Mid Summer Catch Up from the Farm

Hello Colorful Friends:

It’s been awhile. I hope your summer is going swimmingly. Last night after feeding the livestock guard dogs, I noticed that the sun is setting earlier. I said to myself, I’d better get enjoying the summer days before they disappear. And I’d better check in with my newsletter friends….. I hope you are well and finding time to do things that make you feel good.

My summer has been filled with a bit of travel (Maine and Southeastern Massachusetts), visiting family, weed whacking the ever encroaching jungle, and selling our farm raised lamb and my pottery and tea towels at the Amherst Farmers Market every Saturday. I’m hoping to do a bit more travel before autumn sets in and the year evaporates.

This farmers market season, I wanted to make a new product to sell to a younger demographic. The age of the Amherst Farmers Market is skewing younger — or is it me getting older? Because the market is located in Amherst MA in the Pioneer Valley, home to 5 colleges (UMass, Amherst, Smith, Mt. Holyoke and — soon to be closing Hampshire), we have a lot of shoppers who are in their early 20’s. Most of the kids walk around the market drinking my friend Erika’s Stout Pigeon Coffee and relaxing from the stress of school. I love talking with them - hearing where they are from and what they are studying. After some thought, I decided that fridge magnets might appeal to college age kids who are looking for small gifts. As with most of my ideas, everything took a lot longer than I thought. Product development always does. First I had to make some plaster press molds. They weren’t perfect but they work. The next batch will be better.

As usual, making these took longer than I thought they would. Pottery is slow - not as slow as knitting or embroidery - but it’s slow. Making, drying, painting designs, firing twice, gluing on the magnets. I debuted them in June after the students left for the summer. So far so good and I’ve got another batch ready for the market this weekend.

I don’t think I will be selling these on my website so plan a trip to the Amherst MA Farmers Market to check them out along with my other pottery and tea towels. Hours are 8-1:30 every Saturday til right before Thanksgiving. And thank you to those of you newsletter readers who have already stopped by this season. It’s been so fun to meet you in person.

Sadly we lost Beau, our 10 year old Great Pyrenees Guard Dog earlier this summer. Beau was larger than life. He had a lot of habits that would drive most people nuts. He traveled farther and more often than most dogs would even think of (Vermont anyone?) He got picked up by animal control a few too many times (there is no keeping a Pyr “home”). He brought home body parts of animals he found in the woods and dined on them for days. He would demolish a day’s worth of my hens’ eggs if I forgot to pick the bucket up off the floor - shells and all. He would lean heavily into our customers legs getting their clothes dirty but giving them a lot of love. He would bring in half the dirt in the countryside every morning when he came in for breakfast. BUT I loved him to the end of the earth never the less. Mornings aren’t the same nor are the evenings listening for his giant deep bark bark bark that would keep the coyotes at bay. There will never be another Beau.

The coyotes have been aggressive this summer. We have two Pyrenees Guard Dogs remaining but not enough dogs to cover all the various fields that the sheep are in. Here’s a coyote that killed a pregnant ewe the first day the sheep were moved from the barns to our farmhouse field. He was big! I had a good 10 minute stare down with him and then realized that perhaps I might want to go back to the house. I didn’t see him again but I’m sure he is still out there somewhere.

These are our two remaining Pyrenees - siblings Elsa and Max (with Julia at an evening feeding and check-in). We have had 6 Great Pyrenees Guard Dogs since 2011. Archie. Winston, Sadie, Beau, Max and Elsa. We count on the dogs to keep the sheep safe. They are amazing dogs - loving and protective. Just don’t expect them to answer to commands and do what you want them to do.

That’s the news from here. Now onto some fun inspiring Links for You…….

• I love love love old, old houses. Old houses have soul and quirks and they aren’t perfect but that is their charm. This one in France is particularly beautiful.

• Jacques Pepin’s potato salad is so easy and delicious. (4 min video) Recipe in the “more” description. I’ve made it a few times and farmer Mark (who doesn’t like potatoes) loved it. (How can a farmer not like potatoes?)

• I enjoyed this podcast interview on The Long Thread Podcast with Chip Colony of Harrisville Designs. I’ve always loved their beautiful yarns, tools and colors.

• I am a fan of David Hockney’s work. What a long, interesting, colorful career. RIP David - still inspiring me!

• As a woman of a certain age, I found this article interesting.

• Excellent article about the history of sheep in the US. Sheep helped build the US. FYI, there is a link to listen too.

• On one of my road trips this summer, I discovered a fabulous Portuguese food and wine and beer store in Fall River. It’s called Portugalia Marketplace and it is so worth a visit. There is a small cafe with good coffee and sandwiches filled with customers speaking Portuguese. Here are a few pics from it.

• You do know how to play a YouTube speeded up, don’t you? If not, google it. I prefer 1.5 speed. Saves me time and you can still understand the audio. I do LOVE YouTube.

• Speaking of YouTube….. If you are new here, here’s a video from Houzz featuring yours truly, our farm and antique farmhouse. (7 minutes)

That’s it from the farm. I’d love to hear what you are making this summer. Leave it in the comments or respond to this email.

Colorfully yours,

Kristin Nicholas

P.S. You can visit my website HERE where I sell PDF knitting patterns, pottery, and tea towels.