Mid November News from the Farm

Hello Colorful Friends:

I hope this note finds you breathing deeply before the holiday season kicks off. If it’s any indication from the emails flooding my inbox, it already has. Yikes. Next week, we will be celebrating the Thanksgiving holiday with my extended family here at our farmhouse. We do a collaborative meal so that the burden can be spread. I am so looking forward to seeing everyone - especially the nieces and nephews who have grown and have begun their adult lives. Here’s a flashback photo with a place card made my niece Olivia.

In creative news, I have been a pottery machine. I’m making, painting, glazing, and firing as much work as I can build up for holiday ON-LINE sales. I don’t have a date yet for my Shop Update but will let you know when I am more sure as you are a newsletter subscriber. Making pottery is a time consuming but varied process with many steps along the way. I find it incredibly interesting and a craft that I will never learn everything about. Here are some pots that are in process in my studio. This is before the first firing. Each piece is fired twice. They will be glossy and brighter after the second firing.

Tomorrow (Saturday) is the last day of the Amherst Farmers Market Season until next April. I will miss all the customers and fellow vendors who have become friends. I will be bringing some of my pottery to the market so if you are local, stop by and pick up a holiday gift. And of course, I will have our pasture raised lamb with me. After all, it is a farmers market!

In Farm News, the sheep are slowly being moved back to their winter barns. Snow will be coming soon and then lambs beginning in January. Since May, they have been out hither and yon grazing. It’s been a very challenging year farming with the summer drought really affecting every aspect of our farm. Hopefully things will be better in 2023.

Back in July, our sweet and brilliant Livestock Guardian Dog Sadie passed away unexpectedly. We had to move fast and find a replacement for her. We reached out to our network of sheep farmers and found a litter of Great Pyrenees puppies that were ready to go to new homes. In mid-July we brought home Max and Elsa. They weighed 12 pounds then.

To say they have grown is an understatement. Here they are “in training” with sheep inside electronet fencing. I don’t know what they weigh now but we expect them to be between 100 and 130 pounds when they are fully grown. Their winter coats are coming in. They will live with the sheep year round. It’s incredibly interesting to watch them grow into the dogs they will be. Working dogs and all dogs are amazing creatures.

I want to remind you that I have some very popular sheep related holiday cards available on my website. Here is the link to the Sheep Notecards. They are $24. for 10 cards with Free Shipping.

If you are looking for a Christmas Stocking Pattern to knit for a new person in your life, check out my two different patterns that are available on my website HERE or on Ravelry HERE. Each includes instructions for 5 or 6 different designs in an instant delivery PDF format. You can use any yarn; I used a DK weight for my stockings.

And now for this week’s interesting links…….

• There is a new Modigliani Exhibit on at the Barnes Museum in Philadelphia that I would love to see. Info here. On view until January 29, 2023. I love his portraits of women.

• I just discovered this artist’s sculptural wall pieces which are made entirely of wool. Would love to see them in person.

• Here’s an interesting podcast episode from The Craftsmanship Initiative called The Hidden Powers of Sheep.

• Have you discovered the Substack platform? It is a newsletter format that hosts all kinds of authors. It reminds me of blogs of old. Authors feel free to let their voices shine and each post isn’t crazy commercial with the dreaded ads, bells and whistles. I write this newsletter on it. You can download the Substack app on your phone and then read different newsletters on the app. You can search for subjects that interest you - like knitting, food, and farming. It is free to read and post on but some authors have subscription models where they charge for special content. Check it out.

• I think I wrote once about the Free Little Library trend. Now there is the Free Little Art Library. So nice.

• I’m always looking for new lamb recipes. This one looks like a winner.

If you are new to this newsletter, I invite you to watch a video about our farmhouse and family. I have posted it at the end of this newsletter.

I’m a bit short on time these days so don’t have as many links as I like to share. Thanksgiving, a trip to my Mom’s, sheep shearing, and lots of pottery all in the next week or two. I wish you and yours a very Happy Thanksgiving if you are celebrating.

I thank you for your support of my work and art, farm and family.

Colorfully yours,

Kristin Nicholas