Musical Sheep

Well, it could have been worse. A blizzard. Or ice-storm. As it was, it was pretty cold for it had been snowing earlier and our hands were frozen. The problem to be solved was that the gate that separates our six young ram lambs from the larger flock of twenty ewes and our large breeding … Continue reading →

Springtime at HVF

Among the miracles of spring, as the woods and swamps and our gardens burst into fragrant life, our new lambs begin to leave the confines of the barn and for the first time experience the wonder of this colorful world. At first they stay close to their mother’s sides, and the ewes rarely let them … Continue reading →

Lambing

Spring 2013 will be our fourth lambing season. This is the most exciting part of the farming year though also one of the busiest parts.The miracle of watching the ewe deliver her one or two lambs and begin the intensive initial work of licking, nuzzling and murmuring to her lamb in the first half hour … Continue reading →

Mrs. Moose

One of our 7 foundational ewes purchased in 2009 and the unrivaled matriarch of our flock, Mrs. Moose (officially GSF 0361) is our favorite. Always the first in line to rotate to another pasture or when she spots the grain bucket in our hand, she is also eager for a massage or to be kissed … Continue reading →

Rotational Grazing

In order to preserve the soil and the health of forage, rotational grazing is practiced. We have subdivided our fields by high quality fencing into six pastures and the sheep graze each in turn, allowing time for regeneration of the used pasture. Even sheep know “the grass is always greener on the other side of … Continue reading →

Apple Cider Time

September and October brings our annual weekend festivities of celebrating apple harvest with friends. In beautiful early fall weather we all join in apple picking, apple washing, hand-cranking our wooden cider mill, bottling and finally tasting our delicious cider. In 2011 we had friends from Australia assisting us and this year cousins from Boston. And … Continue reading →

Fall Harvest

We are still enjoying the produce of our best vegetable garden in years, and for the first time I have an abundant supply of winter squash stored in the basement, freezers full of tomato soup and sauce, and still more hardy lettuces, kale, broccoli and brussel sprouts surviving the frosts in the garden. Of course, … Continue reading →

Breeding Season Fall 2012

Breeding time at HVF once again! Our new champion ram, bought from Anchorage Farm, is already into his third week of “exposure” to our fourteen ewes and six ewe lambs and has marked the rumps of most of our mature ewes with the marker crayon attached to his belly by a harness, so we hope … Continue reading →

Welcome to Hidden Valley Farm

Three and a half years after our founding flock of seven ewes and one ram arrived at HVF we are now into our fourth breeding season and have a total of twenty ewes, one breeding ram and five ram lambs. It has been a wonderful year on the farm with idyllic summer days to watch … Continue reading →