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
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
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
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
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
