New Quarters This past weekend, we finally moved our Gotland rams, along with their Romney ram friend, to their winter quarters. We have used this area, which shares a common fence line with our ewes, for our Romney rams for years. Everyone knows the rules and knows which side of the fence they belong on. Only … Read More
For the first time in 23 years, our family celebrated Christmas with a vast ocean between us. Our oldest daughter attends graduate school in Germany, and spent her first Christmas away from home. Despite the distance between us, we spent the morning with her, opening gifts and sharing our family traditions as she introduced us to German Christmas customs. I … Read More
My college girl,Anna, modeling the Gotland shawl. For my Yarn Along and KCCO post this week, I have a feeling that you do not want to hear my progress report for my gansey sweater. It is filled with stress, mistakes, “unknitting” and “re-knitting”. So I will save that story for another time. (Just know that in the end….I did prevail!) Instead, I … Read More
Our First Hoof Trim This past November marked our tenth year as shepherds. When I think back over our ten years of living with sheep, we have learned much about shepherding, ourselves, and the natural rhythms of the life and death cycle. I vividly remember the first day we brought 3 sheep home in the back of a borrowed pick … Read More
The Christmas Box A story of love, hope, and healing, Richard Evans first wrote The Christmas Box as an expression of his love for his two daughters. It quickly entered the homes of millions of readers, whose hearts were touched by his writing. Since discovering Evans’ book, I have either read the book or watched the movie every Christmas season. … Read More
Friday morning, I received a phone call from Ron, our livestock transporter. He had spent the past three weeks in intimate quarters with our new flock of Gotland sheep, as he meandered across the United States with them in his livestock trailer. He was calling to say he was sitting in the village only 6 miles away from our farm. … Read More
This morning, Kai and I decided to forgo our ritual morning walk in the woods. With heavy snow, and fallen tree branches from the nor’easter, I knew it would be tough going along our forest path. So instead, we walked up the road. Kai enjoyed helping the road crews clean up the fallen tree branches as we went. First we … Read More
Nor’easter-a New England storm blowing from the northeast….. When the weather announcer uses the term “nor’easter,” we know a significant storm is on the horizon. This week’s storm has brought heavy wet snow to our area for several days in a row. The day before the storm, the sky was a brilliant blue, the sun cast little diamonds on the … Read More
I am the kind of person that does not buy yarn, or fabric, unless I have an imminent purpose for it. I do one project at a time-start to finish. You will not find baskets sitting around my house with half finished knitting projects. That’s just me, a beginning to end kind of person. Marking off each row as I … Read More
A modern day Noah’s Ark I guess it is sort of like a modern day Noah’s Ark,” a friend said after I explained how my new flock of Gotland sheep were getting from Oregon to Vermont. I sat and pondered the picture this brought to mind of my sheep riding in the livestock trailer as if in Noah’s Ark, surrounded … Read More
Follow my blog with Bloglovin Gotland Holiday Sale For the past two weeks, our new flock of Gotland sheep have been making their way across country to our farm. Their journey began in Oregon. The journey of the Gotlands has been long and we will be so happy when they finally reach Grand View Farm! In celebration of their anticipated … Read More
When you think of farming, what images come to mind-tractors, hay elevators, wagons, animals, plows, baler, fertilizer spreader? Why of course, all of those pieces of equipment are what farmers need to do their job, right? Wrong. I am not saying that these things do not help the farmer, I am saying that not all farms need those things and … Read More
Did you look at the calendar this morning? As I opened The Greatest Gift, my advent devotional book by Ann Voskamp, I panicked. Yikes! There are only 22 more days until Christmas! I thought I would share this hat pattern with you, in case you need to knit up a quick gift for someone, and Ann’s book, in case you need … Read More
Every shepherd dreads the thoughts of OPP (Ovine Progressive Pneumonia). OPP is one of those diseases that enters your flock quietly. The symptoms subtly creep in, and before you know it, you have an infected, unproductive flock. This past summer we began a process of downsizing our Romney flock so that I could bring in a flock of Gotland sheep. … Read More
Cozy Quarters The sheep and I are on the road…though not traveling together. I am in North Carolina visiting family for the holiday and our new flock of Gotland sheep are somewhere in the state of Montana, making their way to our farm. Though I am no stranger to long distance traveling, I never thought I would own sheep who … Read More
Awaiting Transport in Oregon Our quest to bring Gotland sheep to our farm in Vermont began eight months ago. Through the course of the summer, we sold some of our Romney sheep, making room to bring in a small flock of Gotlands. Our flock began with two young ewe lambs from the east coast. These two ewes came to the … Read More
A young couple in our church has a new baby girl, their third child-their first daughter. Since every little girl needs at least one pink outfit-I spent the afternoon making her a nuno felted dress. Knowing the struggle of getting outfits on and off newborn babies, I made one shoulder strap that snaps for ease of dressing. A tiny clay … Read More
Curls fall under the blade of the shearer, leaving behind a lustrous sheen on the ewe. Her first time shearing a Gotland sheep, the shearer comments on the slick black legs and lack of belly wool. Charcoal gray wool lays in a thick blanket on the barn floor as the ewe stands. Distinct curls twist and dangle as I gather … Read More
Hollie and Phil, a young couple from England, stayed in our Farmhouse Suite at the end of the foliage season. When booking, they said they missed their four legged family, and were looking forward to spending time on the farm. Our border collie and barn cat immediately recognized them as animal lovers and enjoyed spending time with them on the … Read More
Sewing onto the Clasp My kitty wanted to help me this morning as I stitched the metal clasp to a wet felted purse I had made. Though she looks fairly innocent in the photographs, every time I pulled the needle and thread through a hole, she would reach out with her fuzzy little foot to grab my thread. I finally … Read More
Our farm has a 150 year old dairy barn. Built at the low point of the property, the back of the barn becomes an absolute mud hole for about 6-8 weeks every spring. Between the snow melting and running down the hill to the paddock, and the runoff from the expansive barn roof, water pools in our sheep winter quarters. … Read More
An old stone wall marks the boundaries of the overgrown pasture. We meet at the height of his land where the woods give way to an old pasture, he, the woodsman, and I, the shepherd. An old stone wall remembers when that pasture lay green with grass. I have my sheep dog by my side, full of exuberance, and he … Read More
Our reassuring voices did not seem to make much difference as we loaded our first two Gotland ewe lambs into the back of our van. As we drove down the long driveway, the lambs stood at the back window of the van looking out as if to say goodbye to their home and family. They had a 7 hour ride … Read More
Take a 10×10 foot space…….. Add a few props…. And fill it with yarn! That, my friend, is how it all begins at the Vermont Sheep and Wool Festival. Friday afternoon, vendors and shepherds arrive to the fair grounds in campers, vans, trucks, trailers, little houses (yes, one vendor pulls a little house), and cars. They spend the next few … Read More
In Vermont, change marks the beginning of each new season-change in weather, change in color, and change in activity.WinterThe beginning of winter brings smoke curling out of chimney tops, frost on old farmhouse windows, and mittens, boots, and woolen hats piled by the front door. Snow shoe trails wind up the steep field into the trees. SpringSteam billowing from sugar … Read More
Three things tell me that autumn is upon us- Morning mist. Morning Mist Sunlight through the trees. Morning Sun Streams Through the Trees Fallen red leaves. A Red Maple Leaf
My spot. This morning I ventured off the trail on my morning walk with Kai through the woods. I went in search of my favorite spot in our woods, the place where I will build a small studio one day with a sleeping loft. A moss covered stone wall marks the spot with old maples and tall pines surrounding it. … Read More
Shepherd to a growing flock of sheep and an extremely energetic border collie puppy, mother to a homeschooled 17 year old in pursuit of college life and two college daughters waiting for a letter from home, wife to a busy engineer, farmer to an old historic homestead with rambling house, unkempt gardens, and old barn, innkeeper to a small bed and … Read More
Eco-print From Orange Cosmos & Onion Skins From one fiber artist/farmer to another, as promised, I will share my steps to eco-printing below, so you can use your brief creative time with little trial and error. 1. Pre-mordant the fabric. Some people do not pre-mordant, but the natural dyer in me said, “pre-mordant”. I first washed the silks well, rinsed … Read More
Autumn Eco-Printed Scarf It never ceases to amaze me of the many ways to capture and savor the beauty around us. This summer, I discovered eco-printing. I know I am a bit behind the times, as most fiber artists I know have been doing eco-printing for years. Someone once told me that you can not be a farmer and an … Read More
Ram Lamb Lays Chewing His Cud Kai Plays By the Lambs The air, still and crisp, hints at the coming fall months of warm days and cool nights. With heavy dew covering the plants, steam rises from the warmth of the morning sun. The sheep lay quiet chewing their cud watching my movements as I come to the barn to … Read More
A Visitor Checks Out the Pigs Our pigs attract a lot of attention from visitors to the farm. There is just something fascinating about these little animals. Here are ten intriguing facts about pigs: Our Dominant Pig! Despite what you may think, pigs are clean animals. When given enough space, they prefer to choose one spot in their fencing to … Read More
Tossing hay from the wagon Every now and then, we rent our Farmhouse Suite to a family that makes their way into our hearts. This summer, we have been blessed to host several of those families who have come for a Vermont farmstay experience. They come to us from large urban areas with a desire to make a connection with … Read More
Strafford, Vermont The handler and his border collie stand in the field, waiting for their turn to run the course. Chairs and spectators line the dirt road that runs along the field. Border collies sleep under chairs or in the cool shade of a tree waiting their turn. At one end of the field, a border collie and its owner … Read More
I do not need to look at the calendar to see what the date is today. From my kitchen window, I can see the garden. The heavy laden cucumber vines, ripening red tomatoes, and blue jewels hanging on the blueberry bushes keep time for me. I feel the summer days ticking off one by one as I frantically try to … Read More
Kai eats only the ripe berries. Kai, our border collie puppy, has learned a new trick…raspberry picking. Wild raspberries abound in the old meadow across the road from our Vermont farm. You can smell their sweetness as you walk-red little gems peeking from behind the green leaves. You can not help but put your hand down to pluck one off … Read More
Making our dolls The past two weeks, I have had the pleasure of working with this lovely homeschool family during our Open Studio Day. Each Monday afternoon in July, I open my fiber studio on the farm to folks ages 9-99 to come and explore fiber art. Every week, I plan a new activity to guide the group through the … Read More
Kai atop an old stone wall. Seventy acres of woods stretch across the ridge in front of our farm. The owner promises to never build a house on the land. Instead, he wants to build a sugar house and make maple syrup and manage the timber. We enjoy the extensive logging trails that meander through the trees. The trails lead … Read More
The moon stands guard over our sheep. Summer nights seem almost magical on our farm. A stillness settles in as the sun goes down behind the mountains leaving only a trace of pink in the sky. Only the sound of a ewe calling to her lamb can be heard or the call of the Barred owl on the edge of … Read More
Two women joined me last week for a workshop on the farm to discover how to release amazing color from wild meadow flowers. We walked through an overgrown meadow where wild flowers grow freely, filling our baskets full of daisies, black-eye susan, St. John’s wort, yarrow, and milkweed. During lunch, our pots brewed filling the barn with the smell of … Read More
Goats browse…..Sheep graze…. Goats eat leaves, saplings, and brambles..Sheep eat grass… Not true…Sheep eat leaves too! Anna helps the ewes reach the tasty leaves.
Moses and Kai Border Collies have a strong herding instinct which makes them very sensitive to movement. When training on sheep, this desire to gather and move sheep is carefully nurtured by the shepherd. For a young pup, a swishing broom, a hoe cultivating the garden, a hand pulling weeds, a skirt blowing in the breeze, or a cat walking … Read More
Some people say our farm is “in the middle of nowhere,” we like to say we are on the “edge of nowhere”. Our farm sits up on the mountain between two small Vermont villages that lie in the valley. The school bus travels our road from August to June, the UPS truck drives up our road, and the locals use … Read More
Hiking Big Deer Mountain This past weekend, we took Kai for a hike in Groton State Park. An important part of Kai’s training involves exposing him to different settings, sights, and sounds. On our 6 mile walk he greeted many other hikers, encountered thousands of new smells, even met a few other dogs. Through all of this, he develops trust … Read More
A friend invites Kai to sit on her lap. So what do farmer’s markets and dinner parties have to do with border collie puppies? By exposing Kai to a variety of settings and a variety of people, he learns much about his world and his place in it. This early training will carry over into his adult life providing him … Read More
“Kai, sit.” “Kai, lie down.” Kai sleeps at my feet as I write. He takes a morning nap each day after our long walk in the woods. Kai will be 12 weeks old in just a few days. At this point in a border collie’s life, lots of play time is important, but basic obedience training takes a priority. We … Read More
We are excited to be a sponsor at Soule Mama the past two months! Amanda shares with her readers, the joys of being a mom and homesteading through her blog. VT Grand View Farm is the featured sponsor today. Stop by Soule Mama to read about us and to enter to win a FREE night’s stay in our B&B as her … Read More
April 2014There are always lessons to learn. New Ram Lamb Standing in the barn, the cell phone set to speaker phone, we talk to the vet. I hold the ewe and my husband works to try to figure out how to put her back together. We tell the vet what has unfolded, the first time ewe lambed that morning, two … Read More
The Bottom of the Cookie Jar There’s only one cookie left in the bottom of the cookie jar. Two days ago, cookies completely filled the jar-soft, chewy, and chocolaty. Everyone in the house enjoyed those cookies, hands reaching in at the end of the school day, running out the door to baseball, and before bedtime. Now only one cookie and … Read More
Spend some time in my barn during lambing season, and you will discover the wonders of a mother’s love. From the moment of birth, mama tends to her little lambs. She cleans them, nickers to them, encouraging them to nurse. During those first days after birth, mama never leaves her lamb’s side. She draws them close their first days in … Read More
Wednesday, April 9 I walk out into the cold of the night, coveralls pulled over my plaid flannel pajama pants, flashlight in hand. My alarm clock has called me to the barn for a 3:30am check on the ewes. Moses and Aaron, our barn cats follow me to the barn. I stop at the door to listen before entering to … Read More
Twas the day before sugaring, all the buckets were hung…. When all through the woods, Not a maple was left standing without a spout or a hood. The buckets were hung round the maples with care, In hopes that springtime soon would be there. All over town, sugar makers nestled all snug in their beds, While visions of evaporators whistled … Read More
March 20-VT Grand View Farm Yesterday, the calendar ushered in the first day of spring while I shoveled snow from steps and pathways. I have lived in Vermont for over 25 years, so I should know by now not to expect daffodils and green grass on March 20, but my southern upbringing has ingrained in me that spring begins the … Read More
Wood-Fired Pizza on VT Grand View Farm With the completion of our outdoor wood-fired pizza oven last summer-the word “snack” takes on new meaning. So for Ed’s Sunday Still challenge this week, I am posting some awesome wood-fired pizza shots! Fresh Kale, & Beet Pizza and Squash, Spinach & Pine Nut Pizza Join us this summer for Pizza … Read More
Welcome! The old saying goes, “better late than never”. Well I seem to be operating a week behind these days. Last week, Ed called for murals or graffiti for his Sunday Stills challenge. This challenge could not have been an easier photo for me to capture, as graffiti greets guests to our farm and tells them why sheep dot our … Read More
Angora/Wool Yarn CSA Share Each animal on VT Grand View Farm plays a valuable role.Each animal serves its own vital purpose. Each produces something of value. Leisel-Before Shearing Leisel, our German Angora bunny is a fiber producing machine. We combine her amazingly soft and warm fiber with Cormo wool to produce a lovely soft and squishy yarn. It has become the most … Read More
Shetland Sheep at Maple Ridge Sheep Farm Diverse – Different – Dissimilar…. For today’s Sunday Stills challenge: Things we take for granted, I have chosen diversity. Whether thinking about food, skin color, cultures, or sheep-diversity surrounds us. Diversity makes life interesting, full, and engaging. Jacob Sheep-Black Sheep & Zuchini Farm I used to think that all sheep were the same. … Read More
Holistic-“Emphasizing the importance of the whole and the interdependence of its parts.” Multi-Tasking For years, I have approached my own health care from a “holistic” view point, which looks at the whole person- body, mind, and spirit, rather than just putting band-aides on the symptoms. I also implement this same holistic philosophy in managing my flock of Romney sheep. I … Read More
Graphing From Sheep to Gansey I thought for today’s Yarn Along-I should give an update on the progress of my VT Grand View Farm Gansey. I have gathered several books to inspire me, and to instruct me on my quest to design and knit our farm gansey. Choosing which stitch patterns to include did not take long, however, my biggest … Read More
Sunday Stills: the letter “F” Farm Fresh Food… There are two things that either make or break a bed and breakfast: the comfort of the bed, and the breakfast. Our farmstay guests enjoy sleeping in antique four poster beds and meals made with all local organic foods grown right here on our farm, or neighboring farms. This past summer, we … Read More
Holistic Management Class I have just enrolled in a “holistic farm management” class offered through the University of Vermont Extension Services. Along with about 20 other women farmers from Vermont, New Hampshire, and New York, through the coming months, we will learn how to write holistic goals, make decisions based on those goals, and plan and monitor financial decisions for … Read More
Rooster Room at VT Grand View Farm Cutting Fabric Our Farmhouse Suite offers two bedrooms, one has a queen size bed and the other has two twin beds. This winter, I began a long process of redoing the bedding in our “Rooster Room”. It all began with a trip to the Anichini Store in Quechee, VT. The headquarters for Anichini, … Read More
Happiness is….. Morning Mist – 8:00am – Vermont Grand View Farm This moment. Taking in this blessing. In awe of its beauty. Gazing at the “grand view” from the top of the field. This post inspired by Sunday Stills….
Mama Chloe As a child, I always carried my little blanket with me. It had satin binding around the edges. I rubbed the satin so much that it finally fell off of my blanket. For comfort, I would rub the edge of the blanket between my fingers. The silky soft feel of the binding brought countless hours of calm to … Read More
Across the road from Vermont our farmhouse, a large swath of Japanese knot-weed threatens our pasture. The only purpose that it seems to serve is to provide shelter, shade, and food for the pigs we raise every summer. Otherwise, it is a bothersome weed, growing where it is not wanted, and not easily eradicated. A few days ago, my husband discovered … Read More
The Sachem Farm Though I have all the yarn I could possibly ever want from my own flock of Romney sheep, I still enjoy knitting with yarn from other small family farms. My good friend and fellow shepherd, Jennifer, from The Sachem Farm in CT, raises a small flock of Romney and Border Leicester sheep. A year or two ago, after … Read More
Vermont Covered Bridges Bridge: “A structure spanning and providing passage over a gap.” Mill Bridge, Tunbridge, Vermont Quintessential Vermont landscape includes old farmhouses, towering barns worn from years of harsh weather, and quaint covered bridges. With this week’s Sunday Stills challenge being bridges, I set out today from our farm in search of covered bridges. I drove along one of … Read More
New Books to Read I have always wanted to design a VT Grand View Farm Gansey using stitches and patterns that would tell our family’s story. It would not be a story of ocean waves, sea breezes, and fishing dinghies, but rather a story of farming, mountain tops, and shepherding sheep. I envisioned a sweater, knit with the wool from our … Read More
Gathering a Winter Bouquet In the winter months, I go for a snowshoe walk nearly every day. After doing chores and tending to the sheep, I grab my snowshoes, and head up to the woods at the top of our pasture. The other day, my daughter went along. Anna is a photographer. She carries her big camera around her neck … Read More
Winter has set in with force on VT Grand View Farm, bringing snow on snow on snow…… Snow falls steady at VT Grand View Farm Taking on the challenge of Sunday Stills-Adventures in Photography!
Fence Line The clear blue Vermont sky and fresh fallen snow, from last night’s snowstorm, lured me outside this winter morning, despite the thermometer reading of minus 10 degrees. I bundled in multiple layers, pulled on my wool felt hat, slid my camera in my pocket, and headed outside. I noticed that I was not the only one wearing a … Read More
Friends. Food. Snowshoes. Snowshoe Gang at VT Grand View Farm Lucy, the neighbor’s dog I can not think of a better way to start my new year! Every year, we host a Snowshoe Walk and Brunch. There is always an eclectic group of people who come, ranging from the local journalist, college professor, children’s book author and illustrator, pastor, professional … Read More
A bit of history, in the making. Living on an old hillside farm brings an awareness of the hard work and love that past generations have poured into it. Every room in the farmhouse seems to have remnants of days long past. The wood floors have holes where drain pipes used to take the constant flow of water from the … Read More
Bonnie, Bob, and Blossom Bonnie, Bob, and Blossom stand on an old foundation to a silo in back of our barn. Being some of the first lambs born on our farm, and representing the perfect Romney sheep with dark, black points and clean faces, they have become our farm mascot. Bonnie, pictured to the far left, remains on VT Grand … Read More
Chloe snuggles in the snow. “Is That a Jacket?” “Yep, our sheep wear coats all winter long.” It is really quite simple-my decision to coat my Romney sheep comes from a business standpoint. I find it more cost effective to coat my sheep. I learned a long time ago that my yarn quality and quantity is directly related to the … Read More
People often ask me why I live the way I do, on a mountain top, surrounded by soil, sheep, and endless work. I want to invite these people to spend a year with me, and experience the many blessings. In our daily lives, we have the choice to see our toil as futile and harsh, or to see the hidden … Read More
Hazel and Holly The sound echos across the field this evening….mama calling lambs…lambs calling mama. This afternoon, we put the breeding ewes in with the ram. That resulted in Chloe having to be separated from her twin ewe lambs for the first time since they were born in April. No sooner had Chloe reached the top of the field, that … Read More
Chloe-Romney Ewe All summer, I watched a small lump grow at the top of one of my ewe’s back. I had asked the vet about it a couple months ago, and he assured me that it was just a bug bite, and to not worry about it. Now with breeding season upon us, I felt this lump, which had grown in … Read More
Still dark outside, the clock reads 4:33 am, and I hear the rooster crowing. I can just see him in my mind, standing on the roof of their “summer cottage” up on the hill, neck stretched high as he beckons the sun to rise. I can picture the sheep, still hunkered down under the maple tree, beginning to stir with … Read More
The air is crisp and cool. Shadows cast across the farm, as the moon hangs high in the sky like a jewel. The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night, they display knowledge.….
David Hinman My husband and I have only ever sheared three animals in our time as farmers. Usually, we schedule a sheep shearer to come out to the farm in the early spring time. With the dwindling of winter, fleeces hang heavy on the sheep, hiding rounding bellies beneath them as lambing draws near. Shearing takes skill and practice. I … Read More
I love avocados! I could eat them every day. They are yummy sliced on a tomato sandwich, smashed into spicy guacamole dip, diced into gazpacho soup, or drizzled with olive oil and served alongside of fruit. The past year, I have been saving the skins and pits from every avocado I have eaten. I washed them well, and then popped … Read More
The Tunbridge World’s Fair~Tunbridge, Vermont Thursday marks the opening day of the Tunbridge World’s Fair. Farmer’s from across the state come to showcase their animals, hay, and vegetables. Children and adults come with arms full of entries for the fair. Today, I took the mural that the children felted at our summer farm camp this summer as an entry in … Read More
Anna and her sister Emily, enjoying Bare Feet Weather years ago Bare Feet Weather Written by Anna Goodling-who left the farm in Vermont, to go to college in Michigan. I never wear shoes at home. It’s not necessary. Here at school, I still do my best not to wear them whenever possible. I have never liked them much. I walk … Read More
Beets, Swiss Chard, and Black Olives My husband is a good sport. He married a visionary, and I am not sure he fully understood what that meant when he married me. He often finds himself in the middle of some huge project that I thought of. I constantly look at things from a different viewpoint than most other people. I … Read More
Wine….and yarn…..what is there not to love about an event that includes BOTH Vermont wine and Vermont yarn?!! Sip a little wine…..stitch a little yarn….Sip a little wine…stitch a little yarn! About 2 years ago, I began thinking about hosting a wine and yarn event at our farm. The idea came to me while teaching a natural dye workshop at … Read More
Three words describe what we do at Sheep & Wool Camp… Explore…Engage…Create… Explore… Frog Ponds Frog Eggs… and Cat Tails… Dirt Roads Trees… Engage… Frogs and Fish Sheep and Fleeces Wool and Water Pigs and Llama and Chickens Friends and Laughter Create… Yarn Tapestries Murals Felt Wool Pictures Color From Nature and Woven Book Covers ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ We would like to … Read More
The rain rain rain came down down down in rushing, rising riv’lets, Six weeks running….the rain rain rain has come down down down, soaking both man and beast, overflowing river banks, spilling out of culverts, cutting new paths in most inconvenient places. Water squishes out of the ground with every step, wetting shoes and feet, soaking struggling bean plants, and keeping the farmer’s … Read More
Guest-post and photography by Anna Goodling You always know summer has come when the Farmer’s Markets start. Brightly-colored tents scattered around a small country common-green backed by a tall white steeple or a red brick schoolhouse attract local Vermont residents and out-of-state visitors alike. Vendors hawk their wares in good ol’ Vermont style, with a twinkle in their eye and … Read More
Every year we correspond with two fourth grade classrooms at a local school. Throughout the year, we exchange letters, teaching the children about the animals and activities on our farm. The children write letters back to us, sharing stories of their lives, pets, and dreams. Dear Goodling Family, I am 10 years old. I have a barn with cows one … Read More
Sowing seeds has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. In my early childhood, my family planted a garden each summer, and since establishing my own home, I have carried on this tradition of planting. This year, when I tore open the first packet of seeds, I was struck by how tiny they were. … Read More
Tonight, the smoke rises from the chimney pipe, and steam billows out the windows of our little sugar house, as the Sugar Maker boils down the remainder of the sap. With 16 gallons lining the closet shelves, we will have plenty of syrup for the year, with some extra to sell or barter with. The buckets have been taken off … Read More
Since January, I have been reading Ann Voskamp’s book, One Thousand Gifts:A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are.” Ann challenges us to live each day with our eyes open, counting the many blessings laid out before us. In doing so, we experience deep gratitude and a fullness in life. I have embarked on her dare, to count one thousand … Read More
This weekend we readied the barn for lambing. With our first possible due dates just a week away, we needed to get our lambing area set up. We have a large horse stall in the barn that has become our laboring ward for the ewes. We keep a deep bed of hay there and only open it up when we … Read More
When I taught kindergarten in the public school, the children and I kept a weather calendar each month. For the month of March, I had a pocket full of cards that either had the face of a lion or the face of a lamb on them. Each day, we would decide if the day had calm, warm, weather like a … Read More
Spring Savings We have planned some exciting fiber art events for this summer, which we feel sure you will not want to miss! Sign up for our fiber classes before March 31 and save! Contact us to register for a class! Relax on the Porch Full Farm Immersion PackageExperience life on a rural Vermont sheep farm while attending a fiber art class or event … Read More
“Cal” On Sheep I have been missing my border collie, Tess, lately who died this fall. All winter, I have missed her company on walks in the woods. I have missed her happy greeting at the bottom of the stairs in the morning and her head resting in my lap in the evening. I have missed her intense desire to … Read More
My Stash of Romney Rug Yarn This fall at the Vermont Sheep Festival, rug yarn seemed to be the new rage. Vendors displayed their funky, colorful yarn. My booth sat directly across from a vendor who had a large display of this twisted, chunky yarn. All weekend, I eyed that yarn and could not wait to find the mill processing … Read More
I remember when my husband and I were considering expanding our little family homestead to a larger working farm which would include a flock of Romney sheep, we visited every sheep farm that would welcome us and our questions. Over about a 12 month period, we visited numerous farms and consulted with sheep experts. My mother-in-law went along on some … Read More
The smell of fresh manure on barn boots mingled with the sweet scent of maple candy at the Vermont Farm Show. This annual event draws folks out of their barns for a mid-winter break from their normal routines. Last night, a gathering of farmers, families, and friends toured through the fair, connecting with sales reps, and neighbors, as they meandered … Read More
The Northeast Organic Farmer’s Association in Vermont matches farms with public school classrooms each year in an effort to help communities make connections with local farmers and their excitement for agriculture. Our farm communicates with two fourth grade classrooms in a neighboring town. In a year of mutual exchange, the students and our farm form a special bond. My letters … Read More
A few folks had told me recently that Mary Janes Farm magazine had mentioned our farm in their latest issue. While waiting in the check out line of our natural foods store yesterday, I saw a copy of the magazine at the end of the counter and grabbed a copy to bring home. Mary Jane featured seven different farms across … Read More
Tere This afternoon, I knelt down in the llama shelter and sheared our llama Tere. He lay still and quiet. I felt a little strange, as though I should not be shearing him, and wrestled with this thought for a few minutes. The fiber felt warm in my hands. Perhaps I should leave his fiber with him. I thought how … Read More
Ears forward, means a happy llama “Do llamas spit?” I wish I had a dollar for every time someone has asked me that question. It seems that llamas have a bad reputation for spitting. In answering the question, I always explain a little bit about normal llama behavior. Tere out for a walk. Llamas need the company of other animals, … Read More
Embracing the memories and blessings of 2012… Happy New Year!!
From the time that our children were just babies, we have established family traditions around the Christmas season so that they would understand and remember why we celebrate Christmas. When they were quite young, we had an advent flannel board which hung in their bedroom. Every night, we would read the Christmas story and add a new figure to the … Read More
Luke 2:8-15 And in that region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear. And the angel said to them, “Be not afraid; for behold, I bring you good news … Read More
Guest post by Anna Goodling, college student come home for the holidays. Home again, and fully enjoying the Christmas holidays! Grandparents arrive soon, followed by a trip to the old Tree Farm, a candle-lit church service, exchanging gifts, rejoicing in the Savior, aunts and good friends, snowshoes on New Year’s Day…Many occasions in which I may have the leisure to … Read More
Breeding Rams VT Grand View Farm Romney Fleece I have asked a friend of mine to knit a sweater for me. Every time I see him, he comments on how lovely and silky our yarn feels. … Read More
Who Can Resist Romney Yarn? Fia I admit it…I hoard yarn! Fia, on my knitting needles! When we first started raising sheep, I never knit with my own yarn. I saved it all for my yarn customers. In all honesty, we needed every penny we could earn in order to make our hay purchase for the winter, and so I … Read More
A Step Back in Time…. We have joined the NOFA penpal program again this year. We exchange letters with a 4th grade classroom as part of their Vermont History Unit. This year, I decided it would be interesting to give them a historical perspective of the farm. Grand View Farm This picture shows the original house (on the left) attachedto … Read More
Distance makes the heart grow fonder… The Ewes Line Up to Tease Jethro Jethro Woos the Ewes Last weekend, we moved all of the sheep into their fall, pre-breeding, positions. During the process, Jethro literally picked up a fence post and laid it on the ground in order to get nose to nose with the girls. It took a few … Read More
“It takes a while for the essence of a being to leave a place.” Today I walked up the road…alone. Leaves fluttered down from the maple trees lining the road with orange and yellow specks. As I walked, I thought I heard the jingle of Tess’s dog collar, or the shuffle of her feet as she headed off through the … Read More
Manduco, manducare, manducavi, manducatus, (Latin verb) to chew-devour-masticate-gnaw That is exactly what this lovely caterpillar has done to our tomato plants for the past few weeks. The Manduca Sexta, commonly known as the Tobacco Hornworm, has gnawed, and chewed its way through our 40 foot greenhouse, destroying tomato plants, and damaging fruit at an alarming rate. At first glance, I … Read More
The Joys of Home Schooling One of the joys of being a home schooling mom, is nurturing each of your children and watching them grow. Through the years, they develop their own unique interests and distinct personalities. People have often asked why I have not put my children in public school, once they reached high school age. I would not … Read More
New Digs for the Girls The New Digs Antony Begins Construction Our chickens have taken a bit too much liberty in the term “free range” lately. All summer, I have battled with them. They have dug numerous holes in the yard, in the most in convenient places, for taking their daily dust baths. I never did get to harvest any … Read More
The events of the past two days has caused me to ponder why people choose to stay on a farm for their family vacation and why our family opens our home, lives, and farm up to complete strangers. As I think back over all the guests we have had since this spring, there seems to be two motives behind their … Read More
Our farm offers B&B Farmstays year round. Our guests enjoy sleeping in antique four poster beds, breakfasts featuring locally grown foods, quiet country roads, and star lit nights. Through the years, we have met a variety of people. Our farm has hosted people from all walks of life, from famous composers to movie makers, to fashion designers, judges and jazz … Read More
Wwoofers help with llamas Skirting Fleeces Hello Grand View Farm friends! This is Jenny, one of the two WWOOFers currently at the Goodling’s farm. As a background to what a “WWOOFer” is, WWOOF stands for World Wide Opportunity on Organic Farms. This organization links volunteers with organic farmers and helps people share more sustainable ways of living. WWOOF operates in … Read More
Families choose different ways to document their family vacations. Some collect brochures from all the sights they see along their way, putting them into family scrap books. Others take advantage of technology, putting together movies of their travels, or keeping travel blogs. This past week, we had a family stay in our Farmhouse Suite, who chose a very unique way … Read More
Every neighborhood has its own distinct sounds. As a farmer, I have become very in tune with the noises outside, and I rely upon them to inform me of danger. I can tell by a hen’s clucking if the resident fox is near by, and I can tell when the fox is in the woods behind the house, just by … Read More
Obsession~An idea or thought that continually preoccupies or intrudes on a person’s mind. ( Merriam-Webster) A year ago, I became intrigued by seamless nuno felted dresses. All of last summer, I wanted to try my hand hat making one. As with most summers, it came and went, filled with gardening, B&B guests, and fiber classes. As the months passed, I forgot … Read More
Dangling pieces of yarn, tufts of wool on the floor, baskets of yarn, and looms…..What more could a kitten ask for? Weaving a shawl with hand spun yarn. Needle felting Moses and Aaron have discovered the fiber studio in the barn. As soon as anyone heads to the barn the kittens scramble to be the first ones through the studio … Read More
Have You Massaged Your Sheep Today?? There is nothing as wonderful and relaxing as a good massage! Even our sheep know that. Anna has a way of mesmerizing our sheep as she gently massages them. Gaia enjoyed her turn with Anna on Thursday afternoon. First, Anna massages them on the back of their neck and around their ears. As Anna’s hands … Read More
Nap Time An antique sleeping cot sits on our front porch. Our Bed and Breakfast guests enjoy lazy afternoons, lounging on the cot. They enjoy reading a book and looking out over the mountains, while relaxing on the cot. The cool breeze, warm sun, and birds chirping often lull them to sleep, and I find them sound asleep on the … Read More
Moses When we went to my friend’s farm to pick up our two new barn kitties, six kittens and two mother cats greeted us. A few kittens slept tucked up against the little barn they were in, unaware of our presence. The rest of the kittens scurried about, coming in our out of the shelter and doing their best to avoid … Read More
There is nothing as precious as a mother’s love! Happy Mother’s Day Mom!! I love you! Ina Cuddles Her Little Lamb
Against All Odds I could probably count on just one hand all of the meat birds we have lost in the past 15 years-until this spring. This year’s round of meat birds seems to have had problems from the day they arrived on our farm, and we seem to be fighting against all odds. Unfortunately, as they traveled up the … Read More
Farm Fresh Eggs for Sale! Today’s Egg Collection Pink, blue, green, light brown, and dark brown… Hens roaming the fields These are all the colors you will find in your box of eggs if you buy a dozen from me. With the longer days, all of the hens are laying now and eggs are beginning to pile up around here. I … Read More
Gelion, Gia, Gonzo, and Glory all enjoy the new grass! Spring Fever The sheep and I seem to be engaged in the same activity lately……watching and waiting for the grass to grow. I love this time of year. After six months of seeing nothing but gray, brown, and white; the color green almost hurts your eyes as it creeps in … Read More
Who’s Your Farmer? Last week, Becky Herrick, the knitwear designer who is working with us to design patterns using our yarn, came out to the farm for a photo shoot with the lambs. She wore the sweater she designed and knit using our gray Romney yarn! The most cooperative lamb was “Gaia”. She spent some time hanging out with Becky … Read More
Myk, protecting my greenhouse Ever since our barn cat, Myk, disappeared a year and a half ago, I have become more and more aware of all the work he did for us on our farm. When Myk lived with us, I never went into the greenhouse to pull a red beet to find only the beet greens with a half … Read More
A Clever Hen Ever since the weasel attack 2 weeks ago, the hens have decided that it is safer to nest in locations that way up high. They have all spent the past two weeks finding the most unusual spots off the ground to lay their eggs. This one hen eyed the llama hay rack and was determined to use … Read More
Look who spent the day at our farm! Twenty Four Hours to Learn our Story For twenty four hours, we opened our farm, home, and lives up to a camera crew and videographer who work for Vermont Public Television. About two months ago, I received a phone call from VT Public Television. They are piecing together a special series called … Read More
Day Break~ Glory When I woke up Thursday morning, I had no idea what lay ahead for me, in one day I would experience the heights and depths of shepherding, as well as the challenge of farming. When I went out to the barn for morning chores, Ina was in labor. She was ready to push and two little hooves … Read More
Frugal-Independent-Thrifty These three words are commonly used when describing Vermonters. Though not a native to Vermont, I have found that over the past 26 years of living here, I too have developed these characteristics. I am not sure why we have become this way. Perhaps it is because we have limited retail stores for buying new or because the distance … Read More
Summer….Autumn….Winter……Spring…….There are four seasons in a year. We all learned about the seasons from a young age. Not only did we chant nursery rhymes about the different seasons of the year, but we also watched the seasons pass before our very eyes. I believed this for the first 25 years of my life. Then, I moved to Vermont. Vermont … Read More
A crazed look swept over our faces as we began packaging our sheep fleeces to ship to the fiber mill in Michigan. We have learned that this can be a rather exciting event though we have perfected our method of fitting several sheep, so to speak, into one small box for shipping. Yesterday, I spent a couple of hours going … Read More
Chloe Enjoys a Good Back Scratch Several of the ewes gathered around the outdoor hay feeder in absolute bliss as they scratched and rubbed on the side posts. Moments earlier, our shearer had worked her magic, clipping all of the wool from each sheep and exposing their skin, which had not seen daylight since shearing a year ago. The … Read More
Baa Baa Black Sheep Baa baa black sheep Have you any wool? Yes sir, yes sir Three bags full. One for my master One for my dame, and one for the little boy Who lives down the lane. Baa baa black sheep Have you any wool? Yes sir, yes sir, three bags full. I must have chanted that rhyme a … Read More
“Charlotte”, bulky weight-mohair/Romney wool The Sheep Herder’s Hat Last fall, at the VT Sheep Festival, I came in contact with a knitwear designer who lives in northern Vermont. She and I spent some time in our booth talking about our farm, sheep, wool yarn, and my desire to put unique knitting patterns into my customer’s hands. Becky seemed passionate about … Read More
Into the Hands of Knitters This year, the Vermont Farm Show moved to a different venue, the Champlain Valley Exposition. For the first time ever, the show featured a “Buy Local” Market one evening, which proved to be a smorgasbord of Vermont artisan foods and a haven for individuals claiming to be “locavores”. Vermont’s agricultural base was evident as forty-two … Read More
A couple of weeks ago I had a phone conversation with a woman who is heading up a new bed and breakfast association. She embarked on a long description of how to “triple sheet” a bed. It took her about 5 minutes to give me each detail of the process as I quietly listened at the other end of the … Read More
Most of us find comfort in routines. We find ourselves almost on auto-pilot as we go through our daily rituals, whatever they may be. Routines are predictable and bring a gentle calmness to our day. Animals, like people, find comfort in routine. In the morning, all of the animals know approximately what time I show up with hay and water … Read More
What DO you do all day? Some people ask me what I do all day. They can not quite wrap their mind around what a home school, farming family looks like on a day to day basis. Well here goes: Wednesday, Dec. 7 Hungry Sheep Wait for their Hay I woke up at a very dark hour-though I am unsure … Read More
Marc, shearing Leisel this summer. Before we shear Some Bunny I constantly look for ways to make my work easier. I often feel that so much of what I do takes longer than it should because of lack of proper equipment. This summer, we had someone come to our open farm day to demonstrate shearing German Angora bunnies. Marc raises … Read More
Here’s to You Emily My oldest daughter, Emily, before going off to college, perfected the art of making pies. Every holiday, we looked forward to her creations. Not only do her pies taste amazing-with a hint of sweetness and a full fruit flavor, but they look like a piece of artwork with lattice work and crimping to perfection. Once she … Read More
All spring, summer, and fall we work hard to grow food to set aside for the winter. With the first stalk of rhubarb to the last carrot pulled from beneath the snow, we fill a large upright freezer, boxes in our cellar, and jars in our pantry with an entire winter’s feast. As I plan our Thanksgiving menu-I choose recipes … Read More
Black Soil Thanks Jim for helping us! The sky was clear as our plane landed in Jackson, Mississippi on Thursday morning. My daughter and I flew down to look at a college. Looking out the airplane window I could see the many roads, trees, and winding rivers. What struck me most though was the red clay. Growing up in North … Read More
The Heavens Declare the Glory of God My husband and I moved to Vermont about 23 years ago from the Washington, D.C. area. We tired of the lengthy drive to work everyday and mass humanity everywhere we looked. It became obvious that if we were to “keep up with the Jones next door,” both of us would have to work … Read More
Maintaining pastures with a wagon, clippers, and a lawn tractor Last week, we sold our ram, Elijah to a large farm in NY. A free night in our B&B comes with every livestock sale so that our customers can pick up their sheep on a more leisurely schedule. Sunny and Tom Bixby of Liberty Ridge Farm spent one night with … Read More
My Wish List a tractor with a bucket a barn you can drive a tractor into more sheep (did I say that?) and while I am dreaming…. how about a hay field with a friendly farmer to cut the hay for me and for my husband to be able to work part time at his day job and farm with … Read More
Nothing Like the Threat of Snow With every change of season there comes a whole host of chores that need to be done. Though we know this happens every year, we never seem to get everything done in a relaxed, timely fashion. This fall is no exception. The list of things to get done before winter sets in has been … Read More
Time Time is a funny thing. We seem to be either waiting for time to catch up to us or we are wondering how time passed us by. This past weekend, we attended our oldest daughter’s college for “Parent’s Weekend”. She is a sophomore attending a college 15 hours away from our little hillside farm. This weekend, I came to … Read More
Trying to Find the Balance Home School Mom and Wife Shepherd/Farmer Business Woman (yarn sales and B&B owner)
A cold drizzle misted my windshield as I drove to the fairgrounds last weekend for the Vermont Sheep Festival. I wondered who would venture out on such a cold and wet day to attend a festival which required walking muddy fairgrounds from building to building. The previous day, I had packed all of my yarn and knitted samples into the … Read More
Apples-The Perfect Crop for the Farm The house smelled of spicy apple butter, savory tomato sauce, sweet blackberries, and fresh baked bread yesterday. All of the odors mingled together, warm and inviting, signifying the end of the growing season. This time of year the kitchen counter tops overflow with bowls of apples and tomatoes from the garden and piles of … Read More
Make Hay While the Sun Shines One of my biggest concerns all summer long centers around hay. Will the farmer be able to get a second cutting? Our sheep need the second cut hay as it has more leaf than stem and provides for a well balanced diet with high protein. Will the weather cooperate so that the farmer can … Read More
Apples for Winter! The best apples are always at the top of the tree We have been nursing along three apple trees that stand in our sheep pasture. Unlike the many wild apple trees that grow across the Vermont country side, these trees seem to have been purposefully planted by a previous owner. We have kept the trees pruned and … Read More
Summer Vacation on the Farm I have sat here for an hour now struggling with what to write. Our farm has been quite busy the past two weeks with our open studio event, natural dye workshops, and two back-to-back weeks of summer camp. My time for writing has been significantly impacted and now I find it difficult knowing where to … Read More
Preparing ferns for the dye bath Hidden Treasures Every time I teach a fiber class, I find a hidden blessing. This Friday, I taught a Natural Dye workshop to five women. They spent the entire day on the farm learning about how to mordant yarn for dyeing and how to prepare dye baths using locally growing plants and flowers. The … Read More
Happy Independence Day! Read our July newsletter online! Get all the details on…. Natural Dye Workshop Fiber-a-thon and Open Studio July 4th SALE New Felting Wool
A Note of Encouragement For the past four years, our farm has offered a summer farm camp for moms and children. For one week, our campers immerse themselves into caring for our animals and learning all about the many fiber arts. Creativity and energy fills our camp week. Through teaching, we hope to excite others of all ages about the … Read More
As a shepherd of a wool producing flock-fleece quality remains top on my list year round. In the winter, our sheep wear coats to protect their fiber from hay contamination. I peek under the coats from time to time to be sure their fleeces do not felt as their fiber grows longer and longer. On cold days, my fingers linger … Read More
Cloudy….windy….rainy…..50 degrees……seems like perfect weather to me for making Rhubarb Jam! Rhubarb remains one of those mysterious plants. A quick google search brings up a long history of rhubarb around the world. Historically, the dried root aided in curing a number of illnesses. It seems that it wasn’t until sometime in the 1800’s that it entered into culinary dishes. Some … Read More
Appreciate Everything-Take Nothing for Granted Daffodils in Bloom About two weeks ago, I had some Bed & Breakfast guests from Long Island. Wanting to see the lambs while they were still small but hoping to avoid mud season, they scheduled their visit with us for the very end of April. This seemed like a safe time frame to me when … Read More
Fiber Preparation Retreat Weekend Give-Away All you fiber enthusiasts- don’t miss out on this give-away opportunity!! Jennifer King of The Sachem Farmhouse B&B and I are hosting a weekend Fiber Preparation Retreat at her lovely B&B in CT. The workshop runs June 10-12. Follow this link to enter for a FREE two night stay plus the workshop fee!!
100 Mouths on the Farm to Feed The other day, while visiting our pen pal classroom, one of the children asked me how many animals we had on our farm. Together we began counting and adding them up. I was astonished to learn that I have 100 mouths to feed on our farm. It is no wonder that it takes … Read More
Sitting in the hay loft window Two weeks ago today we were anxiously awaiting the arrival of 5 high school aged home schoolers and 3 moms. All five students have become friends with my daughter through an online school which we have been a part of for the past 7 years. We decided to invite them all to our farm … Read More
Is that a goat in the house?? Well….yes…but please do not tell my husband. Meet Figaro-one of our newest little bucklings. He had a rough start in life and we had to tube feed him to get him going. After two feedings, he was ready to nurse mom but by that time, mom had decided that perhaps he really wasn’t … Read More
If you want to know why the house is a mess, the laundry is not folded, dishes not washed, school work half done, dinner is not cooked, and the phone messages unanswered…just visit our farm and you will see that with lambs in the barn….. Double Trouble-Fiona and Frito Ina stays right by Faith’s side. Morning Hugs for Faith An … Read More
Nightly Barn Checks During lambing season, my internal clock wakes me up between 2am and 3am. I crawl out from under the warm covers- put on my barn coat, hat, and mittens-grab the flashlight, and head to the barn. I always pause and listen before opening the door to see if I can hear a new voice calling out in … Read More
Despite the pending evening forecast of 14 inches of new snow… I saw signs of spring and new life on our farm today….. This morning the Robins returned to our farm! The first Robin appeared in the driveway. Pale shoots were poking through the ground! Daffodil shoots against a back drop of snow And our first lamb was born! “Faith” … Read More
I stopped eating red meat when I was pregnant with my son (14 1/2 years ago). It was one of those funny pregnancy food aversions. With my middle child-it was parsley. With my first baby-well it was just about everything. I never regained the desire for red meat. In fact, I totally avoid the red meat counter in the food … Read More
Our shearer, David Hinman, died last June while shearing sheep at a farm in southern VT. His daughter, Gwen came and sheared for us this year. David always boasted about how well his daughter could shear sheep. He said, “Don’t tell anyone, but she can shear sheep faster and better than I can.” The two of them often went on … Read More
Shearing and Sugaring and Spring Sugar Buckets hang on our maple trees Despite the several feet of snow outside my door, Spring has come to Grand View Farm! Whoever thought that Spring had to be ushered in with daffodils, green grass, and dogwood blossoms on the trees obviously did not grow up in Vermont! We know we have made it … Read More
Tending to Lambs When your children grow up and go off to college, you begin to wonder what lasting impressions they will take with them of their childhood. Will they look back with fondness at their life on a rural farm or will they feel that they have missed out on life? Will they value the lessons learned while growing … Read More
Piglets at Perry Family Farm Piglets Abound! Our good friends and fellow farmers at Perry Family Farm sent us this picture last night! They delivered 20 piglets through the course of the day yesterday. James and Laura Perry have a farm in Central Vermont raising beef, pork, poultry, and lamb. They sell their meats along with home brew, and chutneys … Read More
hanging on the warping board Woven in shades of green, lavender, pink, brown, and yellow With a winter break from home schooling this week, I was able to get to the studio in the barn. The barn loom had been warped for a rag rug for several weeks now and at last the weaving is finished.The question everyone of the … Read More
Gardening….Carrying on a Tradition I have always enjoyed gardening. As a little girl I remember working in our family garden in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia. We would begin at 8:00 in the morning while the temperatures were cool. Each of my siblings would choose a row in the garden to weed or harvest from. Being the last of … Read More
Snow Storm Snow is not a novelty here in Vermont. Life here on our farm goes on regardless of the amount of snow that falls over night. Snow drifts, snow shovels, and snow shoes fill our door yard. The animals at the barn expect their hay on time-they do not accept a delayed chore time or a declared “snow day” … Read More
From Farm to School The past few years, our farm has participated in NOFA’s (Northeast Organic Farming Association) pen-pal program. The program connects public school classrooms with farms for a year of letter exchanging. Though the participating schools are within our vastly agricultural state, many of the children have few first-hand farm experiences. With every change of season, I send … Read More
The Small Things in Life Leisel All winter I have struggled with keeping the bunny water jugs thawed out. With such cold temperatures, the bottle freeze very quickly. Despite my efforts to keep water available, I can tell that Leisel in particular has not been very happy about frozen water. Yesterday, the FedEx man delivered a wonderful package to our … Read More
Jenny graciously models my newest lamb sweater! Ok, this is becoming addicting. These little sweaters are so fun to knit! My kitty, Jenny, is not too sure about her new modeling career. She will be glad when lambs are here and she can stop being my model!
I Never Wanted To Be a Vet This fall, in a letter from one of our pen pal classrooms, I was asked to describe the hardest part of my job. I responded by saying that I find having a sick animal to be very challenging and difficult. Upon getting sheep and goats, I quickly learned that I needed to become … Read More
This afternoon our local knitting group met. I had fun knitting this little lamb coat! My elderly cat, Jenny, is modeling it. She strongly disliked the process of getting the coat on but now she is contently purring away and seems to enjoy its warmth. I can’t wait to knit more!
“Love a Local Business” What began as a home schooling effort to teach our children about sustainable living, the value of hard work, and the joy of keeping animals, now reaches around our own neighborhood as well as the far corners of the globe. Through our Bed & Breakfast, Yarn and Fiber CSA Shares, Agricultural Experience Shares, and summer camps … Read More
When I think about the first time we brought sheep to our farm, I have to laugh. We had no fence and only a small three sided shelter for them. We bought some used portable flexible netting to contain them until we could put up a more permanent fence. All we owned in terms of “sheep supplies”, were a pair … Read More
New Year’s Day Snowshoe We always start the new year off by hosting a New Year’s Day Brunch and Snowshoe. This year about 25 people gathered at our farm for our celebration. We gathered around our large dining room table and scattered around the woodstoves while we ate. Around 11:30 we headed out on snowshoes. Tere was intrigued by all … Read More
Happy New Year! Read our January Newsletter online!
Learning how to trim hooves. Our first AgEx Shareholders (Agricultural Experience) visited our farm a couple of weeks ago! This couple would like to add sheep to their property and wanted to learn all that they could about shepherding. Their day of instruction centered around topics such as: fencing, shelters, parasite control, rotational grazing, basic sheep care, and lambing. Inspecting … Read More
Last Friday, Kate Smith from the Marshfield School of Weaving, came over to help me warp up the barn loom. It has almost been three months since we brought the barn loom home from NY. Kate has worked with antique barn looms for many years. She has become an expert textile artist and uses only antique barn looms in the … Read More
Mending Thirteen years ago, my mother bought me a very nice Bernina sewing machine. At that time in my life, sewing clothes for toddlers and quilting occupied much of my time. My machine saw mostly pretty cotton fabric for little girls and lightweight denim for my son’s rompers. On occasion I made little tote bags to carry swim suits to … Read More
Getting to Know the Farm I want to thank each of our share holders who purchased llama/wool yarn CSA shares in the past week. Their over whelming concern for the loss of our Mama Llama and their desire to see us replace her encouraged all of us on Grand View Farm! As my daughter says, “you rock”! Our share holders … Read More
Mystic Moon Llamas After all of the turkey dinners have been consumed across the US, folks will turn their attention away from their kitchens and tables. The mad holiday rush will descend upon the malls and Christmas shopping will begin. Since moving to Vermont, I have been able to avoid that mad dash and frenzy of shopping. We try to … Read More
Emma I have owned countless numbers of cats in my life. As a child, we always seemed to have numerous cats around and always a liter of kittens. Throughout my adult life, various cats have come and gone with a few that have left a deep impression on me. These have been the cats that follow you from room to … Read More
A Gathering of Fiber Folk This past weekend, I attended The Gathering hosted by the VT members of the Northeast Hand Spinner’s Association. Mount Snow Grand Summit Resort in West Dover, VT became a hub of activity Friday as spinners, knitters, and weavers descended upon the resort. I saw many of the staff standing with puzzled looks as they watched … Read More
There are times in farming when you feel the burden of the responsibility to care for all of the animals that live on your farm. It weighs you down as you know that these animals depend upon you. Each day, you do the best you can, the best you know how to do. Last week, I felt that heavy burden … Read More
A New Home for an Old LoomYesterday we assembled the antique barn loom that I purchased while at the Southern Adirondack Fiber Festival. The loom has sat in the back of the truck since our return the end of September. With our last fall foliage Bed and Breakfast guests leaving on Saturday, we finally had time to devote to the … Read More
I am constantly amazed at how one skein of yarn and a pair of knitting needles connects lives across generations and across cultures. For centuries, women have shared and passed on their knitting skills. For generations, especially in colder climates, young girls were required to learn how to knit. Their families relied upon the woolen mittens, hats, and sweaters for … Read More
In front of a nearby farm, a hand painted sign reads, “Never Done Farm”. I chuckle every time I drive by thinking that every farm could be named that. It seems that a long chore list remains on our table regardless of the season. Over time, items on the list either get crossed off or get moved to a long … Read More
This post is dedicated to our oldest daughter who is attending college and missed the fair this year. I have posted the highlights just for her! There is Always Next Year The Tunbridge Fair signifies the end of summer and the beginning of fall. Local farmers both young and old come to the fair to showcase the fruits of their … Read More
Charlotte-our angora goat would like to announce Grand View Farm’s 2011 Yarn & Fiber CSA (community supported agriculture) Shares! We are so excited about our CSA shares this year. New additions this year are a bulky weight Romney/Mohair blend as well as a purely natural creamy white Romney yarn. Back by popular demand is our Romney/Mohair roving for those who … Read More
Charlotte-before shearing Today was shearing day for the goats! The shearer never seems to particularly enjoy shearing the goats and the goats never seem to enjoy being sheared. They complain bitterly at the shearer as the clippers buzz. Though once it is all done, the goats enjoyed a good back scratch, and a cool breeze and sunshine on their bodies.Everyone’s … Read More
Announcing our NEW (and the first ever) AgEx shares!Agricultural Experience Shares allow our shareholders to follow their dreams, gain hands-on agricultural experiences, participate in daily farming activities, and learn new skills. Each share includes one nights stay in our Bed & Breakfast, a full country style breakfast, lunch, and a full day of instruction. AgEx shareholders may become a shepherd … Read More
Sachem Farmhouse and Bed & Breakfast This past Friday, I packed my dye pots and a few dye plants in the back of my van and headed off to Sachem Farmhouse and Bed & Breakfast in Warren, CT to teach a Natural Dye Workshop. Jennifer King is one of those fortunate individuals who lives and works on the same land … Read More
Let our Romney sheep and angora goats keep your toes warm this winter!! Take a peek at our new sock yarn in our online shop!!!
It is amazing what you can fit into a mini-van. Our family van has been used for many things over the years. We have hauled hay, straw, bags of grain, lumber, furniture, chickens, children, and luggage, but never sheep. Yesterday, a woman arrived to our farm from Ohio in her mini-van. The two back seats had been taken out and … Read More
The 8 children and 5 moms who attended Sheep & Wool Camp at our farm in late July spent five days playing with drop spindles, skein winders, knitting needles, and wool. Families from as far away as New York City and as close as Brookfield, VT became immersed in farm life and fiber arts for an entire week. Camp … Read More
August NewsOnce a month, I send out a newsletter via email. The letter comes out the first week of the month. This is a way for us to keep you informed about new products, events and activities on the farm, CSA shares, and special sales and offers. You can join our newsletter right here on our blog! Just fill in … Read More
I Just Couldn’t Resist! Look at our newest member to our farm~a German Angora Bunny!Please help me name her!!
Fiber-a-thon Cars lined the side of the road for our Fiber-a-thon and Open Studio event on Saturday, July 24! Visitors from near and far joined us for a day of free workshops, demonstrations, and fiber fun! Our new fiber studio hosted workshops on rug hooking, spinning, lace knitting, and natural dyeing.By mid-morning all of the workshops were full and folks … Read More
Three more people have been introduced to the world of natural dyeing. Last Saturday we hosted a natural dye workshop here on the farm. The workshop focused on using locally growing plants and flowers as dye material. We learned how to mordant the yarn and then how to harvest the plants and prepare the dye bath. After lunch, we began … Read More
I love it when our customers are happy. Here is a note that a lovely woman sent to me this week after receiving the yarn she ordered… Hurray!!!!!!!!! It is so beautiful!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I can’t wait to get my needles going!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Isn’t it awful to be so addicted to yarn!!!!!!!!!!! It really is gorgeous and SO soft! Thank you for the … Read More
BLUE…Indigo Blue! At least once a summer, I get in the mood for BLUE…Indigo Blue. Dyeing with Indigo is a magical experience which usually brings everyone out of the house to watch and take a turn at dipping something into the vat. One doesn’t need to understand the chemistry involved to enjoy the process and the amazing results. Three of … Read More
Join our Newsletter! If you haven’t joined our monthly newsletter, now is a great time to do it. Go to the box in the right sidebar that reads, “Join our Newsletter” and enter your email address. This will allow me to send you our monthly newsletter. In the letters I keep you informed about our fiber classes and camps, happenings … Read More
HAPPY 4TH OF JULY! …in memory of our barn cat…Myk
It’s Strawberry Season One of my favorite times of the year is strawberry season which arrives at the end of June in Vermont. The food stores begin displaying berries much earlier in the season from warm climate areas like California, but I patiently walk past all of those berries. I know that their taste will not even compare to the … Read More
Farmhands Maintaining healthy pastures is a full time task. On our farm, everyone has a job–including the animals. Our meat birds are kept out on pasture where they can roam around, pecking at the bugs and grass. Throughout their short 10 week life, we move their fencing around so that they have access to fresh grass each day. Their job … Read More
Dyeing to Weave This week, I began my “Dyeing to Weave” project using grant money from the Vermont Farm Women’s Fund. Throughout the summer, I will be spending time with Kate Smith of Eaton Hill Textile Works. Kate’s job is to help me expand my natural dye color palette by introducing different natural dyes and mordants. Kate will also refine … Read More
Tuesday morning, around 10:00am, our rooster announced that a very large vehicle had pulled in and about 25 people were lining up along our driveway. It is not often that we have so many visitors at one time, but this week was special. All year, we have been writing to two fourth grade classrooms from a neighboring town through the … Read More
Dyeing to Weave Just before going to bed last night, I was just notified that I have been awarded a grant by the Vermont Farm Women’s Fund for a natural dye and weaving project! I am so excited! What a nice way to end a day.
Dedicated to my mom and all of those wonderful women who have given sacrificially to their families. I love you mom, Happy Mother’s Day! It wasn’t until I had my own children that I fully understood and appreciated all that my mother did for me as a child and now as an adult. This is for you mom….Thank you for… … Read More
From Sheep To Yarn To Share holderWe want to thank our share holders for supporting our farm this year. The first two rounds of yarn and fiber CSA shares have been put in the mail.
Look what arrived at my door step this week! Debbie at Stonehedge Fiber Mill once again has spun some beautiful yarn from our wool. I am in the process of hand-washing each skein. Hopefully, the grey CSA shares will go in the mail early next week!
Yesterday, was a wonderful spring day. The sun was shining and the sky was a deep blue. I watched the birds building their nests in the nesting boxes by the garden. A bluebird family has decided to move in this year. They busied themselves for a long time flying in and out of the box carrying grasses and twigs in … Read More
Studio Progress With our studio open house date set for Saturday, July 24, work on the fiber studio and yarn shop has picked up and is beginning take shape. The painstaking task of sheet rocking, taping, and priming is over and we are ready for the finish coat of paint. I have been to our local paint store numerous times … Read More
Ina is such a patient mom… Notice it is Eva who is standing on top. She is a bit mischievous. Eddie joins in the fun. Ok…Ina has had enough…up she goes and the lambs fly off!
Introducing….Eli This lambing season, I have slept in our “Shepherds Room” in our B&B. Seems appropriate, don’t you think? This room is only 20 steps from the back mudroom door. I can make it to the barn in under 30 seconds time. I found that by sleeping downstairs, I can go out to the barn, check the ewes, and be … Read More
How can I possibly get anything done today with this in my barn yard??
. Our first lambs arrived early this morning! Congratulations Ina! Eva was born first followed by …. …her brother Eddie!
Sugarin’ season snuck up on us this year. It came early and it ended early. We just weren’t quite ready for it. We did end up making about 6 or 7 gallons of syrup, which will keep our family happy for almost a year. Today, the we took down all of our sap buckets, washed them, and have them drying.
Welcome Back Ina Lambing season is the time of year when my insecurities as a shepherd are revealed. Every year brings new challenges and new things to learn. This past week, we almost lost Ina. Ina is our head ewe; the leader of our flock. All of our other ewes know where they stand with her. We have built our … Read More
Holiday shoppers are placing their orders with us at VT Grand View Farm! Hmmmm…how will all of this fit into our little mailbox?
Moving Day for the Goaties All summer our goats enjoyed their summer lodging across the road. They had a woven wire fence to keep them safe at night and then went out in flexi-netting during the day to nibble and browse in the woods and fields. This weekend I had a feeling that snow was on the way. It was … Read More
Knitting and Unknitting When I was a young child I remember watching my grandmother and mother knitting. The sounds of the metal needles clanking together and the swiftness of their fingers intrigued me. Sitting next to them, I would pick up a spare pair of needles and pretend to knit making my needles clack together. I wished I could knit … Read More
I think you can tell a lot about a person by their eating habits… Some of us are social eaters who enjoy the company of family and friends over a nice meal. Then there are those who definitely prefer eating alone. They are quite adamant about keeping it that way and will even lash out (or rather spit) if someone … Read More
Love Is In the Air We have had many interesting requests from our B&B guests but never one quite so memorable as the one we had this morning. A young couple from Canada stayed with us last night. After serving breakfast, I was pulled aside and asked to assist the young man in a very special task. The pictures tell … Read More
If Mom Could Only See Me Now Remember “Peeper”, our little chick whose mom died when she was only four weeks old? Look what a beautiful hen she is now! Peeper is still low on the pecking order in the chicken coop. She will not go into the coop at night on her own for fear she will be bothered … Read More
November in Vermont I used to pack up and head to the deep south every November. I would return just after Thanksgiving in time for the first winter snows. It seemed like the logical time to leave Vermont. By November, the beautiful fall foliage had disappeared and the weather had a nip to it that sent chills down my spine. … Read More
Time to Settle In There are times in your life when every day is full and you wonder how you will accomplish all that needs to be done. Your feet hit the floor in the morning running and they don’t stop until long past a normal bedtime hour. The house isn’t as orderly as usual, meals are haphazardly thrown together … Read More
October Morning The leaves are at their peek color here on our hillside farm. Mornings are crisp and often fog blankets the valleys. Colorful leaves lay along the path in the woods and along the roadside. Wild apple trees are full of apples. All of the animals seem to know that it is autumn. In the mornings, the ewes are … Read More
Congratulations Kristen! Yahoo!!! We are so excited for our friend Kristen Judkins, winner of the Great Goat Give Away at Martha Vineyard’s Farm! This weekend was the Vermont Sheep & Wool Festival. Kristen was ecstatic when she stopped by my booth early on Saturday to tell me that her essay was in first place with the most votes. She knew … Read More
Country fairs abound in the villages of Vermont in the summer and early fall months. These fairs began as a way for the local farmers to showcase their produce and animals from which they earned their livelihood. Selecting their best vegetables, flowers, canned goods, maple syrup, hand crafted items, cows, chickens, pigs, sheep, and goats, they would travel to the … Read More
Shearing Day! My little goats lost their coats last week. Thankfully it was a warm and sunny day when we had a shearer come to shear the goats. The goats were quite curious about these two people who had come sniffing them as they set up. Fern and her little doeling Charlotte went first. Fern was not very vocal but … Read More
All of our summer fiber camps and classes have come to an end and we are headed into our fall routine of fairs, festivals, and the beginning of a new home school year. We were blessed by the enthusiasm of those who drove out to our farm for classes. Our visitors came from many as near as Bethel, VT and … Read More
All of the spring babies on our farm are growing up fast. Ina’s two lambs, Daisy and Doughnut, are so big now that sometimes I can hardly spot them in the field. They look as big as the other sheep as they graze. The baby goats, Valentine and Charlotte are almost too big for me to pick up and hold. … Read More
Market Day The sunny warm weather brought everyone out to market today! I think it was the first time all season that we have been to farmer’s market and actually had the sun shining. Indigo blue yarn seemed most popular as well as the naturally dyed silk/wool scarves which I dyed over the summer.
That @$#&*$ Fox! THAT BLASTED FOX!!! He stalked our barn every night for three weeks when our baby goats were first born. He finally struck early evening. I am sooo mad at him! I went out to feed our meat birds who are in poultry netting behind the barn. I went out, opened the door of the main part of … Read More
Sharing Our Passions, Time, and Knowledge My mother-in-law is such a good sport. Over the years she has watched me take on many new endeavors. Through it all, she has been encouraging and supportive. While visiting her last week, I asked her if she would like to go to an angora goat farm with me. Together, we rode 2+ hours … Read More
Yesterday. was a BLUE day, Indigo Blue. Two new fiber friends joined me for a day of dyeing. We started by watching the indigo pot do its magic turning our skeins from green to blue as we pulled the yarn out of the pot. It wasn’t long before all of my skeins lined the yard and I was running back … Read More
Some Things Deserve a Second Look Many of us underestimate the abilities of young children. As a public school teacher I strongly disliked what I called “paper bag crafts”. We have all seen these kinds of crafts where the teacher makes a model and all 24 children make the exact same thing. There is just something wonderful about allowing the … Read More
Mama Hen sat on her clutch of eggs all through our farm camp last week. Look what I found this morning when I went out to the barn to do chores!! Maybe there will be more tomorrow.
Friends, Family and Farm Have you ever had an experience that just seemed too perfect to be true, one of those moments that you wished would never end and that you will always remember with fond memories? That magical moment happened here on our farm last week when we hosted a summer sheep and wool camp for 6 children and … Read More
Farmer~Fireman~Fiddler About two years ago my son added becoming a “famous fiddler” to his list of things he wants to do when he grows up. He is well on his way…his pigs are in the field and last night he took third place in the Cracker Barrel Fiddle Contest in Newbury, Vermont! Thank you Marc for being a wonderful fiddle … Read More
Farmer~Fireman At age 2 my son said he wanted to be a farmer and a fireman when he grew up. This past October, ten years later, he asked permission to raise two pigs and to sell their meat. I told him he had to get his customers before the piglets came home. “Pig out intelligently on my all natural pork,” … Read More
All in a Day’s Work Last Monday evening we got together with good friends who are farming. We shared stories, compared notes, and encouraged one another in our endeavors. “Do you ever ask your self why you are doing all of this James?” I asked. “Everyday,” he responded. “Me too,” I said and we both laughed knowing that neither one … Read More
I woke up to 41 degrees and rain the other day and guess what??? It is still raining and it is still cold!
I can often be heard yelling, “Hello goaties!” across the front yard to the goats on the other side of the road. Perwinkle always responds with enthusiasm to let me know that all is well and everyone is accounted for. Their job this summer to help us reclaim some lost pasture and to clear brambles, saplings, and weeds. I do … Read More
I can often be heard yelling, “Hello goaties!” across the front yard to the goats on the other side of the road. Perwinkle always responds with enthusiasm to let me know that all is well and everyone is accounted for. Their job this summer to help us reclaim some lost pasture and to clear brambles, saplings, and weeds. I do … Read More
So how does a lamb get a name like “Doughnut”? That is what happens when you leave the name selection up to your son, who happens to LOVE doughnuts and this year was the year to name all the lambs with names beginning with the letter “D”! Our “Doughnut” is a chocolate dipped!
So how does a lamb get a name like “Doughnut”? That is what happens when you leave the name selection up to your son, who happens to LOVE doughnuts and this year was the year to name all the lambs with names beginning with the letter “D”! Our “Doughnut” is a chocolate dipped!
Who can resist such cute sheep? Daisy and her mom Ina graze in the field. Doughnut poses for the camera. He hopes someone will want to buy him as a breeding ram. He is so handsome!
Who can resist such cute sheep? Daisy and her mom Ina graze in the field. Doughnut poses for the camera. He hopes someone will want to buy him as a breeding ram. He is so handsome!
Charlotte Our farm has grown by three this spring as our baby goats were born. Charlotte is full of life and mischief. She hops and leaps where ever she goes bringing smiles to our faces. Valentine is quiet and sweet coming up to you when you enter the barn and nibbling on your pants or fingers. Maximilian is quick on … Read More
Charlotte Our farm has grown by three this spring as our baby goats were born. Charlotte is full of life and mischief. She hops and leaps where ever she goes bringing smiles to our faces. Valentine is quiet and sweet coming up to you when you enter the barn and nibbling on your pants or fingers. Maximilian is quick on … Read More
Chicks and Kids This was the week for new babies on our farm. When I went out to do chores Monday evening, I could tell that Fern appeared to be getting closer to going into labor. I kept an eye on her all evening and finally at 2:30am she delivered a beautiful little doe. We have named her Charlotte. She … Read More
Chicks and Kids This was the week for new babies on our farm. When I went out to do chores Monday evening, I could tell that Fern appeared to be getting closer to going into labor. I kept an eye on her all evening and finally at 2:30am she delivered a beautiful little doe. We have named her Charlotte. She … Read More
Our first round of yarn CSA shares from our March shearing went out in the mail last week!! I shipped out the Cormo/Romney/Mohair yarn as well as the Silver Grey Lamb’s Wool yarn. I am beginning to hear back from our shareholders about their packages. Here are some of their comments! Dear Kim– This week I received the yarn I … Read More
Our first round of yarn CSA shares from our March shearing went out in the mail last week!! I shipped out the Cormo/Romney/Mohair yarn as well as the Silver Grey Lamb’s Wool yarn. I am beginning to hear back from our shareholders about their packages. Here are some of their comments! Dear Kim– This week I received the yarn I … Read More
Chloe Chloe, one of our natural colored yearling ewes went to the New Hampshire Sheep Festival this weekend. Actually, Chloe stayed home and sent her fleece to the festival and entered it into the fleece contest. This is the first time we have ever entered a fleece into a contest. Chloe’s fleece was just gorgeous after shearing with nice even … Read More
Chloe Chloe, one of our natural colored yearling ewes went to the New Hampshire Sheep Festival this weekend. Actually, Chloe stayed home and sent her fleece to the festival and entered it into the fleece contest. This is the first time we have ever entered a fleece into a contest. Chloe’s fleece was just gorgeous after shearing with nice even … Read More
Kids at Grand View Farm Monday was the day! Periwinkle delivered two adorable little babies, one buck and one doe. These babies were incredibly alert and very vocal from the moment of birth. Their little cries echoed through the barn all afternoon when all else was quiet. Periwinkle is such a good mom, attentive to their every need, nickering to … Read More
Kids at Grand View Farm Monday was the day! Periwinkle delivered two adorable little babies, one buck and one doe. These babies were incredibly alert and very vocal from the moment of birth. Their little cries echoed through the barn all afternoon when all else was quiet. Periwinkle is such a good mom, attentive to their every need, nickering to … Read More
Spring Calling Yesterday we worked outside all day doing various spring chores. The sounds of spring were all around us. The brook is full of water this time of year as the snow has receded and filled its banks. The noise of the water can be heard constantly. The chickens are all out and about making their little clucks and … Read More
Spring Calling Yesterday we worked outside all day doing various spring chores. The sounds of spring were all around us. The brook is full of water this time of year as the snow has receded and filled its banks. The noise of the water can be heard constantly. The chickens are all out and about making their little clucks and … Read More
Cats and Fleece My cats think there is just something irresistible about a dirty, smelly fleece. This week, while skirting and dehairing Mama Llama’s fleece, I had two cats helping. They found much pleasure in rolling in, crawling under, and smelling the fleece. The fleece is now on its way to the mill to be washed and blended with our … Read More
Cats and Fleece My cats think there is just something irresistible about a dirty, smelly fleece. This week, while skirting and dehairing Mama Llama’s fleece, I had two cats helping. They found much pleasure in rolling in, crawling under, and smelling the fleece. The fleece is now on its way to the mill to be washed and blended with our … Read More
Daisy Daisy was a triplet born on a snowy cold day. She was Ina’s third lamb with two ram lambs ahead of her. Her purple sweater kept her warm the first few days.She is a sweet little lamb and… …is never far from her mom’s attentive care.
Daisy Daisy was a triplet born on a snowy cold day. She was Ina’s third lamb with two ram lambs ahead of her. Her purple sweater kept her warm the first few days.She is a sweet little lamb and… …is never far from her mom’s attentive care.
A Day of Firsts Well today was the day for Ina to have her lambs! The day began with Ina isolating herself from the rest of the flock. Ina has always wanted to be alone when she labors and we respect her choice of birthing spots. Last year she had her lambs on top of the manure pile in the … Read More
A Day of Firsts Well today was the day for Ina to have her lambs! The day began with Ina isolating herself from the rest of the flock. Ina has always wanted to be alone when she labors and we respect her choice of birthing spots. Last year she had her lambs on top of the manure pile in the … Read More
Our Biggest Sap Run!! On Friday, we collected our largest sap run yet of 200 gallons. We hang 125 buckets which must be dumped by hand into a 5 gallon pail and carried to a “dumping station” where it is dumped into another 5 gallon pail that has a line running down the hill and into our large storage tank. … Read More
Our Biggest Sap Run!! On Friday, we collected our largest sap run yet of 200 gallons. We hang 125 buckets which must be dumped by hand into a 5 gallon pail and carried to a “dumping station” where it is dumped into another 5 gallon pail that has a line running down the hill and into our large storage tank. … Read More
Rewards and Disappointments This is one of our busiest times of year with shearing, sugaring season, and lambing happening all at one time. Shearing day is like a gift giving occasion when the sheep peel off their wrappings which we use to spin into wonderful yarns. Underneath all of their wool their swollen bellies and udders reveal the quickly approaching … Read More
Rewards and Disappointments This is one of our busiest times of year with shearing, sugaring season, and lambing happening all at one time. Shearing day is like a gift giving occasion when the sheep peel off their wrappings which we use to spin into wonderful yarns. Underneath all of their wool their swollen bellies and udders reveal the quickly approaching … Read More
Shearing Day! Yahoo! Today was shearing day. I am so excited about this year’s fleeces. They are just gorgeous. The Lamb CSA yarn is going to be a lovely silvery gray with a nice luster and the softness that only comes from a lamb’s fleece. Tarragon, our Cormo ewe must have had a 12 pound fleece. It was so large … Read More
Shearing Day! Yahoo! Today was shearing day. I am so excited about this year’s fleeces. They are just gorgeous. The Lamb CSA yarn is going to be a lovely silvery gray with a nice luster and the softness that only comes from a lamb’s fleece. Tarragon, our Cormo ewe must have had a 12 pound fleece. It was so large … Read More
Got the Fever….. Here’s what happens when you turn three Vermont children out in the woods to tap sugar maple trees….. Armed and ready. Got the hammer. Got the taps and bucket. Got the drill. Wait a minute..you’re supposed to tap the trees, NOT the boy! They’ve got the fever. The sugarin’ fever.
Here’s what happens when you turn three Vermont children out in the woods to tap sugar maple trees….. Armed and ready. Got the hammer. Got the taps and bucket. Got the drill. Wait a minute..you’re supposed to tap the trees, NOT the boy! They’ve got the fever. The sugarin’ fever.
Sugarin’ Season at Last Every year it seems a gamble as to when to tap the sugar maple trees. In years past, we have tapped them at the first sign of sugaring weather only to regret it a week later. Early this morning my husband checked the extended forecast. The temperatures for the next 5 days showed daytime temperatures above … Read More
Every year it seems a gamble as to when to tap the sugar maple trees. In years past, we have tapped them at the first sign of sugaring weather only to regret it a week later. Early this morning my husband checked the extended forecast. The temperatures for the next 5 days showed daytime temperatures above freezing with below freezing … Read More
Waiting for Spring You can tell I am longing for spring by looking at the yarns I have just dyed.Yellow… Pink… Lavender…. Green…. Blue… Orange… Purple… Turquoise…
Waiting for Spring You can tell I am longing for spring by looking at the yarns I have just dyed.Yellow… Pink… Lavender…. Green…. Blue… Orange… Purple… Turquoise…
Morning Surprise A winter storm raged all through the night bringing high winds and leaving behind a new covering on snow. This morning drifts of snow covered the driveway, steps, doorways, and paths. We literally shoveled our way out of the house to find our way to the barn. There were several surprises along the way. The boys, Bob and … Read More
Morning Surprise A winter storm raged all through the night bringing high winds and leaving behind a new covering on snow. This morning drifts of snow covered the driveway, steps, doorways, and paths. We literally shoveled our way out of the house to find our way to the barn. There were several surprises along the way. The boys, Bob and … Read More
The Fruits of Our Labor The Norwich Winter Farmer’s Market occurs the first Saturday of each month during the winter. Our farm held a vendor booth at the February market. Shoppers came to market prepared to do their monthly food shopping. Long lines formed at the vegetable booths as customers waited their turn to choose from the large bins of … Read More
The Fruits of Our Labor The Norwich Winter Farmer’s Market occurs the first Saturday of each month during the winter. Our farm held a vendor booth at the February market. Shoppers came to market prepared to do their monthly food shopping. Long lines formed at the vegetable booths as customers waited their turn to choose from the large bins of … Read More
Tess Owning a border collie to help us move our sheep never entered my mind until one day about 2 summers ago. On this particular morning, we were moving our sheep, lambs, and llama across the road for grazing in a new pasture. We were moving them back and forth twice a day bringing the young lambs and moms back … Read More
Tess Owning a border collie to help us move our sheep never entered my mind until one day about 2 summers ago. On this particular morning, we were moving our sheep, lambs, and llama across the road for grazing in a new pasture. We were moving them back and forth twice a day bringing the young lambs and moms back … Read More
Peek-a-Boo! Last week’s snow storm left our fence line much too short. I have kept a close eye on the fence line and on the boys for several weeks now! The boys are not allowed in with the girls right now as I have three little ewe lambs that I do not want to be bred. The rams share this … Read More
Peek-a-Boo! Last week’s snow storm left our fence line much too short. I have kept a close eye on the fence line and on the boys for several weeks now! The boys are not allowed in with the girls right now as I have three little ewe lambs that I do not want to be bred. The rams share this … Read More
New Yarn CSA Shares Bring home a bouquet of wildflowers and herbs with this naturally dyed Romney wool yarn CSA. Every summer I look forward to harvesting the herbs from our gardens and the flowers in the meadows and along the roads to use as natural dyes. My summer afternoons are spent dyeing some of our yarn with nature’s dyes. … Read More
New Yarn CSA Shares Bring home a bouquet of wildflowers and herbs with this naturally dyed Romney wool yarn CSA. Every summer I look forward to harvesting the herbs from our gardens and the flowers in the meadows and along the roads to use as natural dyes. My summer afternoons are spent dyeing some of our yarn with nature’s dyes. … Read More
Winter Storms I love the poetry of Robert Frost. Living in New Hampshire during a portion of his adult life, much of his poetry reflects life in New England. Storm Fear is one of my favorite poems as it so perfectly describes our winter storms. Our hillside farm receives the brunt of the storm winds all winter. As we lay … Read More
Winter Storms I love the poetry of Robert Frost. Living in New Hampshire during a portion of his adult life, much of his poetry reflects life in New England. Storm Fear is one of my favorite poems as it so perfectly describes our winter storms. Our hillside farm receives the brunt of the storm winds all winter. As we lay … Read More
Fern greeting Anna Fern and Periwinkle We are getting to know the different personalities of our 2 angora goats. Fern is the most bold and personable. As you can see, she enjoys getting to know people. She is the first to come to the gate when I enter the barn to see who is there. If there is a noise … Read More
Introductions…Today was introduction day for our new goats. Fern and Periwinkle have never met other animals. Their previous home only had goats so all of our animals are new to them. I thought it was time for them to meet who was making all of the noises on the other side of the barn. As soon as the goats came … Read More
Welcome Fern & Periwinkle A fiber farm just doesn’t seem complete without angora goats! Today, two beautiful angora goat does arrived at our farm, Fern and Periwinkle. They were quite timid about coming out of the safety of the truck and into our large old barn. Periwinkle trembled noticeably and seemed quite shy while Fern was much more curious about … Read More
Winter Coats Winter coats are a must where we live for both 2 and 4 legged folks! The biting cold temperatures make it a necessity to wear a warm coat before going out to do chores or play in the snow. Coats, mittens, neck warmers, hats, and wool socks with boots become the winter attire. Our mud room is over … Read More
Snowy Day We woke this morning to a new 8 inches of snow and a covering of ice over every twig, fence line, sheep, and gate. My husband was only the second person to venture out this morning as he headed off to work. Public schools were closed however, much to my son’s dismay, our home school was in session. … Read More
Soap! Many years ago I began purchasing goat’s milk soap base to make my own soap. I would add herbs and flowers from our garden as well as essential oils to the soap base making my own bars of custom soaps. It has been a long time since I made my last bar of soap. About two weeks ago, I … Read More
Rosie We would like to introduce you to Rosie, the newest member of our farm. Rosie is Anna’s new angora bunny.
Our First Snow We had our first snow a couple of days ago while most of Vermont had temperatures above 40 degrees and rain. Our farm sits on a hillside at 1,800 feet and we often see snow when those just four miles away in town have rain. By noon, we had a foot of snow on the ground and … Read More
Our fiber class schedule is set for summer 2009! Visit our website for more information: http://www.grandviewfarmvt.net/VermontFiberRetreats.html Fiber Retreat and Class Schedules 2009 Lambs & Family Felting Come meet our new lambs and then join us for a family felting activity. Each family will make a felted wall hanging to take home.$25/family (one wall hanging) All children must be accompanied by … Read More
New Yarn CSA! Have you always wanted to own a lamb? Here is an opportunity to help us support two of our new ewe lambs. These lambs have beautiful silver grey fleeces that we will combine with our ewe named April to provide you with a delightfully soft and unique all natural yarn. By purchasing this yarn CSA, you will … Read More
We are very thankful for neighbors with tractors!! At last, the llama shelter is turned back over and is in its winter position.
Life on a farm is always interesting and full of new challenges. When we wake each morning we never know what the day will bring. Over the weekend, we moved all of our portable shelters into their winter locations. We have a small shed which becomes our rams’ quarters and then we have a large 8 ft. x 16 ft. … Read More
Most of you know Emily as the creator of Vermont Fairies. http://www.vermontfairies.etsy.com/ Her fairy dolls delight children and adults all around the globe. Over one thousand fairies have been lovingly created, packaged, and mailed from our little mailbox to points as far away as Australia, Italy, and Greece. I would like to give you a glimpse into my view of … Read More
Autumn Harvest Autumn is one of my busiest seasons. We begin our home school year right as the garden peaks and farm chores abound. I find my days very full and I often feel as though I run through each hour of the day. This year’s tomato crop has flourished bringing a steady flow of tomatoes for over two months … Read More
Summer’s Harvest This summer’s harvest didn’t just include vegetables from our garden. It also included the herbs and flowers that grow in our meadows and along the road all of which were used for dyes! There are just a few skeins left in my basket which have not sold yet. http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=11790§ion_id=5009368
The World is Our Classroom As home schoolers we have learned to be very resourceful, viewing the world as our classroom. This fall we were blessed to find three caterpillars eating our dill. My son brought them into the house and put them in a large jar with all of the dill they could possibly eat and a stick. For … Read More
Where is Tom Sawyer?
Ahhh……Vermont! We love it for its: beautiful mountains cool lakes crisp air vivid green dark nights bright stars rich black soil wildflowers peace and quiet maple syrup snow (yes….I said snow) mud season maple cremes skiing farms summer markets charm amazing fall colors state parks small towns old farmhouses historic barns quiet dirt roads…
“Have you got your wood in yet?” In Vermont, most of us have mixed feelings about the coming of fall weather. We love the summer and look forward to its warmth and lush foliage. However, summer is short here in the Green Mountain state and days without snow are limited. Seeing it come to an end can be disheartening. One … Read More
Summer Vacation I recall many elementary school teachers asking me to write about my summer vacation. Then, everyone in the class would stand in the front of the classroom and read their papers out loud. In memory of all those papers, I am going to tell you what I did on my summer vacation.We were blessed to take a trip … Read More
It was exactly a year ago that our border collie puppy, Tess, was diagnosed with OCD (Osteochondritis dissecans). OCD is a disease of the cartilage that affects the shoulder joint. Tess was put on restricted activity and was seen by 4 different vets and had numerous x-rays to determine the extent of damage to her cartilage. She was also put … Read More
“What is cooking in your pot?” Yesterday was a natural dye day. The kitchen stove was full of pots in various stages of preparing my dye baths. Some pots sat steaming filling the kitchen with strange odors of cooked plants. Other pots bubbled with plant stems peeking out from under the lids. A friend of mine was here visiting while … Read More
Sheep and Wool Week~Part 1 For one week our farm hosted a sheep and wool week for moms and children ages 7-11. These families became immersed in farm life and the world of fiber! My children, ages 11, 14, and 16 engaged the children while I worked with the moms. Campers arrived at 10:00 in the morning with lunches and … Read More
Sheep and Wool Week ~ Part 2~ Moms While the children worked and played outside the moms and I worked inside or on our covered porch. The moms learned within a week about the many different breeds of sheep and how to get the wool from the sheep to beautifully dyed and hand spun yarn. It was also a time … Read More
First Branch Farm and Fiber Tour Last Saturday, Vermont Grand View Farm opened our doors for the second annual Farm and Fiber Tour. Visitors arrived from all over New England to experience farm life first hand. A few of our visitors were repeat visitors who had come last year and wanted to come again because they had so much fun. … Read More
Handsome Boys for Sale… It amazes me how quickly our lambs grow every year. Yesterday I went into the pasture to try to capture some pictures of the lambs. My boys seemed especially interested in posing for me. I would like for you to meet Custer. He is a pure bred natural colored Romney ram lamb born April of 2008. … Read More
Fedora and Azalea This past lambing season we had some lambing issues arise in one of our breeding lines. We realized that these girls should not be bred again for their own safety. It was a sad realization because we have a special fondness for these girls, Fedora, Azalea, and Blossom. In early April, after they had lambed, I began … Read More
Marigolds and Queen Anne’s Lace I love this time of year when all the wildflowers are in bloom and the garden is dotted with color from Cosmos, Calendula, and Marigolds. My children know that I may pull the car over to the side of the road at any moment to stop and pick flowers. Then, whoever happens to be with … Read More
Yarn CSAs in the Mail Today, I packaged up our first shipment of yarn CSA orders! It was very exciting to put these boxes in the mail. The money from our yarn CSA program goes directly to the care and feeding of our animals. It also helps us pay for the wool processing fees at the mill. We are so … Read More
Black-Eye Susans Black-eye susans dot the fields and roadsides around our farm in abundance. Every summer, I collect the flowers to use as a natural dye for our yarn. I pull the flowers off their stems and boil them in water to make a dye bath. As the flowers boil, the water turns a dark black. It is difficult to … Read More
Today’s Chore List 1. Move the meat bird chicks out to pasture 2. Wash the shawl that I finished weaving last night 3. Harvest some of the wild mint that has been growing along the stream 4. List on etsy the novelty skeins of mohair that I spun this week 5. Put a roosting bar in the chicken tractor where … Read More
Mama Llama’s Spa Experience Today did not start off as a good day for Mama Llama. Today was her shearing day. Mama Llama does not particularly enjoy being sheared. In fact, she becomes quite agitated when being sheared. In the past, she has been so naughty that the shearer has not been able to shear her entire body. This was … Read More
New Babies! What seemed to me as just a hole in the barn wall became a home and nest for one of our broody hens. Diligently, she laid a clutch of 10 beautiful blue eggs in the barn wall where one of the boards had come loose and fallen off. This hen is an araucana which lay blue and green … Read More
One of the first fruits of our garden every spring is rhubarb. I remember as a child strongly disliking rhubarb. I couldn’t imagine why people thought it a tasty treat. Now, I long for rhubarb season. What can you do with rhubarb? Well, there is…. rhubarb sauce for pancakes rhubarb pie rhubarb muffins and coffee cake rhubarb maple sweet bread … Read More
Mountain Fiber Folk Vermont has many treasures hidden away among its mountains, rivers, and valleys. Mountain Fiber Folk is one of them. It is a fiber cooperative tucked away in the mountains of the northeast kingdom in a picturesque town called Montgomery Center. Six farms make up the cooperative. Together, these farms operate a wonderful little yarn and handcrafts store. … Read More
