Making Connections

A year after we purchased Levi and Schuyler from Jack and Mary Ellen, we finally got back to Willowbend Farm for a longer visit.

Last August, around the time we got Calvin, Peg began her search for some companionship – not for her, for Calvin. Using the Vermont Sheepbreeders list serve that is supported by the University of Vermont, she connected with Jack and Mary Ellen who were offering two white Cormo wether lambs. She jumped in the truck, drove north to Canada (almost) and came back with the boys in a driving rainstorm.

Peg commented to me that it would be good to get back to see their setup, but other things (a wedding, for example) took priority. They have been keeping track of our progress via the blog. Last winter, Mary Ellen saw a photo of our feeding set-up in the barn, and gave us very helpful advice about keeping the feeders out in the yard and making it hard for the sheep to get at the hay to keep waste down.

So Labor Day morning we hit the road around 6:45 for the hour and 45 minute trip to Island Pond, VT. J and ME were very welcoming – we settled around a big table in their cozy kitchen for coffee and warm blueberry muffins. We got to know each other better – kids, grandkids, wedding. Jack is trying to create more pasture.  They have about the same amount of land as us, but most of it is woods. When we pulled up to the house, we noticed they were offering campfire wood on a marvelous antique trailer by the side of the road. They’ve sold almost 100 bundles this summer!

After chatting for about an hour, it was time to go see the barn, sheep and field.  They have 9 cormo cross colored ewes which were sheared late this season – June. They look remarkably similar to our darkest ewes – Martha and Dolly. Mary Ellen brought out some grain for them. They have several rubber pails lined up along the fence for feed.  ME walked along the line, dumping rainwater out of each and tossing a handful of grain in. Something for us to consider – we do more communal feeding in the Home Depot feeders I’ve made. They also feed their flock daily even in the summer, but they have very little pasture. In fact, Jack took a bale of hay out to their feeder while we were talking.

Peg really wanted me to see the barn setup they have for the flock. Built along the side of the larger barn, it wasn’t much bigger than ours, but we still learned a few things.  The floor is made of about a foot of sand – probably lets the urine drain better than the hardpack we have (not sure there is much we can do about that). They use straw for bedding. It’s more expensive than hay, but also less likely to get stuck in the fleece. That is definitely something for us to consider this winter. Outside the door, they have about 10 yards of heavy duty “carpet” (not really carpet, but) covering the bare ground – a good solution for the muddy section of the barnyard right in front of our barn.

Their pasture is certainly multi-purpose. I chuckled at the playset sitting in the middle of the field – for the grandkids.  Their gardens are in there as well, with much needed fencing to keep the sheep out. They have a very happy pumpkin patch thanks to an abundance of sheep manure.

Finally, we visited Mary Ellen’s little store. It is jam packed with goodies – not just yarn and roving, but needles, ornaments, bumper stickers (Sheep Make Good Neigh-Baas), and Mary Ellen’s homemade lanolin hand cream – which she reports is a big seller. ME also shared with us a pair of thrum mittens she’s making.  It’s a mitten with tufts of fleece worked into it every few stitches, incredibly warm, and very unusual. I could tell Peg was itching to try knitting a pair up herself.

Their location – right on the road going into Island Pond – does see a lot of traffic.  The town is a real town on the shore of a cute lake (with an island in it), with stores and restaurants. It was much more than I expected. Some Vermont “towns” are actually hard to distinguish – Pomfret is a good example, I’ve never really found a town there. Island Pond also boasts a nice State Park – which explains the robust campfire wood sales. If we ever set up a similar little store, we’ll need good advertising to get traffic – not many bike riders are likely to stop and shop.

By late morning, it was time to say our goodbyes – we had an apartment to clean and get ready for our next guest. We invited Jack and Mary Ellen to visit Savage Hart Farm any time – they’ll probably be the first to come up the driveway on a Harley-Davidson! Oh, and Mary Ellen can see first-hand the new feeder I’m building.

Todd