Latest Posts
Ask the Shepherd – How to Calculate Hay Usage
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
Knitting with Gotland ~ Loft and Warmth
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
Vermont Sheep Dog Trial
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 Currant Fig Bars
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
Pass the Black Currant Jam Please
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