Getting Stitched on the Farm

Travels to Mohair Country and More....

2009-07-10T09:35:00.000-04:00

When I was in my late 20's, I was working for The Yarn Company. We had a mill in Lowell, MA where we spun beautiful brushed and looped mohair in a giant brick factory building with tall windows. (That building is now part of UMass/Lowell if I'm not mistaken - I haven't been there in years.) I was in charge of the marketing and was really involved with trade shows, sales reps, magazines, and anything else that goes along with that kind of business. I had a blast and loved it all so much. I worked with a bunch of really fabulous people who are still great friends of mine. We were a small struggling little company. It was a lot of hard work to make it grow, which it did. It was my dream job which I lived and breathed for 16 years and I feel so fortunate, even now, to have had had such a great opportunity.

One of the perks of that job was that I got to travel lots of interesting places - in and out of the United States. Because we spun mohair, I got to know many of the Angora Goat ranchers who mostly lived in West Texas. They were great people - warm, enthusiastic, and wanting to do whatever they could to help their fiber sell. They were all members of The Mohair Council which also had an office in NYC headed by the wonderful Madelaine D'Addiego. Sadly, I have lost touch with them all now but I still remember their passion for their goats. The photo below is one they supplied my company with for mohair publicity. The bucks (male Angora Goats) are standing in a field of Texas blue bonnets. I have always loved this image and was really excited to see it on their website STILL over 25 years later.

I had the opportunity to travel to West Texas a few times. On one trip, my boss Pat Chew and I were invited to go on a special Mohair Tour, hosted by the Mohair Council. The photo below is of one of the ranchers and his Mexican workers inspecting some of the goats for condition.

I can still remember those short few days. We stayed at the Y O Ranch Resort in Kerrville where there was a swimming pool with stools in it so you could swim and drink margaritas at the same time. This was a revelation to me back then. I found it bizarre and so Texas. I guess it must be commonplace in many resorts by now but back then it was amazing to me. The lobby of the hotel had mounted stuffed heads of all kinds of beautiful wild and domesticated animals. Many of the ranchers also kept exotic game for hunters to come in and shoot. Another concept I found new and so unlike the hunting that goes on where I live in the Northeast. At first I thought it strange but the more I learned, the more I realized that this was one way for the ranchers to keep their land productive and profitable. They were all about keeping their ranches going and it is something I really understand now that we are farming our place.

The members of the Mohair Council pulled out all the stops for this weekend. We were among a group of textile executives who used mohair in our products. Our mill was one of the largest customers of mohair selling to the blanket, coating and women's apparel business besides the handknitting and weaving trade. They treated us like royalty.

What I remember most was the long driveways - one took 45 minutes to get into where the houses were. That blew my mind. Our driveway is about 20 feet long! Along the way, we spotted exotic animals from Africa and not so exotic animals like cattle, sheep, and Angora Goats. When we arrived at the homestead, we were greeted by welcoming ranchers and their wives. After a tour of the goats and an explanation of all that goes into making and growing of the mohair fiber, we were treated to an amazing Texas barbeque. What a treat and feast that was - a meal I will never forget.

Back at the Y O Resort one night, I tried goat (or cabrito) for the first time. It was just one of the times I have eaten goat which I find incredibly delicious. (A few years ago, we attempted raising Boer meat goats but that didn't last long!) It's amazing how goats can turn hard-scrabble land full of rocks (as seen in the photo above) into beautiful mohair fiber and tasty meat.

I have always loved mohair. Besides its beautiful luster, it takes color deeply and luminescently. I love the history of the Angora goats. Going to Texas and knowing the ranchers further cemented my love of the fiber. It's not surprising then that mohair is 25% of the fiber in my beautiful Julia Yarn.

This trip to Texas is one of the reasons The Farmer and I are starting our "Get Stitched on the Farm" classes at our place. We hope to make a memory for any of you who are able to attend. I've got a few people signed up but I'm hoping for more. Spread the word! It will be an intimate experience where you will learn about farm life, share our home, and learn a whole bunch about knitting, color, and embellishing knits. I hope you will check out the website and think about it if you are into such things. I promise you a memory for life.

I just found these photos in a drawer the other night. I never took many pics when I was traveling for work but for this trip I fortunately took along my camera. Here is a photo of Pat Chew with a Angora Goat. I love this photo because it was so no Pat to be patting a little goat. I still remember that she was trying to direct the goat for a good photo opp. And then this little fellow walked up to her. She put her camera aside and a gave him a little tickle behind the ears. If you knew Pat, you would find this photo amazing. Pat is the woman who hired me way back in 1984 when I was just slightly out of graduate school. Sadly, she passed away last year from leukemia. I thank her for the opportunity of a lifetime and my start in the yarn business.

I have just celebrated my 25th year in the handknitting business. It's amazing I'm still here doing it - finding new ways to make it work. I thank all of you who have bought my patterns, my books, and my yarn over the years. Your notes and letters make it all worthwhile.

Summer is rolling along if a bit roughly....

2009-07-08T10:25:00.000-04:00

Little Percy has left our farm. Last Thursday Gudrun and her family picked him up. It was so nice to meet them all and see how surprised and joyful her daughter Maya was with her 10th birthday gift. We have heard from them and he is settling in with their two other older cats!

Still looking for a home for the black kitten we call Miley. This cat is going to be a serious hunter if you know anyone with a mouse and rodent problem. I have one lead but not sure it is going to come through. I'm pretty sure the other two - Zelda and Hannah - are placed and will be leaving within a couple weeks.

Summer is so busy this year. The weather has been putting a wrench in all the farming and gardening activities. We had a good 3 days of no rain. I worked in my garden while the Farmer ran around making hay all over the place. Unfortunately two enormous windy thunderstorms came through yesterday. Although there were tarps on the hay wagons that were filled with square bales (that he paid a farmer to put up - or let's say, hasn't paid yet....) the tarps let go in the 50 mph winds. The big bales in the field below are just sitting there getting wet too. Frustration abounds. Last night wasn't a fun night at our house. It's not a good summer to be making hay. I can't imagine how expensive hay is going to be next winter. We're hoping we eventually harvest enough decent quality hay to feed the sheep.

While I was gardening, Julia decided she should start a blog called "KOFU" or Kids of Farmer's Unite. I felt bad that I couldn't be taking her all over town on the 4th of July holiday but with the classes coming up here at the farm and all the foilage around here running wild, I had no choice but to garden, snip, clip, sweep, and weed the weekend away.

We've got a sheep shearing date with Kevin Ford and his pal on July 16th - next Thursday. I am hoping that it will happen. The sheep are ready to be rid of their wooly coats. They can't be shorn unless they are dry and we have no barn to put them in to dry out. Stay tuned is all I can say.

Still running around to Farmer's Markets selling lamb. That's a story for another day.

We all had to spend the day in Springfield at the hospital. Julia is a juvenille diabetic and she is starting insulin pump therapy. We met with a Medtronic training specialist for 4 hours. Julia's school nurse even attended. It's all a bit confusing right now but once a couple weeks go by, we'll be up to speed. This week she wears the pump with a saline solution for practice. Next week, insulin is introduced and our life with needles disappears. From 5 shots a day down to one site change (which requires a needle) every two days. It will be great and hopefully her glucose control will improve too.

Haying is Halted

2009-07-02T06:30:00.000-04:00

Zelda the Kitten once again asleep on The Farmer's morning routine of reading a farming magazine while drinking his Yorkshire Gold tea.

The Farmer is behind on his haying schedule. Usually by the middle of June he is done with all his “first cuttings” of every field. (Typically there are three cuttings of hay each season). This week - it’s the beginning of July and he has only just begun. It started off with his hay baler breaking down after he baled the first field. This important piece of farming equipment is starting to show it’s age. He bought it new over ten years ago from a tractor dealer way up in Vermont, close to Burlington. It has been pretty reliable until now. It took a long time to get the correct parts and then a while to get our neighbor Jason to fix it. All the while, The Farmer was chomping at the bit – trying to be patient with all the waiting and watching the perfect weather go by without being out there harvesting.

After about a month of delays, the baler was up and running. Then the rains came. When you make hay, you need a good stretch of weather to make a successful harvest – two days is good but three is much better. Between all the rain, he’s been fitting a field in here and there. The schedule goes a bit like this.

Day One:
1. Cut hay with a mower. It helps if the blades are really sharp, otherwise the mowing can be slow. That happened a month ago. Now all the blades have been replaced.
2. Later in the day, run the tedder through the hay to fluff and help it dry. Basically, a tedder is a giant tossing machine and the hay ends up in a fluffy, loose pile so that the air can get at it.
Day Two:
3. Rake the hay into rows with the rake.
4. Bale the still damp hay. Our baler makes giant round bales that weigh about 800 lbs. You’ve probably seen bales like this out in fields.
5. Wrap the bales in white agricultural plastic using a bale wrapper.

Although the giant white plastic bales aren’t the most attractive thing to see lining the beautiful fields of New England, they are current choice of most farmers. It is possible to “put up” the hay not completely dry or even wet which is called haylage. The wrapping machine encloses the haylage in several layers creating a vacuum. Inside the bales, the hay pickles. It keeps for over a year inside the wrapping, as long as no holes are made by crows, or bears. We know this because we have lost several bales to animals. We try to keep checking our bales just in case they become damaged. That way, we can feed them out before they become too spoiled.

Years ago, most farmers made square bales of hay that were tied with sisal twine. Square bales aren’t really square – they are rectangular – but they have always been called “square bales.” Funny. They weighed about 30 to 40 lbs and could be lifted and stacked into neat piles to be stored for the winter in big old hay barns. Although many people still like square bales, they are really difficult for farmers to make. A farmer has to find a bunch of people to pick up the bales as they come out of the baler, stack them on hay wagon, and then load them into a barn. It is also vitally important that the hay is put up very dry. Square bales that are wet are very combustible. There’s been many a big old barn that has been burned down from the heat building up in the bales and then catching the structure on fire.

The big problem around here with putting up square bales is the labor. When My Farmer was a kid, he helped every farmer around town picking up and stacking up bales. Part of the pay was lunch and snacks and cold drinks. He still talks about Mrs. Dyer’s homemade vanilla ice cream with maple syrup and Mrs. Miller’s endless glasses of cold milk and beef heart sandwiches. That’s the power of food and drink on a teenage boy on a scorching hot summer day in August – a memory that lasts forever.

Now, it’s pretty difficult to find teenagers who want to spend a day out in the hot sun, sweating and lifting dirty, heavy bales of hay that are tied with sisal string that can cut your fingers. They would rather be slinging burgers at Wendy’s or playing video games on the computer. That’s why we “put up” round bales. It only takes one person with working equipment to cut, bale and wrap several acres of hay. The equipment and repair is expensive to keep up but it makes feeding our sheep home-grown hay possible all year long. We don’t need a barn to store the hay – the bales can be set aside at the edge of the field until needed. That’s why you see giant “marshmallows” lining the sides of roads and fields throughout the hills and valleys of New England and other farming communities.

We’re in for another week of rain. The hay will be growing like crazy while the rain pours. It’s a good thing we haven’t started planting our sunflower field yet. Otherwise, the seeds would be rotting and we’d have to start that project all over again. We’re wondering if it will happen at all this year.

Kittens are Ready to Fly the Coop

2009-07-01T18:02:00.002-04:00

Our spring litter of kittens is ready to leave. This batch has such great personality. There’s Miley the Hunter (the solid black kitten) and Hannah the Love. Persy (Persimmon the short haired orange kitty) is the most out-going and adventuresome. And fluffy Zelda (who is probably a boy) is the laziest of all. Every morning he falls asleep on The Farmer’s farming magazine while he is drinking his cup of tea. It’s such a sweet sight.

Tomorrow Gudrun is coming to pick up Persy. I’m waiting to hear from Sarah about Hannah. Sarah – Are you out there? Are you still interested? We’re looking in earnest for homes for the other two if anyone is interested!

Summer Starts and Gustav Stickley's Craftsman Farms

2009-06-29T10:56:00.000-04:00

Julia and I have just spent a few days visiting my mom, sisters, and cousins in New Jersey. We had to fit in a quick visit before she started summer school today. We both had a great time and Julia learned to swim in my mom's heated pool without a floatie which is the best news. Last summer she was on the verge of swimming but just didn't have the confidence to take off the floatie. Last week, there wasn't a "bubble" available. She was nervous at first but then figured out she could do it and there was no looking back. It's too bad we didn't have a few more days. The cousins really spurred her on.

Usually when we're at Mom's with cousins and aunts, we don't do a lot except hang around and visit. But this trip, my sister Nancy and I decided that the kids needed a bit of culture. Gustav Stickley's "Craftsman Farms" is only about fifteen minutes from Mom's house. I had been there once several years ago but boy has it changed. If you aren't familiar with Gustav Stickley, he was one of the leaders of the Arts and Crafts Movement in the early 20th century in America. His furniture made by his company is widely collected and the ideas he spread with his "The Craftsman" Magazine (published between 1901 and 1916) are so current with the times we are living in. Amazingly, you can find the archives of The Craftsman Magazine on line HERE.

Gustav Stickley had big ideas and for many years his business prospered. He had his own building in NYC at 6 East 39th Street which housed his showrooms and a restaurant. He purchased 650 acres of land in Parsippany NJ and planned to build a school for young boys to learn life skills. On his farm, he also built several cottages, a cow barn, milking room, horse barns and grew produce which he used for his restaurant in NYC. Eventually, he abandoned his school idea and decided to build his family a home on the farm (shown above). This is the home you can tour today.

Craftsman Farms is a jewel - it sits very close to Route 10 in Parsippany and there is a very tiny sign mentioning its National Historic Landmark status. I'm sure most people who live in that area of New Jersey have never visited it. The tour is informative and generous and we really got the feeling of Stickley's ideals by seeing the rooms, furniture and textiles.

Sadly, Stickley went bankrupt in 1917 and the home and property was sold. Luckily, The Farny Family purchased the home, complete with all the furniture. They lived in it until the 1980's and kept it just the way Stickley had designed it with the exception of painting and decorating. The home was in danger of being destoyed for a townhouse complex but in 1989 the Township of Parsippany purchased it and a foundation was set up to preserve the home. The furniture had all been auctioned off but over the years, the Foundation has been able to purchase some and much has been donated.

My favorite thing about the house is all of the handmade touches that still remain. There are several hoods over the fireplaces and each has a hand-hammered saying etched upon it. My favorite is this one from Chaucer: "The Lyf So Short, The Craft So Long To Lerne."

A trip to this house museum is surely worth it if you are a fan of such places. Next visit to NJ, we're going to try to see Thomas Edison's house in West Orange.

Come and "Get Stitched" at Kristin Nicholas' Leyden Glen Farm

2009-06-25T07:30:00.001-04:00

My big news is that I will be teaching a series of courses at our farmhouse beginning this August. Inspired by other book authors including Patricia Wells, Susan Hermann Loomis, Ricki Carroll, Denyse Schmidt, Joel Salatin and Natalie Chanin, The Farmer and I have decided to open our home and my studio up to a very small number of students. It's going to be really fun (if not a whole heck of a lot of work to prepare for). We're going to try to give all the students a real taste of farm life along with some great knitting instruction.

You can read all about it on my new descriptional blog/website - link below.

Kristin Nicholas Presents "Get Stitched on the Farm Classes."

Spread the word for me! If these fly, I'll be adding more to the schedule. I can guarantee you a memory you will keep for the rest of your life! As my mom says "Kristin, this place just is like no other."

Something's Brewing and Stewing!

2009-06-24T06:30:00.000-04:00

There's a lot new going on around here besides kittens! Check back on Thursday morning for a big announcement. I'm not going to give any hints except to say that the project I have been thinking about for six months and working on for the past few weeks is coming together.

I can't wait to share it with you then.

Kristin Nicholas Sock Yarn from Nashua Handknits

2009-06-17T11:31:00.005-04:00

The title of this post kind of says it all. This is my big news! I've designed a sock yarn for Nashua Handknits in my very own color range. They've named it Best Foot Forward - or BFF for short. There are 8 lovely color combinations.

My sock yarn had its debut at TNNA over the weekend and it was such a huge hit. It was the first time I had seen it except in the presentation materials shown here. This page is the lay-out as the yarn is shown in Nashua's Look Book that is mailing to all their current wholesale accounts this week. Doesn't it look great?

Here's what the label looks like. Lydian, the graphic designer at Nashua, took some of my spot art I found recently and used one of my flowers on the front of the label. Then she gently squeezed in a small photo of each of the colors in a knitted up swatch. I think this is a great idea so that sock knitters know all the variations that are out there and can keep coming back for new colors.

The put-up is also knitter-friendly. It comes in 100 gram balls so one ball is enough to make a pair of socks. The yarn is composed of the standard sock blend - 75% wool and 25% nylon - so it will be long lasting and wearable. The yarn was spun in Italy and there are 459 yards in each ball! I've got to find some size 1 sock needles and start a pair with the couple of balls I snagged from the Nashua trade show booth!

I designed the sock yarn's colorway so that it mimics my Fair Isle designs that I usually knit in my Julia yarn. I combined solid stripes of color with some "faux" Fair Isle bands. The Fair Isle Bands were designed to look like Ikat fabric. Ikat fabric is one of my favorite fabrics made by hand-dyeing warp threads before dressing a loom. There are many ethnic cultures who still make ikat fabric. When I was in college and grad school studying textiles and weaving I made my own ikat fabrics. It was incredibly difficult to do and I marvel at the precision that textile makers in other countries still do to produce such incredible patterned fabrics. Have a look at this website if you are curious. I've got a few of these fabrics in my textile collection and I really treasure them!

As with all sock yarns, depending on the number of stitches and the width of the sock, your socks will vary from the photos on the label. But at least you get an idea of the color range and the finished product.

If you are a local yarn store (and I know there are plenty of you reading out there since I met so many of you this weekend), make sure you ask your Nashua/Westminster rep about my new sock yarn Best Foot Forward. Nashua is running a special - if you buy one bag each of the eight colors, you'll receive a free sock for display. But place your order quickly as sample socks may be limited. The yarn is due to ship to stores in the middle of July.

Look for it then!

TNNA Blur and Color by Kristin

2009-06-16T11:39:00.006-04:00

I'm back from TNNA in Columbus, OH. Oh, what a whirlwind full of old friends, dinners, selling yarn, talking about my new book and basically having a good old time. The whole experience brings me back to the days when I worked for a yarn company. Those years were full of travel, trade shows - both exhibiting and visiting to buy yarn, very long days and many nice dinners. I really don't miss those days too much - except for the dinner part - that I do miss. I love to try food in many different countries of the world and the USA. This past weekend I got to share many meals with publishers, designers, and yarn companies and it was great fun.

I had a small section of the Nashua Handknits Booth to set up to display the projects from my new book Color by Kristin. All of the projects were incredibly well-received and I have high hopes for the book too. The staff at Sixth and Spring has done an incredible job putting together this book. I can't let on too much because I want it to be a surprise for knitters. One thing I can say is that besides over 25 projects, there is also a lot of technical information on knitting that is timeless.

There's been much discussion about the cover of the book as there always is. The publishers always try to pick the one that will be the most tempting to buyers. I think they have gotten it right. Here it is for all of you to see:

I think it is beautiful. It speaks to knitters - whether beginners or advanced knitters. It also challenges the reader to look inside to see what else is in the book. I do know the yarn stores loved it as did many of the other industry folks I visited with.

Now is the time that your local yarn store is ordering fall yarn. If your LYS doesn't have my Julia Yarn, please give them a little nudge. I did sell a lot of Julia to many new accounts but not all yarn stores travel to a show like this. Most shops see sales reps in their store and place their fall orders with them. Ask them to order my Julia Yarn so that you will be able to knit the projects in this new book.

I've got some more exciting news but I'm going to wait until tomorrow to let you in on that!

Many of you have asked if I will be selling signed copies of Color by Kristin on my website. The answer is "YES - I SURELY WILL!" Color by Kristin will not be available until early November so I hesitate to put it on my website now for purchasing. The website is set up so that you can purchase through PayPal. As you know, when you order, the money is taken out of your PayPal account. This would mean you would be prepaying for the book several months in advance and I think most people wouldn't want to do that. What do you think? Would you like to be first in line to buy a signed copy? Would you mind prepaying? Just wondering? If I have enough of interest, I will get it put up soon. I sincerely thank everyone who does purchase my books directly from me. Those sales help contribute to keep this little old farm running - animals and people fed, clothed and sheltered. Thanks so much!

My Staff

2009-06-11T10:00:00.002-04:00

A few weeks ago I got an e-mail note from a woman named Evelyn. She was knitting a teddy bear I designed for the book I wrote with Melanie Falick called Knitting for Baby and was having trouble with the shoulders. I was in the middle of one of the last crunches on my upcoming book - Color by Kristin - and just didn’t have the time to answer. So I didn’t, much as I wanted to. When you do what I do, you have to spend your time where it is needed most. Most publishers have a staff person or a tech editor on retainer that I can pass pattern problems onto. As far as I know, this is not the case with STC so I usually have to help knitters through problems they have with books I have written for them. Honestly, this is one of my least favorite parts of my job.

When I write and design for a knitting book, I give the publisher the instructions my knitters have made the projects from. Then the publisher’s tech editor puts those instructions into the house style (every publisher has a different style). At the same time, the tech editor checks math and tweaks the instructions so that they are understandable and hopefully perfect. Tech editors are the un-sung heroes of the yarn industry. They stay behind the scene, tidying everything up and making authors and publishers shine. They strive for perfection and clarity. A good tech editor is in high demand and most of them are extremely busy people.

After a book is laid out, the manuscript is sent back to the author for re-checking. This is a crucial spot for the author to find inconsistencies or mis-interpretation by the tech editor. It’s the part I really try to spend hours on because I want my books to be understandable and easy to knit from. I was at this point with Color by Kristin when Evelyn contacted me.

Evelyn did not give up. Two weeks later she contacted me again. My book crisis was past and I had forgotten about her e-mail – it was buried in my in-box. At this point, I had a minute to look at the pattern for her. As far as I could tell, there was no problem with the pattern. Most times, this is the case but a knitter is not understanding how the directions are written or how a project is made. It is a matter of interpretation. I could tell this was Evelyn’s problem because the little bear isn’t the most straight forward project – although it is darn cute.

I wrote Evelyn back, helped her out and here’s what she wrote to me.

“Dear Kristin,
Thank you so much for personally responding to my email. I am honored. I expected one of your staff persons to answer. I actually feel very badly now for having bothered you with my problem. I feel so dumb for not understanding the instructions (everything is explained in depth in that book), I apologize. I was getting so frustrated and couldn't figure out my mistake. I understand now that I'm to sew the stitches that were bound off which will become the shoulder. I am so excited!!!
Thank you so much for your kindness and time.
Sincerely,
Evelyn”

I was relieved that her project was going to work out. But I was in hysterics also. Evelyn thinks I have a “staff.” If Evelyn ever knew. I decided to write back:

“Hi Evelyn:
I'm still laughing that you think I have a "staff!" It's just me and my dogs, cats, sheep, chickens and actually, I am the only staff -- I'm their staff! I take care of their food and water and letting them in an out, so I suppose I am their maid and chef! Hope the grandbaby likes the teddy (or at least the mom or dad of the grandbaby!)
Good weekend,
Kristin”

This little back and forth has made me think about how knitters perceive “the designers” they look to for patterns and creativity. There are a lot of us designers out here and there are very few of us who have “staffs.” Knitwear designers who write knitting books are usually trying to juggle a million balls at the same time – designing, writing, promoting, teaching, doing t.v. gigs (when asked), writing blogs, and more. And then there is the normal everyday things that need to be done. Around here, if I think about it, my head spins. This week, we’ve already been to two farmer’s markets to sell lamb, along with doing all the farm chores, entertaining an out of town guest with a good meal, planting our vegetable garden, mulching the flower beds.

Today, I am off to TNNA in Columbus. I’ll be helping to set up the Westminster Fibers Booth on Friday. On Saturday and Sunday, I’ll be selling yarn for them. If you are there, stop by and say “hi.” I’ll have a mock-up of my new book with me (that I had bound at Staples last night) and some lovely postcards for a takeaway gift. Hopefully I will be re-connecting with old friends and meeting some new ones.

To tell you the truth, getting away for this weekend will actually be a bit of a vacation from my everyday chores. No chickens or chicks or guinea hens to feed. No kittens or cats or dogs to feed. No errant sheep to corral back into the pasture. No family to cook and care for. And I don’t even have to cook for myself.

Truth be told, I can’t wait to get back to all my normalness on Monday!

Leyden Glen Lamb Website

2009-06-09T06:49:00.000-04:00

...... is live! There's still some pages to complete but it's a start! I'll let you know when I get even more helpful information added.

Check it out here! Thanks to Lori Gayle, my fabulous web guru for putting it together so nicely and fitting it into her overbooked schedule!

Everyone Likes Eggs at The Farmer’s Market - But Please Buy Some Lamb!

2009-06-08T13:32:00.004-04:00

This past week, The Farmer, Julia and I did two mid-week farmer’s markets in little towns close by to our farm. We were asked by a friend who is in charge of the Agricultural Commission in a neighboring town if we would come sell our lamb. She had heard that we were now trying to establish a retail lamb meat business. We said “yes” without really thinking about what it would entail and then had to follow through on our promise.

The Tuesday market is held in the parking lot of The United Church in Bernardston. It is free for farmers (no booth charge at these markets) but as a farmer, you have to commit to packing a truck, driving there (20 minutes one way), standing and smiling for 3 hours – hoping some kind soul will buy our lamb, and then packing up, driving home, and unloading the truck at our place, moving the frozen lamb to yet another freezer before cooking dinner, getting the homework done, and then collapsing for the night.

In addition, we had to purchase a smallish chest freezer ($250) that could go to the market with us (the local Board of Health looks out for all of you!), a special adaptor for the truck to turn the battery into an electric outlet for the chest freezer ($59), and an extension cord ($10). I also had to pack up a calculator, business cards, promotional cards, pen, change box, some water to drink, and whatever else we all possibly need for three hours in the sun. Then we had to weigh and mark the meat with prices – since I don’t want to have to also haul the scale (which I bought on-line from Scales Galore for $150 plus freight - which by the way would make an awesome scale for anyone doing dyeing....), pack the meat in a cooler with ice to hold it while we drove in two separate trucks to the market. (The Farmer had hay down and couldn't stay and sell with us.) When we got to the market, we had to off-load all this stuff, including the totally unwieldy chest freezer that takes two strong people to get off the truck safely. I think if we had thought all this out, we might not have been so quick to say ‘yes, sounds like fun and a good opportunity!”

I’m posting all this stuff here for you to read for your enjoyment (Oh, yeah – are they nuts or what?) and for your education as to what it takes for a farmer to go to a Farmer’s Market. And none of these kooky details include what it took to birth the lambs, raise them successfully, get them to the slaughterhouse, drop them off safely, pick them up and transport them home successfully to our freezer, only to pack them up again and then take them to our local farmer’s market.

I am not writing this for sympathy. Aaaahhh, woe is me – This is all so much hard work….. I am writing this to get all of you, my loyal readers, to visit your local farmer’s market and support your local farmers! The Farmer’s Market Concept is becoming so popular and widespread now that many, many small towns are organizing them in church parking lots, town commons and other spaces. They are fun to go to by yourself, with your children, or with a friend. By visiting and buying from your local farmers, you’ll help keep the agricultural land in your area planted, productive, and green. You’ll have a direct input to your local community by keeping your dollars in local families homes as compared to shopping with huge “out of town” corporations.

Lately, I’ve been thinking there needs to be a Ravelry Group called “Knitters Who Eat Lamb!) What do you think? Would anyone join? I think about this a lot because as I travel around the country, teaching knitting with color or whatever I am most interested in at the moment, I usually include a brief introduction to where I live. I usually give a bit of a slide show – showing my family and extended family of animals. Inevitably, as I talk about our sheep, lambs, pigs, chickens, there is always a “cry-out” from many knitters in the audience. “Oh my goodness,” they say, “How could you eat them?” The easiest way for me to explain to people why it is necessary for us to sell our lambs for meat is to talk about the exponential growth that occurs in a flock of sheep. We started out with four sheep back in 1979. That morphed to 7, then 15, then 30, and on and on. We have literally birthed thousands of sheep over these past 30 years. No farmer, unless perhaps they are Paul McCartney or someone else with very deep pockets, could ever continue to feed and keep all the sheep that are born – year after year. Not to mention the work, the hay that has to be cut, the housing that needs to be built for the flock. It just doesn’t work that way. And so we choose to eat our sheep and sell them for meat.

I grew up in the suburbs of NY City – in northern New Jersey. My family didn’t raise our own food, except for some veggies. All of our food came from the local grocery store. Every night, we ate some kind of protein, whether it be chicken, beef, fish or pork. Never did my sisters and I have any realistic regard for the life that was sacrificed for our dinner, nor the farmer who grew it. Dinner was just expected – protein and vegetables with some kind of potato, bread or rice every night before we ran out the door to a high school extra-curricular meeting or homework before the t.v. screen.

No, the meat that America buys does not originate magically in plastic wrapped Styrofoam container packages. That meat has to originate somewhere. That animal that you are feeding to your family – whether it be hamburg (cow), chicken tenders (poultry), lamb chops (sheep), or pork tenderloin (pig) – all started somewhere – on someone’s farm (factory farm or homestead – they all begin somewhere). That piece of meat began as a baby animal. It grew into an adult that was of a size that was advantageous for the farmer to part with at a certain cost. That animal was released into the food chain and became packaged meat for your family to enjoy.

So what in the heck is the title of this post all about? I also brought a couple dozen of my hen’s eggs to the market. They were gone in a flash. I think shoppers are a little afraid of eating lamb. I’ll keep working on them though. Our lamb is tasty and delicious and healthy. I only wish my hens could lay three eggs each a day. Everyone loves farm fresh eggs, don’t they? They don’t have to think about the animal being slaughtered, they just think about healthy little chickens running around a farmyard!

Off to paint yet another sign – a Leyden Glen Farm sign to drag around to the local Farmer’s Markets!

It's Been Ten Years

2009-06-04T10:05:00.002-04:00

My family and I have just celebrated the tenth anniverysary of living in our farmhouse. We moved here on May 21st, 1999. I remember the day precisely. It was a beautiful day – sunny, clear, and not too hot. Julia was ten months old. The Farmer and I had bought this place is May of 1998 – a few months before our child was to be born. We found our place through our friend Will, who happened to be a realtor. His family has been a friend of The Farmer’s family for many decades.

The Farmer is from “here” – that is western Massachusetts. He grew up on a dairy farm in a town on the northern Massachusetts line, just south of Vermont. That farm has been in his family since the early 1900’s. Me? I had always been a visitor “here” – not really belonging – but always wanting to. I first came to this area in 1979 on a trip back from college in Oregon. I immediately fell in love with the place, the hills, the farms, the vistas, nature. It was so different than from where I grew up in the suburbs of northern New Jersey.

In February of 1998 when I was five months pregnant with our only child, I got a phone call at work from The Farmer. He said that our friend Will had called and told him that “The Britton Place” was for sale. I didn’t have a clue what he was talking about. All I knew was that he was telling me that we had to place an offer on this place and immediately - right then, over the telephone.

My Farmer has been known to buy a truck in about ten minutes. If he knows what he is looking for, he doesn’t waste time hemming and hawing about whether the decision is right or not. He just goes for it and deals with the consequences later. This trait of his is admirable but can be a wee bit frustrating to live with – especially when dealing with big ticket items like real estate. In the back of my mind though, I know he is almost always right, whether it is an instinct thing, or not.

And so, when he called me at work, pregnant and stressed, I took the call in the warehouse of the yarn company I worked in. He sounded determined and I asked him if perhaps I might be able to look at the place he wanted me to buy and live in eventually. Within a few minutes, he called me back. We were to see the place the next day in the early afternoon.

When I got home, I asked him what there was about the place that made him want to buy it. The Farmer said that his mom, Betty, too had wanted to buy the place one of the few times this place was for sale. It was the late 1960’s and her husband had just died. She was left with three boys ages 12, 8 and 4. This place, "The Britton Place" as it is still referred to by long-time locals, was for sale and she thought it would be a fresh start for the four of them. The three boys didn’t agree – they wanted to stay at the farm they had always known, a place that had been in their father’s French Canadian family since the early 1900’s . And so Betty, my mother-in-law, had bowed to the wishes of her kids and didn’t buy “The Britton Place.”

And so now it was our turn. We made an appointment for the next day and I skipped out of work early, not mentioning a word about where I was going nor what I was thinking about. We drove on the winding back roads from eastern Massachusetts, through southern New Hampshire and then back into western Massachusetts. The ground was thawing and “frost heaves” were appearing. For anyone who isn’t from “here,” frost heaves are giant bumps in the road, any road. They are similar to asphalt speed bumps, only they are made by Mother Nature. The frost heaves climb out of the road haphazardly… making riding in a car for any pregnant woman totally uncomfortable. As you drive your car along, you may find yourself flying over a jump at any time. I’ll never forget that ride – anticipation and frost heaves.

We made our way to western Massachusetts and then met up with our realtor friend Will. We followed him up and down the winding dirt roads of the hills. I was excited, as I always am when I am visiting a home – any home – whether I am thinking of living in it or not. It seemed a lifetime until we arrived. We climbed up a twisty, windy road, through a farmyard and then down the other side, past some ramshackle barns and past an old house with a driveway full of trucks, past a field dotted with decomposing farm vehicles... As I looked out the window, I could see forever – all the way down to Springfield, Massachusetts and Connecticut.

Slowly, we crawled lower into the valley….. Soon, we pulled up in front of a grey painted cape style house. I looked at the house and quickly dismissed it. It was like so many I had seen in New England – small and compact, set sturdily into the hillside. There was nothing grand about it – it just looked snug and neat and safe. And then I looked at the landscape – it was breath-taking.

I was captivated with the idea of living on the side of that hill. I sat there for a minute – looking at the hills, sensing the peace and quiet. I looked at my husband and said, “Oh, I see what you mean…. We can buy it.”

The rest of the afternoon was a blur. We went into the house with Will and we looked around. The house was definitely solid and sturdy. Will said it dated to 1751 although deeds from those days are so unspecific that it’s difficult to know when a particular house was built. There was a giant fireplace in the living room made of brick. To the right was a domed “bread oven.” Jersey girl that I was, I had never quite been in a house like this, except for house museums. It all seemed fine to me – nothing exceptional – but a place I might be able to make into OUR home.

It was the setting that was “it” for me. It was isolated, but not too isolated as to feel cut off from the world. The dirt road was curvy, steep and rugged, unlike any place I had ever lived before. And the view when you stepped from the door of the little cape was beyond beautiful. I could feel the wildlife stirring even if it was all hidden in the abandoned apple orchard that edged the overgrown pastures outside the front door.

We went back to Will’s house and I called my dad. I told him about the place and asked him what to do. He asked me “Well, Kris, do you like it?” (My parents and my sisters are the only ones I allow to call me "Kris"! I can still hear my dad saying it, even five years after he is gone.) I said “Oh yeah. It is just what we are looking for.” I asked him what we should offer. He told me not to quibble. If we liked it, give them what they wanted and be done with it. My Dad always gave me the best advice and for that day’s, I am very thankful. I hung up the phone and The Farmer and I put together a full-price offer with Will.

We drove back home to Pepperell, Massachusetts where we were living. When we got back home we had a phone call from Will that our offer had been accepted. I went to bed that night not knowing what the future held. I was just a couple months short of 40 years old, pregnant with my first child, and totally ensconsed in a creative job I loved. I doubt I slept a wink. You never know what the future holds, but that night it seemed all the more uncertain.

Now it has been eleven years since we bought our place and ten years since we moved here to live. I’ve grown to love our farm and our area more than any place I ever have. I’m glad we took the plunge and decided to change our lives. Change isn’t always easy but it is good. For us, we have found ourselves living amongst wonderful people, interesting community and beautiful nature. I’ve had a lot of people write to me over the years I have had this blog, asking me how we ever made the decision to move to the country and how difficult it was. Did we have any kind of plan? All I can say to all of you is, sometimes it’s not planning that shapes your life. Little decisions can end up being big moments. Things happen that you have no control over and you have to go with them – see where they take you.

Our move to the country was partly a financial decision – we had two homes and couldn’t afford both of them. We had a new daughter born with a disability (hydrocephalus) and I wasn’t able to go back to my full-time job because someone had to stay in the hospital with her frequently, take her to myriads of doctor appointments, care for her. We didn’t intend to move here as quickly as we did. We thought we would save some money and move here when Julia was about five.

Sometimes when things present themselves in certain ways in your life, you just have to go with your instincts and follow them where they lead you. Our instincts led us here, to this farm and what we are doing now. It’s been a great adventure.

So nice to have you all along for the ride…. Thank you all, my loyal blog readers, for reading and sharing our life on this farm for all these years.

What I've Been Doing.....

2009-05-29T10:59:00.004-04:00

Besides STILL working on the proofs for my upcoming book "Color by Kristin" and fixing a bunch of Illustrator drawings, things have been even more busy around here. I've been working on a website for our Leyden Glen Lamb business which my web guru Lori will hopefully be putting up next week. It's almost complete! Wouldn't you know that the people who take care of my server, etc. decided to move this week with no notice. No wonder noone would call me back..... Frustrating to say the least. Hopefully next week..... I'll announce, of course, when it is up!

I've been painting signs like crazy so there is some signage for our farm and self-serve stand. We live off the beaten path so this whole thing is a crap-shoot. We'll see if we sell anything..... It does look quite cute though, if I must say so. If you do want to come and buy lamb meat, you can find the driving directions temporarily on a Leyden Glen Lamb blog I set up as a "stop gap" measure.

I missed the series on NPR about the "Five Farms" but it looks like you can download it. Maybe when I go to the library the next time, if I can remember..... I just found out that the Producer of the series, Wesley Horner, is local. Small world.

New Life

2009-05-28T09:52:00.000-04:00

The Kitten Farmer, aka Julia, is proud to announce her latest litter of kitties. Today they are three weeks old. Their eyes are open and we are able to hold them. They aren't very photogenic yet but they sure are sweet. For all of my readers who love kittens, you can be sure there will be many photos in the upcoming weeks.

For the record, there are two red striped tigers (one with white and one without), one black, and one grey tabby with quite a bit of white on it.

Wheelview on the Weekend

2009-05-27T09:56:00.001-04:00

This weekend Julia, The Farmer and I headed on up to Wheelview Farm in Shelburne, MA. Owned by John and Carolyn Wheeler, Wheelview is a grass-fed cattle farm high in the hills of western Massachusetts. The farm has been in Carolyn's family for generations and you can feel the passion and respect of the generations through all the care the Wheelers take with their farmstead, barns and animals. They have a self-serve farmstand in a small ell off the side of the house. Their freezers are stocked with many different cuts of meat and it is delicious. Our visit coincided with their annual open house. There was plenty to do for the kids including looking for pennies in a kiddie pool full of sawdust (what a great idea and it sure did keep Julia busy!) I got to pick up some local grass-fed beef for our freezer (because even a lamb loving family need to have a beef burger once in a while). Carolyn had set out a lovely display of birds nests that she has found in the bushes and trees on their farm. I love that the little nests were full of black and auburn hair from the cows lining the inside of the nests.

The Farmer got to talk farming with a fellow farmer, John Wheeler. This always makes his day.

Farmers are a funny breed. They are most comfortable talking to other farmers. I have listened in on many of these conversations over the years. The talk always begins with the weather and how it is hindering some kind of farm activity. When the weather isn't hindering farming, then there is no time to talk for farmers to talk. They are out there mowing, raking, and wrapping hay. I know not to get in the way of My Farmer's haying schedule.

After haying, the conversation then moves on to admiring the conformation of animals and discussing many of the individual animals' attributes in a field before them. This can vary from pounds of milk from a dairy cow, number of lambs from a sheep, or mothering ability of a beef cow. Farmers are extremely proud of their animals and all the work they put into them. To keep a "line" of animals going, it takes untold hours of care for the animals and for the land they graze. I can see, after all these years, why farmers like to talk to other farmers. There is barely a "normal" person out there who understands the work that running a farm takes, nor can admire honestly another farmer's animals. (And boy, are the Wheeler's cows beautiful and healthy.)

The conversation then turns to trading farming ideas. This kind of talk centers around haying equipment, fencing, tractors, available farm loans, and dealing with non-farming neighbors. I always find this part of the conversation quite interesting because who other than a farmer could trade such information. Lastly the conversation turns to gossiping about other local farmers, what they are doing - whether they are good or bad farmers or whether their luck is good or bad. The conversation usually wraps up with a very short good-bye and then the farmers go their separate ways, until next time.

And so it was this weekend as My Farmer talked with John Wheeler, co-owner with his wife Carolyn of Wheelview Farm. The Farmer is never long with words nor conversation, except when he finds another farmer to talk to. Then he can go on and on and on. And he did. It was fun to see him have such a good time. We all enjoyed our visit and left feeling we are not alone in what we are doing, trying to raise lamb for local families to enjoy while keeping the pastures and hillsides green and fertile and land open for future generations. And Julia left with a pile full of pennies that she was very proud of.

Meeting The Governor

2009-05-26T17:50:00.000-04:00

Okay, so I'm stretching it here a bit. I didn't meet The Governor of my fine State of Massachusetts, but I did go and hear him speak this morning. Friday afternoon, I got an e-mail from Massachusetts Broadband Institute announcing that Governor Patrick would be speaking at the Town Hall in New Salem, Massachusetts. At first I dismissed the e-mail, muttering to myself, "oh yeah, just another big meeting in the eastern part of the State." And then I thought a bit about it and remembered that New Salem is nowhere near "old" Salem, it's actually about an hour from my hometown and the home of Leslie Sharr who often comments on this blog.

I thought about it for the weekend and asked my neighbor Alicia if she would like to go see what the Governor had to say. Alicia and I are spearheading efforts for broadband service to unserved residents of our town. Off we toddled down the hill and over many more hills to come upon the beautiful New England town center of New Salem. The place was swarming with police cars, residents and many folks who had driven in from all over the State who are desperate for broadband service. I even ran into Leslie Sharr, how's that for a small world! Also got to meet John Ramsay, Regional Administrator of the Western Massachusetts Library System who recognized me for my t.v. appearance in support of libraries and broadband.

The Governor was late but when he did arrive eventually and when he began speaking I was impressed. I have never seen "a governor" before and not a big fan of politicians. Governor Patrick was compassionate, caring, smart, and seems committed to all residents of MA having Broadband Service by the end of 2011. Although this seems an eternity, it made me feel a bit better to see and hear personal stories of so many others who are in the same boat as me.

You can read more about the meeting here. The general purpose of the meeting was to announce a software program for "mapping" unserved households of the State of Massachusetts. With the data that the Mass Broadband Institute receives they will then be able to develop a plan for getting high speed service to all households. Although this whole announcement seems to do little to get me and my fellow unserved residents Broadband, it seems that it is a step in the right direction. As much as I would like a miracle to happen and all of a sudden have Verizon drive up to my door and install a fiber optic cable opening the world of Broadband to my home, I have to be realistic. If this mapping thing helps, then I will do my best to get my neighbors to sign up.

If you live in Massachusetts and are are unserved by high-speed internet service, sign up here to help the State map your location: Mass Broadband Mapping Survey for Dial-up users

It was a good day out and although I didn't get a lick of work done, sometimes you have to get out there to know you aren't the only one struggling in similar situations. That's the problem with working from home in an isolated area - not that I would give it up. For all you wannabee country folks, just know that moving to the country does pose problems that you might never think about.

Massachusetts Sheep & Wool Festival This Weekend

2009-05-21T09:27:00.003-04:00

This weekend is the small and family friendly Massachusetts Sheep and Wool Festival. If you are looking for a fun day, drive to Cummington and enjoy all the sheep, sheep dogs, wool, mohair, angora, and food! Julia and I are going on Saturday so please say hi if you see us looking around!

If you have time after the Festival, drive on up to our Farmstand which I finally have open! It's not real fancy but it will do the trick. I've got the freezer loaded with our lamb and a fridge full of fresh eggs. It's self-serve so bring cash or a check. I've got to get the signs for the road done - and hope to have them on the trees they need to be on by Saturday morning.

I'm working on a website for this new venture, but for now, I've got driving directions on a new Leyden Glen Lamb Blog I just started this week. It also has "frequently asked questions" about buying lamb. Although this isn't as professional and sleek as I want it to be, it was the quickest way for me to get the information out there! I'll let you all know when the "real" website is up.

Late Sunday Afternoon

2009-05-19T11:14:00.003-04:00

Saturday evening we had some friends over for dinner to celebrate mutual birthdays. We did the obligatory walk around the farm so everyone could see the sheep and the chickens and then went into the kitchen to settle in for a glass of wine and some pre-dinner snacks. Everyone was in a jovial mood - catching up since we hadn't seen our friends in over six months. I was sitting at the kitchen table where there is a view out the window. The Farmer was just about to tell everyone about a funny scene from a BBC show we used to watch called Ballykissangel. I knew exactly the scene he was going to tell them - about the old shepherd who made cut-out plywood sheep and set them up on his hillside so it would look like he had more sheep than he really did. As I looked up and out the window, there went a mess of adult sheep flying by....

I stopped the conversation quickly - yelling - "Oh my goodness - there go the sheep....." Noone had a clue what I was talking about - especially The Farmer who thought the adult ewes were way up the hillside grazing our neighbor's field. I said "No Mark - look - it's the mamas." Talk about a conversation stopper.

Luckily we had sheep tolerant friends visiting. All nine of us headed outdoors to try to contain the renegade sheep. Without the dogs, we all would have been useless. We positioned some friends by the gate and told them to flap their arms when the sheep came back and point them into the fenced in pasture to mingle with the lambs that are living in our front pasture. With Phoebe and Nessie, it took about 4 minutes to get 100 or so contained.

The Farmer drove back up the hill quickly before dark fell and found a handful of lambs left in the field. His theory is that something spooked the sheep and they all headed home. The little ones didn't know to move fast enough. Hopefully they would stay safe overnight. We'll never know what happened but it did make for a memorable dinner party.

Sunday's job was to reset fences, split up the flock once again and send the mamas back up the hill. It took the better part of the day but by late afternoon, we were ready to move them on out.

Here they go up the field directly behind our house. Nessie is there somewhere helping although the grass is so tall it is hard to see her. When there is such good eating, the sheep like to take their time. We didn't have much time until nightfall so we had to rush them.

Once they all realized where they were going, they started moving quickly. Julia and I stayed behind with the stragglers. As with humans, there are some sheep who are just faster. Here's the leaders of the pack with Eeyore meeting up with the left behind group.

Here's the whole bunch walking down the hill with The Farmer not far behind.

Nessie helped us move them into the enlarged newly fenced field.

Here she is taking a break after all her hard work in a patch of ferns.

As we walked down the hill, the sun was setting and everyone was ready for a night of grazing.

Morning in Mid-May

2009-05-15T09:30:00.000-04:00

Our lower orchard in the fog this morning. It was so ethereal.

This orchard is far from the house and very overgrown. When we first moved here it was so full of brambles that you could barely walk. Old apple trees have fallen down and wild roses have grown up through. We've been using the sheep to help revive the old orchard.

We have nicknamed this orchard "coyote country" because we frequently hear the coyotes down there wooping it up. The sheep will venture down there usually during the daylight hours because there is good feed and sheep are all about the good grass.

A couple years ago, The Farmer dug a "pond" in a wet spot. He did it with the bucket on the tractor so it is basically a square hole in the field about 8 by 10 feet. Not much of a pond, mind you. It fills up with water and the sheep use it when they need it. It is basically a frog pond but pretty in its own right.

It's amazing how a little water adds interest to a scene.

Since the growing lambs are now venturing into "coyote country," we have brought Eeyore in to keep an eye on them. He seems to be taking his job quite seriously and we will hope for the best.

Knitting News Flash - Kaffe in Nashua NH Next Week

2009-05-14T15:19:00.002-04:00

Kaffe Fassett is coming to Nashua NH next Tuesday May 19th. He will be presenting his lecture called Kaleidoscope of Color. I have seen this presentation and it is worth traveling to see. Here's how you learn more!

Where: Marriott Courtyard in Nashua New Hampshire(just off Exit 8)
When: Tuesday May 19th
Time: 6:00 to 7:00 Meet and Greet
7:00 p.m. Lecture
Cash Bar and Snacks
How Much: $25 in Advance - $30 at the Door

For more info:
http://www.westminsterfibers.com/Rowan/Kaffelecture.pdf
Phone 603 689 2500

This event is part of Rowan Yarns' 30th Anniversary Year! Wow - has it been 30 years already?

Is It Local?

2009-05-14T09:41:00.004-04:00

This article appeared in the Food section of the NY Times yesterday? (If you don't have time to read it, it's about Frito-Lay marketing their potato chips as local!) I'd say big corporations are stretching the term "local food," wouldn't you? I guess this may be a good thing, that large corporations are noticing the local food trend..... Or maybe not..... Let's hope they don't squash all us little guys. What do you think?

This is a shot of one of my multi-colored Brandywine tomatoes from last summer's garden. I've got to get some plants in the ground soon.....

Trying to See Things

2009-05-13T07:30:00.000-04:00

This week I am reading my manuscript for the upcoming book. This is the first time I have seen the words and photos laid out together. There sure is a lot of material. I have to read it all for accuracy, add words where needed, take away words where there are too many. I have only a week to do this and believe me - it is a lot to do! Next week I'll be getting more pages to review.

When I have to do this kind of work, I need to be out of my own personal space, away from my computer, and in a place where I won't run into people I know. I have to be quiet and try not to get distracted. At our farmhouse there is distraction galore - the phone, the chance to check e-mail, the chickens cackling and crowing, the sheep escaping the fences, dishes needing to be washed. For the past few book deadlines, I have headed north to Vermont. Brattleboro is one of my stomping grounds but I am not a local so I don't get distracted by friends. I find a cafe and sit and read and drink coffee trying to stay focused.

Yesterday it was a beautiful day and the spring air was calling me. On my way to pick up Julia I stopped at an incredibly beautiful spot called Weatherhead Hollow. Here I sat, reading, writing, correcting and enjoying the incredible May day. Not bad I must say.

I pass this beautiful spot quite a few times a year but barely ever stop to sit and observe nature. The water is so pretty and reflective. This pair of geese was floating around. They will be nesting soon and baby geese will be hatching - all downy and a lovely greyish taupe color.

In the shallow water, lily pads were floating.

This was just the perfect amount of distraction. More to read and do but this book is moving on.

Nature on a Rainy Day in Spring and Musings

2009-05-12T07:14:00.001-04:00

This year's trillium in the rain going by.

Sheep in the hedgerow grazing on a rainy day.

There have been some very powerful photos over on Jon Katz' blog the past few weeks. He has been photographically documenting the last days of a NY State dairy farm owned by a farmer named Jon Clark. The photos are beautiful and very sad. My heart goes out to the farmer and the family who have decided they must give up farming.

The thing is with farmers - they will always be farmers whether they are farming or not. I can't imagine My Farmer without his sheep - he wouldn't be whole. But farming has become ridiculously expensive and difficult to do. Small farmers have to compete against large corporate dairies and for many, it is just too overwhelming a task. Many small dairy farmers are choosing or forced to give up because they can no longer afford to keep their dairies going. Here in Massachusetts we have lost many, many dairy farms. The loss of these businesses changes the landscape and the community of small towns. Every time I hear of a dairy farm closing my heart hurts - for the farmer, his family, the cows, the community, the other businesses who have been supplying them, and the world. The world needs more farmers, not less.

Why I knit will be later this week, I hope. Be patient.

Rain and Sheep

2009-05-11T07:31:00.000-04:00

Sheep trails in the rain on the just grazed pasture.

Sheep grazing on a rainy day. Very hard to take photos without a proper lense shade but pretty anyway.