August Newsletter
I have no idea where time has gone….
Where did August go? Or July? Heck did June even happen? What is this September and fall stuff?! I am still firmly set in my summer mind, early summer that is, when the sun lasts forever and the days are long. Unfortunately, this is not reality, and as I look out on the valley and see the changes in the colors I know that we are speeding towards the fall. But what about summer?! Let’s face the facts, summer is rapidly fading into the sunsets, which seem to come earlier and earlier each day. For those of you who are not in the Northern states, you might not understand this change in daylight and how we hold on to every moment of sun as it slips through our fingers until it starts to return again. In the North Country, our days lengthen after the winter solstice and start to shorten after the summer solstice. When the deep parts of winter arrive we watch the sunset at 4 pm, such a sad moment, and rise at about 8am…. As the seasons start to change and the days begin to get shorter it signals other changes in our north country world, such as the cooler weather, it gets slightly wetter (and if we are graced with a hot day it feels like a dank bathroom), and the color of the leaves start to change. This change also signals changes in animals, breeding season arrives in the fall so the animals can give birth in the spring. This cycle allows their young to eat the nutrient-rich foods of early spring. As the ewes prepare for breeding season they consume nutrient-dense foods to prepare their bodies for pregnancy. We as humans delight in the rich foods of the fall, such as squash, root veggies, and harvested meats. I am already excited about a roasted leg of lamb with roasted veggies and fresh bread… but I hold on to the fleeting moments of summer as it slowly slips away..
Where have we been? August was a whirlwind for us on the farm, with new projects and adventures. We snuck away towards the end of the month for an entire week to see some old friends and explore some amazing places. We didn’t plan to see the full moon rise over the ocean while camping on an Island outside of Ventura California, but that is where life put us! I have always had a deep connection with the moon, and full blue supermoons are always special, so I was thrilled when I realized they happened to collide with our escape. If you ever get the chance to go to the Channel Islands National Park, please take that opportunity and soak up all the Island has to offer. We camped for two nights, and three days at Scorpian bay, we hiked at least 10 miles each day, found beautiful beaches, and enjoyed life without internet and electricity. The water is crystal clear, with a beautiful blue/green color, perfect for swimming in and the island has many amazing hiking trails to get lost in. I realized on this trip that no matter how far I get away from sheep and wool, it always finds me! We visited this park when our oldest was 4, so before living on the farm, we read the island's history but through the lens of a non-farmer. Returning over a decade later we learned that the Island was once home to sheep! and lots of them! And that they would shear and export the wool! Looking at the pictures of the sheep, I reckon they were Corriedale sheep… but I could be wrong. The sheep grazed on the Islands along with cows, and pigs, and unfortunately did not improve the land but stressed the natural resources, so now that they are removed the conservation has begun and the native plants and wildlife are doing well again. The fox on this Island are dwarfed and about the size of a house cat, all the more reason to visit! If you ever get a moment to visit this beautiful place, let me know so we can nerd out about it!
A Word From The Flock? Gobble!
Pardon me, may I have your attention please… ahem…. My good sir, please take note… For I am the turkey Jake, the largest of the Jake turkeys… I guess that makes me the king? Perhaps? Well yes, it does, gobble!!! I am king! You can see I am king by my beautiful red head, which turns blue and pale white when I am displaying my valor and strength to the young hens, and perhaps to my own reflection in your car hubcaps…
I have just started to find my most distinguished voice, I have grown into jakehood, and soon will reach my full growth when I become a Tom. I live my life much like all turkeys do. I eat, I sleep, and I make sure to defecate on as many objects as I can, I particularly enjoy doing this on the picnic tables. I delight in my accomplishments while watching the feather-less lady try to brush and clean off the tables! Little does she know I will come back and defecate in the same spot again! Some mornings I become annoyed with the feather-less birds that roost in the big square building, as they do not feed me my pellets when I so desire them, which happens to be when the white rooster crows. Perhaps they feel they deserve to sleep in? Or perhaps they do not know that the sun is just starting to rise over the valley because the box they roost in only has so many viewing spots? Either way it does not matter, when they do not feed me I make sure to gobble on the porch, leaving evidence of my displeasure at their doorstep.
The feather-less birds who feed us and admire our gobble have a fond admiration for a particular turkey hen they have named Brunhilda. This hen is about as stupid as a chicken! I frequently watch the humans admire this poor stupid bird as she struggles to get over the gutter downspouts, or has forgotten how to exit an open gate. The one with curly feathers on her head often says how hard it will be when Brunhilda is Thanksgiving. I do not understand what this “Thanksgiving” is but I believe I should become Thanksgiving, not stupid Brunhilda…. but I digress into the petty squabbles between the younger, less dignified Jakes, and hens. The day is getting short and I must find my spot on the swing bench that the feather-less humans have placed here, below the branches of a tree, for us turkey to use. Quite kind of them to do so.
Farmer lady here, that swing bench was a spot that I once enjoyed swinging and knitting in, until the turkeys made it their home and shit all over it!
Dear turkeys, please move into the lean-to shed so I can have my yard back again. Your pal, the feather-less lady.
WOAD
Sometimes we do cool things on this farm that I forget to tell people about. Sorry about that! The past few weeks we have been thrilled to have two student interns from Carleton College, who have been studying Woad! The students (Ruby (she/her) and Helen (they/them) both amazing in every way, have been busy trying different techniques and recipes to turn the green leaves of the woad plant into blue dye. So far they have been able to get some blue, and one really pretty pink skein. The students have had an opportunity to learn about farming, growing dye-specific plants, and exploring different methods in extracting color. They also have been able to use our fiber processing tools, to comb locks and spin wool into yarn, and to dye different natural fabrics. If you come to our open farm day, we will have what they have dyed out for you to see! And heck! Use the code WOAD to get 10% off everything on the website, or hollar it at us in person at one of the many events this month, for the same discount.
September is going to be a very busy month, so make sure to check out the information regarding where we will be this month because we are busy every weekend of the month! With that being said, I most likely will not write an additional newsletter, I might come out with a short one, but not a long normal one. One big improvement is that the mill and farm is going SOLAR!!! Tomorrow we start preparing the space for the solar build and in the first week of September, we will have solar panels on the south side of the pole shed where the mill lives. The expected generated solar power should completely power the mill, making our yarn, solar powered and farm fresh! We could not be doing this without everyone who has supported our farm by coming out during our open houses and choosing to use our yarn and fibers for your next project. When you spend your money in small rural communities, or with small businesses, that money stays in the community and improves it and we are proof of that! If you are able to come to our September farm open house you will see the new solar on the shed! How exciting! And I will have the first fully solar yarns for sale at Yarnover, and Darn Knit Anyway!
Where to find us!
September Dates!!!
Knit and Brew with Ewe and Sweater Weather Get- Together!
September 1st, 12-5pm market, (come see the Yamper!) with knit and brew from 5-7pm
September 7th
U-Pick and mill tours, 10-1pm. Come check out the solar and grab all the dye stuff you will need!
September 13th
Fiber Friday returns at Nash Lake Farm!!!! Check it out and register here Nash Lake Fiber Farm
September 21st
Yarnover! Check it out here Yarnover
September 28th
Sheep to Something at Darn Knit Anway! Check it out here Sheep to Something
Wooooad, that was a newsletter! I will also open the yarn/roving Winter CSA in September so make sure to watch for that. If you are looking for lamb meat make sure to reserve your whole or half ASAP, we are selling out fast! Come find me in the wild this month, it will be a busy one.
Cheers friends!
The Bentz Family, and the darn turkeys who feel the need to turd right on the porch in the morning, and on our lounge chairs. Thanks guys…..
PS, did you find the discount code? It is Woad tastic!