Sheep Are Grazing, The Orchard Bloomed

and Summer is Near

Hello Lamb Friends!
Summer is fast approaching. The sheep are out on pasture and haying season has begun. Mark grows and harvests all the hay our sheep need for winter feed. It’s a huge job that plays out over several months. Haying begins in May and can sometimes go all the way until late October. It is all weather dependent as he needs 3 days with no rain for a successful high quality harvest of each field. You can imagine how helpful the NOAA weather site is.

One of the most special days here at our farm is the day the abandoned apple orchard blooms. It is magical to see the bare trees turn white full of pale pink blossoms. The sheep graze amongst the old trees. No matter how many years I see this sight, it continues to take my breath away. Here are a few photos from that day this year.

We have some very sad news to share. Mark’s older brother David passed away a couple weeks ago. David and his wife Debbie ran Sunbrite Farm, one of the founding members of Our Family Farms - the local milk coop that you probably support. David was an amazing and resilient guy who always had a smile on his face. His wisdom will be greatly missed. This 2014 Richie Davis article — On the Trail to Eden: Two Farming Brothers — explains the relationship David and Mark have shared for over 66 years along with the history of the land they both farm. They are the fourth generation to care for this 225 acre piece of the earth. If you can find the time to read it, it will give you insight into their relationship and the complexities and difficulties of farming. **

Tomorrow, Leyden Glen Farm will be at the Amherst Farmers Market with lots of our delicious lamb ready for your holiday get togethers. Why not stop by and pick up some ground lamb. Here’s one of our most popular recipes Lamb Koftas that will be perfect for this holiday weekend.

We are at the Amherst Farmers Market on the Common every Saturday from 7:30 to 1:30. Hope to see you there.

Your sheep farmers,

Kristin and Mark

** P.S. Richie Davis was the Senior Reporter and Editor at the Greenfield Recorder for over 40 years. He has compiled many of his best and favorite articles into two books that truly are worth a read: Inner Landscapes: True Tales from Extraordinary Lives (which includes the profile of Mark and his brother David) and Good Will and Ice Cream. You can purchase them from RIchie on his website here or wherever you purchase your books. Libraries carry it too.