Shuttleworth Farm, LLC

Jay's sheep

2009-06-12T16:15:00.001-04:00

Jaybird

2009-06-12T16:08:00.002-04:00

Here's Jay loving the sunny weather. The orphan lambs are out and about with the rest of the flock so she has even more sheep to look after.

Domestic Turkeys Gone Wild - Day 16

2009-04-30T18:29:00.002-04:00

There are currently four nests built and tended by the hens themselves (they have eschewed the nests we built for them in favor of downed trees and natural rock formations). We have not gotten close enough to the nests to count the eggs, so not to disturb the sitting hens, but based on the date we first saw hens sitting, we estimate the first eggs to hatch somewhere in the third to fourth week of May.
It's fascinating to us that after centuries of domestication, these birds have maintained the instinct to build and tend their own nests, forage for over 50% of their food, and as we witnessed last fall, raise their own young.

What We've Been Doing. . .

2009-04-13T20:22:00.002-04:00

Hey folks!
So sorry this blog has gone dark for some time now. We don't have much of an excuse except that things are busy as always, oh, and we had a baby! Isla Hope joined us on January 19th and has brought so much joy to our lives! But you readers have missed out on so many things! So, here is the reader's digest version of life on the farm for the last, oh, 10 months or so!
Thanks to Gretchen for taking these great pictures!
We grazed the sheep until it was too snowy to graze the sheep,

Then we let them come on into the barn yard,

Silas & Jay moved up into the hayloft,

The pigs moved inside too

as did the chickens

the sheep got shorn

and made friends with the turkeys

Then we all just settled in for the long, cold, snowy winter.

and then, the babies came!
First, Isla Hope

and then the lambs

Quadruplets even!

And next, the piglets!

And now, things are starting to green up, and spring is finally arriving! The turkeys got shipped off into the back woods to live as turkeys do, and we hope to have some baby turkeys in a few weeks!

And most recently, we were given two bull Holstein calves that we plan to raise up for. . .well we aren't sure yet! Veal, baby beef, beef or perhaps as a team of oxen. In the mean time though, the sheep aren't thrilled about their new roommate!

So, it's been a busy few months but we hope to be able to keep you all more in the loop from now on!

Think Spring Everybody!

Pigs & Turkeys

2008-04-28T13:04:00.003-04:00

Have you hugged a pig today?

The wiggies have been outside this spring digging up last year's garden and feasting on the left overs. Now, they are getting set to begin their work tilling up the straw pack in the sheep barn and making it into a fine compost to spread onto the fields. This move indoors is a bit of an adjustment to the little guys, who were used to having lots of room to run. Now, they must resign themselved to playing "Ring Around the Piggie", check it out :)

In other news, our flock of Bourbon Reds - 11 hens and on lucky Tom Turkey, are going to be breeding, laying eggs and raising their own little ones this year. At least that's the plan! Here, we had a turkey parade where Todd (the biggest turkey of them all!) left the group up onto the wooded "island" in the field. Our hopes are that they will make a comfortable home for themselves here, and we will come back in a month or so and find many little turkeys running around.

Shuttleworth Farm Goes Green!

2008-04-28T13:00:00.002-04:00

In 2006 the sheep went out to pasture on May 10th. In 2007 it was May 1st. This year, we opened the barn doors and evicted them on April 25th!!!

As you can see, there was little protest!

Except for a few slow learners. "Mom??"

"Here I am!"

Everybody's happy

Out on the range

2008-04-28T12:25:00.002-04:00

Our yearling ewe lambs are a hardy bunch so we let them out to pasture earlier than anyone! They delighted in munching down the brown grass left over from last fall - just like hay standing in the field.
Walking into the pasture, we are greeted by a vicious guard dog!

Oh, wait, no, that's just Jay Bird smiling at us! She and Silas are on duty.

Personal space? What's that???

more from lambing season. . .

2008-04-28T12:13:00.002-04:00

Here are a few more photos from Lambing 2008. The main section of the barn houses the girls left to lamb,

as well as the new mothers and their lambs.

We redesigned the lambing portion of the barn to allow room for more "jugs." These pens, where the ewe and lamb spend the first 24-36 hours getting to know each other, are roomier than last year, and allow us to view all the lambs in one glance.

We use a giant dry erase board to keep track of which pairs are in which pen, how long they have been there, and how they are doing.

Just how many teats does this ewe have???

aw, brotherly love.

bad hair day?

snugglin'

The Thundering Herd

2008-04-22T08:28:00.002-04:00

Well it's that time again, lambing season has arrived. More accurately, it has arrived and nearly finished! We apologize for the lack of updates, but lambing season brings with it a lack of sleep and lack of free time! This has been our best season yet, more lambs, healthier lambs, not much to complain about. The snow has finally gone away and the grass is greening up before our eyes. We hope to move some critters out to pasture as soon as this weekend!
A beautiful thing happens when all of the ewes get up to feed. The lambs take full advantage of the clear runway to do their training for the Lamb 500 - you have to see it to believe it.

Lambs raised on pasture are higher in protein, lower in fat

2008-02-12T15:48:00.000-05:00

A team of scientists from the USDA compared grassfed lambs with lambs fed grain in a feedlot. They found that "lambs grazing pasture had 14% less fat and about 8% more protein compared to grain-fed lamb." The researchers acknowledged that "consumer desires for healthier meats have shifted the emphasis to leaner, trimmer carcasses.." and that raising more sheep on pasture will "benefit our economy by reducing reliance upon expensive grain supplements..." For more information, visit eatwild.com.

We wanna go back. . .

2007-10-19T18:37:00.001-04:00

to the islands. . .
After the wedding we hit the road to the Florida Keys for our honeymoon! We had an amazing trip and can't wait to get back. Here are a few of our favorite shots from that week!

and Kelli caught a tarpon!!!

Watch Kelli feeding the tarpon at Robbie's Dock, Islamorada.

The Big Day

2007-10-19T18:14:00.000-04:00

October 5th, what a beautiful day for a wedding rehearsal! It was blue sky, 70 degrees, gorgeous. Family & friends gathered at the farm to do a dry run for the big day.

After the ceremony, we were presented with a new sign for the farm, thanks Mom & Dad Shuttleworth!

Then on to the rehearsal dinner at the North Troy Inn.

The next morning, October 6th, we awoke to dreary skies. . .then the rain started to fall. . .ever so slowly at first. . .

Then it started to get close to "go" time and the rain poured down. After looking at the radar weather forecast, we decided to move the ceremony indoors. Todd and his groomsmen ran outside (some of them in their dress clothes!) to head up to the back hill to bring the arbor down to the auction house. Everyone scrambled to get the auction house ready for a wedding!

When they were done, you would never know we had planned it any other way!

On with the show - only twenty minutes behind schedule, we got married!

The rest of the day was a blur - - a beautiful, wonderful blur!!

The Shuttleworth/Ordway Family!

Most of the black & white photos were taken by Melissa Reid Photography, and a BIG thanks to Nancy Robinson for taking most of the color photos in this post!

We're getting married!

2007-09-07T12:16:00.000-04:00

Sorry we haven't posted on this blog lately - we've been a bit busy planning out upcoming wedding! The big day is set for October, 6th 2007 - less than a month away!

Feel free to visit our wedding website to learn all about the festivities!

Meanwhile, life on the farm is going well! We have plenty of whole chickens in the freezer ready to go, so give us a call if you'd like to try some!

Extra, Extra Read All About it!

2007-07-11T12:55:00.000-04:00

Last night it was brought to our attention that we were mentioned in an article in Sante Magazine, a nationality distributed magazine for chefs. Click the link to read the article, or, for your convenience I have copied & pasted the section that mentions us!
"Chefs on the Lamb: Low Cuts, High Returns." by Wayne Harley Brachman. Sante Magazine, May 2007

"At Shuttleworth Farm in Westfield, Vermont (shuttleworthfarm.com),
the sheep are 100 percent grass-fed with organic hay in the winter and daily
foraging in paddocks of fresh grass the remainder of the year. Eric Warnstedt,
chef/owner of Hen Of The Wood restaurant in Waterbury, Vermont, describes
Shuttleworth’s lamb as “the most beautiful product I’ve seen. We pre-pay the
farm for premium lamb cuts so we can be guaranteed a supply. Otherwise, they
end up in New York City.” It’s ironic, he adds, “that there’s more Vermont lamb
sold in Manhattan than in Vermont.”

Starting Lorelei

2007-07-09T13:20:00.000-04:00

This weekend we started Lorelei on sheep for the first time! At six months, she is still fairly young to be working sheep - but we had a feeling she would be ready!
We set up some ewes in a small pen next to the barn.
Todd encouraged Lorelei to walk around the sheep, while he walked towards her to pressure her to run around them. As they went, he spoke the command for the direction she was going.
"Come by"

"Away to me"

Lorelei's instincts are incredible, and in no time she had learned the commands, and worked the sheep like she's done it her whole life.

Take a break.

She has a wonderful balancing instinct, she always wants to be in a position that will keep the sheep still.

She's tough too - she didn't back down even when the ewes were being stubborn.

Keep your eyes on Lorelei folks, she's gonna make a big wave!

2007-07-09T12:33:00.000-04:00

Click to watch the lambs move to their new paddock of fresh grass!

The week in review!

2007-07-09T12:08:00.000-04:00

Here's what we've been up to lately!

Bet
Puppy Totem-Pole

All you can see is a white-tipped tail

bounding thru the field

Chickens are getting big

ba'dadas (potatoes) are growing nice.

We're watching you!

Tailgate Party!

Silas as the sunsets.

Todd says, "Marli, I LOOOVVE you!"
Marli says, "Hey, what's that over there?"

A visit to the farm

2007-07-09T11:56:00.000-04:00

Last week we were lucky enough to be visited by Betty and her wonderful grandchildren Angelea and Tuckerman, and nephew Danny. The kids had a blast on the farm, and here are a few pictures Betty took during the trip.
Here they are learning to drive the tractor

Crossing the river to go out and see the sheep

Walking amongst the flock

Todd cuddling with Silas & Jay

Everybody say, "John Deere!!"

Angelea in her green chariot

The tent set up on the back hill where everybody camped out

Thank you Betty, Danny, Tuckerman & Angelea for your company! You were terrific guests and you can come visit again anytime!

New Blog

2007-06-22T11:38:00.001-04:00

We now have a new blog for non-farm-related puppy stuff! Enjoy!
http://www.ShuttleworthPups.blogspot.com

Puppy Central!

2007-06-18T13:22:00.000-04:00

Yesterday we brought home our new puppies. Yes - you read that right, puppies - plural. I know, I know, we are crazy people. But, in our defense, they are darn cute!
The deal is, one of the pups will go back to the breeder - Roger Deschambeault, at six months of age to be trained to be a champion sheep dog! Roger's pup is out of Trim & Ken, and her name is Bet.

Here she is, already looking like a champion!

Outstanding in her field.

And here is our little pup, out of Roger's Jet and Anne Devine's Ben.

We've been calling her Loonie-Bird because she's as crazy as we are!! Her official name will be either Loon (as in the bird) or Luna (as in the moon). . .or we might combine the two and name her Loona. Any thoughts on this, leave us a comment!

Taking time to stop and smell the flowers

Marli, checking out the new kid

Loona in the front, Bet in the back

Lorelei thinks the pups are fun toys

Make Hay While the Sun Shines!

2007-06-14T13:44:00.001-04:00

Finally, some hay-making weather has arrived in Vermont! We are one of the last farmers in the area that still make small square hay bales - and we know why! It's a pain in the patoot, that's why! You need at least 3 days of hot, dry weather, at least two tractors, and lots of brute strength! Luckily, this week has turned out to be perfect hay-making weather - and it's due to last throughout the weekend. Here's Todd mowing.

Look how lush this grass is! It's going to make some beautiful hay for the sheep this winter!

Puppies!

2007-06-04T11:38:00.000-04:00

In other news - we got to meet our new puppy this weekend!! Roger has two litters right now, one from Trim:

Such a sweet girl!

She only had three pups in this litter. This little girl - we called Bear was cute as can be!

Here is Jet. She had seven pups and is such a good mom!

We got to pick a pup from the litter, and here she is!

Aint she cute?? We will get to take her home in a few weeks . . .meanwhile, we are taking suggestions on names for her! Leave us a comment if you have a good idea!

The proud parents!

Sheepdog Trial at Nearfield Farm

2007-06-04T09:57:00.000-04:00

This weekend Marli & Todd entered their first sheep dog trial at Roger Deschambeault's trial in East Conway, NH. They were entered in the Novice Novice class, which is for beginners. The following drawings should give you an idea of what the course looked like.
The first step is the Outrun. This starts when the dog leaves the handler. The dog runs out wide to get behind the sheep without disturbing them.

Next is the Lift. The dog should come in easy and get the sheep moving without upsetting them, and the sheep should start to run straight forward.

During the Fetch the dog runs the sheep in a strait line towards the handler, through the first set of panels, and around the post.

Then the dog must Drive the sheep up through the next set of panels.

finally, the dog needs to bring the sheep back around and Pen them.

Since Marli is used to working a group of two hundred sheep and lambs, this was quite a change for her, but she really did quite well! Here she and Todd are nervously waiting their turn to go. Marli was all worked up because she just knew something fun was about to happen.

Their turn at last! Todd paces back & forth while they wait for the sheep to come onto the course.

Some last minute tips from judge Dean Holcomb.

Ready. . . .

And she's off! This is a video of Marli's run. Sorry for the poor quality!

Here is Roger running his dog Roy.

Roy is a half brother to the new pup we are getting in a few weeks.

This is Lynn Deschambeault with her cool looking dog, Druid.

After their run, all the dogs jumped into this water tub to cool off.

The moment of truth!! Gabe records the scores. . .

Marli did really well on her outrun (19 out of a possible 20!) but fell short on some of the other sections.

She finished 5th out of her class! Here she is sporting her pretty pink ribbon!

We are so proud of her!

Introducing: Lorelei!

2007-05-31T11:30:00.000-04:00

We are proud to introduce the newest member of the Shuttleworth Farm Family, Miss Lorelei!

She is a five month old pup who came from our friend Mrs. B in Connecticut! We brought her home yesterday, and she is already fitting in well on the farm!

"Me and My Shadow"
Lorelei just adores Marli! She doesn't take her eyes off of her, and relishes in "herding" her as Marli trots about.

Here she is investigating the strange furry creature in the pasture,

And here's Lorelei as she meets the cattle for the first time,

She watched as Marli herded the sheep last night and was just riveted to the whole scene! We think she is going to be a great sheep dog some day! Thanks Mrs. B!

Marli Says:

2007-05-25T12:12:00.000-04:00

"When I'm not busy herding sheep, keeping the chickens organized, or staring at the cows I love to catch up on my reading. And don't you know it, I always come across articles that I think everyone would enjoy and benefit from reading. Mom and Dad said that from now on, I am allowed to share my favorite article, book or interesting factoid with you readers! Here I am reading the latest copy of "Mother Earth News."

"I found an interesting article called "Growing Trust" by Barbara Kingsolver. Ms. Kingsolver also wrote a terrific book called, Prodigal Summer - which I highly recommend! Anyway, here is the article for you to read and enjoy! It's about how great buying locally grown food is for everybody involved. Enjoy!"

"Before you go, please vote on what you think my weekly article should be called from now on. Thanks!"

Free Web poll for your Web site - freepolls.com

Growing Trust
Excerpted from Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life. (HarperCollins, May 2007)

Farming is not for everybody; increasingly, it’s hardly for anybody. Over the last decade our country has lost an average of 300 farms a week. Large or small, each of those was the life’s work of a real person or family, people who built their lives around a promise and watched it break.

Wherever farms are still living, it’s due to some combination of luck, courage and adaptability. In my home state, Kentucky, our agriculture is known for two nonedible commodities: tobacco and race horses. The latter is a highly capitalized industry that spreads little of its wealth into the small family farm; the former was the small farm’s bottom dollar, until the bottom dropped out. In my lifetime Kentucky farmers have mostly had the options of going broke, or going six ways to Sunday for the sake of staying solvent. On the bluegrass that famously nourished Man o’ War and Secretariat, more modest enterprises with names like “Hard Times Farm” and “Mother Hubbard’s” are now raising pasture-fed beef, pork, lamb and turkeys. Kentucky farms produce flowers, garlic, organic berries and vegetables, emu and ostrich products, catfish and rainbow trout. Right off the Paris Pike, a country lane I drove a hundred times in my teenage years, a farmer named Sue now grows freshwater shrimp.

Among other obstacles, these farmers have to contend with a national press that is quick to pronounce them dead. Diversified food-producing farms on the outskirts of cities are actually the fastest growing sector of U.S. agriculture. The small farm is at the moment very busy thinking its way out of a box, working like mad to protect the goodness and food security of a largely ungrateful nation.

These producers can’t survive by catering only to the upscale market, either. The majority of farmers market customers are people of ordinary means, and low-income households are not necessarily excluded. An urban area in eastern Tennessee has a vegetable equivalent of a bookmobile, allowing regional farmers to get produce into neighborhoods whose only other food-purchasing option might be a liquor store. The U.S. assistance program for women with infant children (WIC) gives coupons redeemable at farmers markets to more than 2.5 million participants in 44 states. Citizen-led programs from California to New York are linking small farmers with school lunch programs and food banks.

Even so, a perception of organic food as an elite privilege is a considerable obstacle to the farmer growing food for middle-income customers whose highest food-shopping priority is the lowest price. Raising food without polluting the field or the product will always cost more than the conventional mode that externalizes costs to taxpayers and the future. To farm sustainably and also stay in business, these market gardeners have to bridge the psychological gap between what consumers could pay, and what we will actually shell out.
WHAT CHEAP FOOD REALLY COSTS

Grocery money is an odd sticking point for U.S. citizens, who on average spend a lower proportion of our income on food than people in any other country, or any time heretofore in history. En masse, even in school lunches, we broadly justify consumption of tallow-fried animal pulp on the grounds that it’s cheaper than whole grains, fresh vegetables, hormone-free dairy and such. Whether on school boards or in families, budget keepers may be aware of the health trade-off but still feel compelled to economize on food — in a manner that would be utterly unacceptable if the health risk involved an unsafe family vehicle or a plume of benzene running through a school basement.

It’s interesting that penny-pinching is an accepted defense for toxic food habits, when frugality so rarely rules other consumer domains. At any income level, we can be relied upon for categorically unnecessary purchases: portable-earplug music instead of the radio; extra-fast Internet for leisure use; heavy vehicles to transport light loads; name-brand clothing instead of plainer gear. “Economizing,” as applied to clothing, generally means looking for discount name brands instead of wearing last year’s clothes again. The dread of rearing unfashionable children is understandable. But as a priority, “makes me look cool” has passed up “keeps arteries functional” and left the kids huffing and puffing in the dust.

Nobody should need science to prove the obvious, but plenty of studies do show that regularly eating cheaply produced fast food and processed snack foods slaps on extra pounds that increase the risks of diabetes, cardiovascular harm, joint problems and many cancers. As a country we’re officially over the top: the majority of our food dollars buy those cheap calories, and two-thirds of our citizens are medically compromised by weight. The incidence of obesity-associated diabetes has doubled since 1990, with children the fastest growing class of victims. One out of every $7 we spend on health care pays to assuage (but not cure) the multiple heartbreaks of diabetes — kidney failure, strokes, blindness, amputated limbs.

An embarrassing but arguable point is that we’re applying deadly priorities to our food budgets because we believe the commercials. Industrial agriculture can promote its products on a supersized scale. Eighty percent of the beef-packing industry is controlled by four companies; the consolidation is exactly the same for soybean processing. With such vast corporate budgets weighing in on the side of beef and added fats, it’s no surprise that billions of dollars a year go into advertising fast food. The surprise is how handsomely marketers recoup that investment: how successfully they convince us that cheap food will make us happy, and maybe even thin.

How delusional are we, exactly? Insisting to farmers that our food has to be cheap is like commanding a 10-year-old to choose a profession and move out of the house now. It violates the spirit of the enterprise. It guarantees bad results. The economy of the arrangement will come around to haunt you. Anyone with a working knowledge of children would get that. Similarly, it takes a farmer to understand the analogous truth about food production — that time and care yield quality that matters — and explain that to the rest of us. Industry will not, but individual market growers can communicate concern that they’re growing food in a way that’s healthy and safe, for people and place. They can educate consumers about a supply chain that’s as healthy or unhealthy as we choose to make it.

That information doesn’t fit in a five-syllable jingle. And those growers will never win a price war either. The best they can hope for is a marketing tactic known as friendship, or something like it. Their task is to communicate the consumer value of their care, and how it benefits the neighborhood. This may seem like a losing battle. But the “Buy Cheap Eats” crusade is assisting the deaths of our compatriots at the rate of about 820 a day; somebody’s bound to notice that. We are a social animal. The cost-benefit ratios of neighborliness are as old as our species, and probably inescapable in the end.
FRESH, FLAVORFUL FOOD

Ashfield, Mass., is as cute as it gets, even by the standards of small town New England. Downtown is anchored by a hardware store with rocking chairs on the front porch. The big local social event where folks catch up with their neighbors is the weekly farmers market.

I didn’t know this when we arrived there to stay at a friend’s house. We brought our cooler in with the luggage, planning to give our hostess some of our little fist-sized tomatoes. These carefully June-ripened treasures would wow the New Englanders, I thought. Oops. As I started to pull them out of the cooler I spied half a dozen huge red tomatoes, languidly sunning their shapely shoulders in our friend’s kitchen window. These bodacious babes made our ‘Early Siberians’ look like Miss Congeniality. I pulled out some blackheart cherries instead, presenting them along with an offhand question: um, so, where did those tomatoes come from?

“Oh, from Amy at the farmers market,” she said. “Aren’t they nice?”

Nice, I thought. In the third week of June, in western Mass, if they taste as good as they look they’re a doggone miracle. I was extremely curious. Our host promised that during our visit she would take us to see Amy, the tomato magician.

On the appointed morning we took a narrow road that led from Ashfield up through wooded hills to a farm where Amy grows vegetables and her partner Paul works as a consultant in the design and construction of innovative housing. Their own house is pretty much the definition of innovative: a little round, mushroom-shaped structure whose sod-and-moss roof was covered in a summer pelt of jewelweeds. It was the kind of setting that leads you to expect an elf, maybe, but Paul and Amy stepped out instead. They invited us up to the roof where we could sit on a little bench. Ulan the dog followed us up the ladder stairs and sat panting happily as we took in the view of the creek valley below. Part of Paul’s work in dynamic housing design is to encourage people to think more broadly about both construction materials (walls of stacked straw bales are his specialty), and how to use space creatively (e.g., dog on the roof). I couldn’t wait to see the gardens.

First, though, we had to eat the breakfast they’d made in their tiny, efficient kitchen. Everything locally produced: yogurt and strawberries, eggs, salsa made with Amy’s enviable tomatoes. We lingered, talking farming and housing, but the day called us out to the fields where rows of produce were already gulping morning sun. Amy, a self-described perfectionist, apologized for the state of what looked to me like the tidiest rows imaginable — more weedless than our garden on the best of days. Part-time interns sometimes help out, but the farm runs on Amy’s full-time dedication.

A mid-June New England garden, two weeks past the last frost, is predominantly green: lacy bouquets of salad greens, Chinese cabbage, cilantro, broccoli and peas. A tomato of any type seemed out of the question, until we crested a hill and came upon two long greenhouses. These are the sturdy workhorses of the farm, with heavy-duty plastic skins supported by wooden trusses. Amy no longer grows tomatoes anywhere except in a greenhouse. Cool spring soil, late frosts and iffy New England weather make the season too short for noteworthy harvests of outdoor-planted tomatoes. But she doesn’t grow them hydroponically, as is the norm for large-scale tomato houses. Her greenhouses are built over garden soil, her tomatoes grow in the ground.

“They taste better,” she said. “It’s probably the micronutrients and microfauna in the soil that give them that garden taste. So many components of soil just aren’t present in a more sterile environment.”

Heating greenhouses through the Massachusetts winter didn’t appeal to Paul and Amy either. After a few years of experiments, they’ve found it most cost-effective to heat with a combination of propane and woodstoves — or not at all. One of the houses is exclusively a cold frame, extending the season for salad greens, spinach and other crops that can survive temperatures down to the mid-20s. Amy’s greens will sell all winter for about $7 a pound.

Her second greenhouse is heated, she said, but only in spring. As we approached it I peered in the door and actually gasped. Holy tomato. I’ve never seen healthier, more content-looking plants: 10 feet tall, leafy, rising toward heaven on strings stretched from the ground to the rafters. If there were an Angel Choir of tomatoes, these would be singing. The breed she grows is one meant especially for greenhouses, a variety (perfectly enough) called ‘Trust.’

Amy was inspiring to watch, a knowledgeable farmer in her element as she narrowed her eyes for signs of pests, pausing to finger a leaf and study its color. We walked among the tall plants admiring the clusters of fruits hanging from bottom to top in a color gradient from mature red fruits below to the new, greenish-white ones overhead. The support-strings were rolled around spindles up above that could be cranked to lower the plant down gradually, as the top continues to climb. Tomato plants habitually lose their lower leaves as they grow; the point of this system is to coil the leafless stems on the ground and let the healthy growing part keep twining upward. But these plants were so healthy they refused to lose any lower leaves. Our daughter Lily played hide-and-seek in the tomato wilderness while Amy showed me her growing system.

She fine-tunes it a little more each year, but already her operation is an obvious success. The last time she had soil tests, the technicians who came to evaluate her compost-built organic dirt had never seen such high nutrient values. The greatest limitation here is temperature; she could keep tomatoes growing all winter, but the cost of fuel would pass her profit margin. In early spring, when she’s starting the plants, she economizes by heating the soil under the seedlings (woodstove-heated water runs through underground pipes) while letting air temperatures drop fairly low. Pushing the season early is more important than late, she says. People will pay more for a June tomato than one in October, when tomatoes are old hat, dropping off the vines in gardens everywhere. By starting in the spring, she can bring bushels of ‘Trust’ out of her greenhouse to thrilled customers long before anything red is coming out of local gardens.

I observed that in the first week of June, she could charge anything she wanted for these. She laughed. “I could. But I don’t. I belong to this community, people know me. I wouldn’t want to take advantage.”

She is more than just part of the community — she was a co-founder of the hugely successful Ashfield farmers market. She sells to individuals and restaurants, and enjoys a local diet by relying on other producers for the things she doesn’t grow. “We don’t have chickens, for example, because so many other people do. We trade vegetables for eggs and meat.” Their favorite local restaurant buys Amy’s produce all summer, the last two months for credit, so that in winter she and Paul can eat there whenever they want. He deems the arrangement “a great substitute for canning.”
FOOD YOU CAN TRUST

Like many small farms, this perfectly organic operation is not certified organic. Amy estimates certification would cost her $700 a year, and she wouldn’t gain that much value from it. Virtually everyone who buys her food knows Amy personally; many have visited the farm. They know she is committed to chemical-free farming because she values her health, her products, the safety of her interns and customers, and the profoundly viable soil of her fields and greenhouses.

Farmers like Amy generally agree that organic standards are a good thing on principle. When consumers purchase food at a distance from where it’s grown, certification lets them know it was grown in conditions that are clearly codified and enforced. Farmers who sell directly to their customers, on the other hand, generally don’t need watchdogs — their livelihood tends to be a mission as well as a business. Amy’s customers trust her methods. No federal bureaucracy can replace that relationship.

Furthermore, the paper trail of organic standards offers only limited guarantees to the consumer. Specifically, it certifies that vegetables were grown without genetic engineering or broadly toxic chemical herbicides or pesticides; animals were not given growth-promoting hormones or antibiotics. “Certified organic” does not mean sustainably grown, worker-friendly, fuel-efficient, cruelty-free or many other virtues a consumer might wish for.

The rising consumer interest in organic food has inspired most of the country’s giant food conglomerates to cash in, at some level. These big players have successfully moved the likes of bagged salads and hormone-free milk from boutique to mainstream markets and even big-box stores.

But low price has its costs. In order to meet federal organic standards as cheaply as possible and maximize profits, some industrial-scale organic producers (though not all) cut every corner that’s allowed, and are lobbying the government to loosen organic rules further. Some synthetic additives are now permitted, thanks to pressure from industrial organics. So is animal confinement. A chicken may be sold as “free range” if the house in which it’s confined (with 20,000 others) has a doorway leading out to a tiny yard, even though that doorway remains shut for so much of the chickens’ lives they never learn to go outside. This is not a theoretical example. The larger the corporation, the more distant its motives are apt to be from the original spirit of organic farming — and the farther the products will likely be shipped to buyers who will smile at the happy farm picture on the package, and never be the wiser.

The original stated purpose of organic agriculture was not just to protect the quality of foods, but also to safeguard farm environments and communities through diversified, biologically natural practices that remain healthy over time. This was outlined by J.I. Rodale, Sir Albert Howard, Lady Eve Balfour and all other significant contributors to the theory and practice of modern organic agriculture. Implicitly, these are values that many consumers still think they’re supporting with their purchase of organic products. Increasingly, small-scale food farmers like Amy feel corporate organics are betraying that confidence, extracting too much in the short term from their biotic and human communities, stealing the heart of a movement.

The best and only defense, for both growers and the consumers who care, is a commitment to more local food economies. It may not be possible to prevent the corruption of codified organic standards when they are so broadly applied. A process as complex as sustainable agriculture can’t be fully mandated or controlled; the government might as well try to legislate happy marriage. Corporate growers, if their only motive is profit, will find ways to follow the letter of organic regulations while violating their spirit.

But “Locally Grown” is a denomination whose meaning is incorruptible. Sparing the transportation fuel, packaging and unhealthy additives is a compelling part of the story, but the plot goes well beyond that. Local food is a handshake deal in a community gathering place. It involves farmers with first names, who show up week after week. It means an open door policy on the fields, where neighborhood buyers are welcome to come have a look, and pick their food from the vine. Local is farmers growing trust.

Weathering the storm. . .

2007-05-18T14:10:00.000-04:00

After a fairly dry spring, we finally got a big rain storm. The river flooded and we had to move the girls to higher ground, but when the clouds parted we were no worse for the wear!
The rain makes the grass green and the sheep's fleece white as snow:

Poor Jay looks like she sat in a mud puddle!

Pigs!

2007-05-10T13:53:00.000-04:00

Ta da! We got pigs!! Happy Birthday to Todd!

They like to sleep together:

Right now their job is to root up the sheep pack in the barn to make it into a nice compost to spread on the fields. This is an experiment so we are crossing our fingers. . .and hey, if it doesn't work out - they will still be delicious!
We have tentatively named them Paul & Dorothy - named after the pig farmers we bought them from. Do you have any better ideas?? Let us know, leave a comment :)

Spring E-Newsletter

2007-05-07T15:29:00.000-04:00

Dear Friends,
A happy spring to you and a heads-up that your first Shuttleworth Farm newsletter will arrive in the mail shortly (if you are on our mailing list, that is!). For those of you who can't wait to see what is new, here is a link to the electronic version:

Spring E-Newsletter

FYI: Now is the time to put in your orders for lamb, beef & pastured poultry!

If you would like to receive a hard copy in the mail, and are not on our mailing list, email us at info@shuttleworthfarm.com

Spring Has Sprung

2007-05-02T12:54:00.000-04:00

Time to kick the sheep out of the barn and into the green!

Nap time!

Improving!

2007-04-24T11:09:00.000-04:00

We've had Marli out working the girls almost daily - and she sure is showing improvements!
We wanted to try out a new way to display pictures - so we're trying this "widget." Please - let us know what you think!

Spring Training. . .

2007-04-16T14:57:00.000-04:00

Marli came out for "spring" training this weekend (never mind that it was 30 degrees and snowing/raining). She has been off her game all winter with the sheep all snug in the barn - and it is clear that she has her work cut out for her if she wants to be ready for action this summer!

OOOOOOOH NO GRIPPING!!!

But really, she didn't do so bad for her first time out of the year! After she picks the wool out of her teeth, she should be good to go again!

LRD

2007-04-11T14:18:00.000-04:00

Stands for Lamb Recreational Device! The most fun things to build - and watch the little ones go to work!

Just a stack of hay to the human eye - but for a young lamb, it is a castle, a hurdle, a bunk bed - you name it! In this picture, they are mainly just nibbling on it - but if you watch them long enough they will start a lamb marathon - racing back in forth from one end of the barn to the other, running up one side of the LRD and down the other. Too funny.

Shearing Day!

2007-04-11T14:01:00.001-04:00

Monday, Jim McRae and Liz Willis came to give our girls their annual haircuts! In this picture, you can see the set up of the event - the shearers set up in the manger, with a group of ewes waiting their turn. After they are sheared, they run back in to their respective side of the barn.

Liz:

Jim:

A big group of newborns waiting for their mom's to come back from the hair salon!

Thanks Jim & Liz! See you next year!

Sun Spot: Courtesy of David Paige

2007-04-06T12:16:00.001-04:00

Great picture, thanks David!

More Lambing Pictures!

2007-04-04T16:21:00.000-04:00

Well we are now about half way through lambing season - with about 200 lambs running a muck! Here are some pictures of the sheep barn set up.
This whole side of the barn is moms & babies - a week old up to over a month old.

The lambs like to lie in big pig piles to keep warm.

The little brats get out of their side and run up and down the alley way eating hay and causing a ruckus.

This lamb was just barely born - her mom is busy cleaning off her brother.

This ewe has at least 3 lambs trying to nurse off of her - keep in mind, she only has 2 teats!

Little one laying on mom to stay warm, what a nice bed!

This one got a bad hair cut!! Todd's getting better at shearing, but there's quite a few embarrassed ewes slinking around.

These are the "jugs" where mom & babies spend the first day or two of their lives.

Thank You Bottaro Family!

2007-02-28T11:40:00.000-05:00

The following pictures were taken by Michael, Laura, Tonya and David Bottaro from Rhode Island and Connecticut. The two couples stayed in our Guest Suite last week, and we enjoyed their company very much!
This is Laura feeding our 'bottle baby' Dolly.

Michael with our bull, Rabbit.

A fall calf.

David and Pickle.

Tonya and the guard dogs

Thanks for sharing your great pictures with us!
Find our more about the guest suite here: www.shuttleworthfarm.com/suite.html

Lambing Season 2007!

2007-02-28T10:53:00.000-05:00

We are sorry we haven't posted in so long! At first, it was wintertime, and things were slow and quiet around here, and there wasn't much to tell! Now, though, slow and quiet are things of the past, and there hasn't been time for posting! Lambing season 2007 is off and rolling along! Lots to see and tell. . .starting with the new sheep barn! Todd has been hard at work to transform a tie stall dairy barn into a free stall sheep barn, complete with a deluxe lambing section!
This is the view down the manger, where we feed the girls:

This is a lambing jug - a place where mom and the newborn lamb go to get to know each other. They are moved into their jug son after birth, and will stay there for 24 hours to 3 days, or until they are well bonded.
Then they are moved into a hardening pen with 2 or 3 other ewes and their lambs.

To keep the lambs warm during the coldest nights, we fit each one with a "sweater" made from old wool people-sweaters. Not only are they cozy - but awfully cute too!

The sweater twins showing off their fashions!

Meanwhile. . . we tried to do a photo shoot with Jay Bird!

Hey get back here! (that's me pulling her tail!)

Now smile!

She's quite pleased with herself!

Todd's pleased with her too!

More to come!

A Great Way to Start a Day!!

2007-01-03T13:01:00.000-05:00

Jay, Silas, Zeus, Chance and Marli have a New Year's resolution to take Kelli for a walk each and every morning - first thing! Here's the crew walking from the barn into the paddock where we can run free!

It's the three headed dog! Or the starting lineup for the Shuttleworth Farm Dog Sledding Team!

Jay is beautiful this time of day!

So is Jay!

We have fun on our morning walk! We wrestle,

and tumble!

Chase,

and romp!

We patrol the fence lines.

"Is this snow??"

"Whoa, I love this stuff!!"

"A Lot!"

Mid Shake!

Marli stalks the big dogs,

Pounces as they run by,

"Gotcha!!"

Truce!

Not!!

Jay & Jay

We can't wait for tomorrow morning!!

Almost a Pro!

2006-11-10T11:55:00.000-05:00

Todd and Marli have been very busy lately learning how to herd sheep.
"Now, listen Carefully, Marli."

"Are you ready?"

"Come by!"

"Get 'em, Get 'em!"

This training isn't just fun and games, it's very practical! During the roundup, Todd noticed a lamb that didn't get sorted. So with Marli's help, they took him from the flock to bring to the other lambs.

"That'll Do!"

Pinky & Other Newbies!

2006-11-03T12:09:00.000-05:00

We've had a slew of new calves born in the last few weeks, and we figured it was time to introduce them!
This one is Pinky, she has a white mom and a red dad, so she came out pink! Funny looking thing, but cute as a button!

Here's Ernie, Bear and another black calf:

Two more red calves

And here's a whole slew of them!

Sheep Parade: Part 2

2006-10-27T14:54:00.000-04:00

Today our friend Roger Deschambeault and his wife Chris, came up to bring us his sheep we will be boarding for the winter. Since he and his dog, Ken, did such a good job last time - we invited them to help us bring the sheep back down the road again.
Here, Roger & Ken are riding down to the far field to gather the ewes.

Now we've got the fence open and the sheep are starting to rush out towards Kelli, who is carrying a bucket of beep pulp.

Out on the main road now, Roger rides on the back of the truck whistling the commands to Ken, who is working in the background.

This girl is keen on the beet pulp - she kept up with the car the whole way!

Rounding the corner onto Lane Road. . .

The final stretch. . .

And we're here! Sigh of relief!

Kelli & Todd close up the fence, while Roger gives Ken a well deserved pat.

Ken's ready to do it again! That'll do, Ken!

Good dogs

2006-10-04T10:40:00.001-04:00

Jay and Silas rest up after a long night. The past several nights we have heard the coyotes howling in the distance, which makes the guard dogs really work to earn their keep. So far, so good - we have had no altercations with any predators, and with good dogs like these on our team, we hope we never will.

Sheep Dogs!

2006-10-02T12:34:00.000-04:00

This weekend we went to see the sheep dog trials at the Fryeburg Fair. Here are some pictures of our friend Roger Deschambeault's dogs working in the trial.
This is Ken - the same dog that helped move our sheep to their new field.

Ken took home 1st place at the sheep trial on Saturday.

Here's Roger's dog, Jet on her outrun.

Lift.

And Fetch!

That'll do Jet, that'll do Ken!
Maybe next year our Marli will be out there!

Movin' on up. . .

2006-09-18T11:53:00.000-04:00

As fall sets in, and the grass growth slows down, we decided we needed to find a new place to graze our sheep. Since we do not yet own a livestock trailer, our options for moving the sheep were limited. We decided to graze the sheep at a pasture down the road from the rest of the farm, and called our new friend Roger Deschambeault and asked for a favour. Sunday morning, Roger arrived at the farm with two of his trained border collies. The plan was to run the sheep down Loop Road about a half mile to the new pasture. In this picture, roger sent his dog, Ken, out to gather the sheep. The tiny black dot is Ken.

Here they are out of the fenced-in area and onto the neighbor's lawn. Up ahead Todd, Kelli and Ed and running ahead, calling the girls. Off the the side is Ken, getting the sheep off the lawn, and into the road. Roger follows behind, whistling commands to Ken.

Here we are crossing the bridge.

They reached the new pen, and rushed right in!

Here we are closing them in to their new home.

After we were all done, Roger took out his young dog, Bob, to do a little work.

That'll do! Thanks Roger, Ken & Bob!!!

More Birthdays!

2006-09-18T11:17:00.001-04:00

September 12th is a very special day on the farm! That's because it is the birthday of Bill and Marli! For Bill's birthday, the whole family met up at the Lake Mansfield Trout Club in Stowe, VT. It was a wonderful weekend, full of fishing, hiking, eating, drinking, and good family fun! Here, Bill on the right, is getting a toast from his good friend Jim, on the left.

Laurie and her sisters Ruth and Claudia enjoying their evening.

Bill, cutting his Ben & Jerry's Coffe Coffe Buz Buz and Cherry Garcia ice creme cake.

Kelli, Ben, Brent, Todd and Jeff on a hike.

The whole family on the steps of the Trout Club.

For Marli's birthday, we had a quiet evening at home.

Let's look at how much Marli has grown!

Happy Birthday to. . . .

2006-09-03T14:07:00.000-04:00

This morning we were delighted to find that one of our best cows, "Perfect" had given birth to a beautiful heifer calf!

We think she was born around 5 am, and by the time we got there, around 8:30, she was already bucking around, nursing and playing! What a healthy calf!

Here she is nursing her mom.

Perfect was bred by atificial insemination to a famous New Zealand bull, Rotokowa. This bull is know for his ability to get big and fat by eating only grass. Here she is getting to know the rest of the herd.

We need your help! This little girl has no name! Send us your ideas, so that we can sing her a proper Happy Birthday!

Pretty Pictures

2006-08-18T15:08:00.000-04:00

Happy cows live here.

Happy sheep live here, too!

The chickens? They're happy too!

Shuttleworth Farm, where cows can be cows, sheep can be sheep, and chickens, can be chickens!

Chicken Plucker!

2006-08-08T13:49:00.000-04:00

This weekend, our first batch of chickens were processed by Ray Garcia at Cabin View Farm in Littleton, NH. Ray showed up with his portable chicken processing facility, set up in a cargo trailer. Here, Todd is putting the birds into the holding pen.

Ray cleans his equipment often. The whole process took less than 2 hours to do 45 chickens.

Here's Ray cleaning the birds.

Our birds averaged around 5 1/2 lbs, not bad for 8 weeks!

Free to a Good Home:

2006-07-26T11:38:00.000-04:00

Kittens!
We found two litters of kittens, nine babies in total, in the barn this weekend. Instead of letting them grow up into feral cats, we have brought them indoors, are socializing them, and will be finding them homes.

All are available for adoption in a few weeks. . .all, that is, but Miss Sadie Mae who has decided that she will stay on at the farm.

She said she will even sleep with the dogs if she has to, but she aint leaving!

Chicken Tractor!

2006-07-21T11:02:00.000-04:00

I just realized that I never put up any pictures of our Chicken Tractors! How could I forget?? Well wait no longer:

The tractor is home to 50 broilers. They are put in it at 3 to 4 weeks of age, and stay there until 8 weeks when they are processed. Twice a day we move the tractor to a new piece of grass. This keeps fresh food in front of them, and a clean bed under them at all times.

Before & After!

2006-07-21T10:37:00.000-04:00

Old Mac went to the hairdresser today for a much needed trim! Here he is before:

And here he is after!

We think he looks hilarious, but he probably feels much better - like a brand new dog!

It's a bird, it's a plane, it's the Egg-Mobile!

2006-07-19T13:35:00.000-04:00

This week we put the final touches on our Egg-Mobile! This portable chicken coop was built on an old boat trailer, and will be towed into the field behind the grazing animals. The chickens will get busy pecking apart the manure pies to find the yummy bugs hiding within. This makes for healthy, delicious eggs, cleaner pasture, less flies, everybody wins!

Here's Laurie painting the coop.

And Bill hanging the feeder.

Laurie & Kelli hung curtains over the laying boxes for added privacy.

The two doors in the back open for easy access to the eggs.

In you go!

We think they like their new home quite a lot!

Here's one gal laying us our first Egg-Mobile Egg!

With the big girls moved out, the chicks and turkeys have the coop to themselves.
Here's our second batch of chicks, growing fast:

And these silly looking guys and girls are the turkeys!

Wanna snuggle?

2006-07-14T10:34:00.000-04:00

These three make a cozy threesome: wooly, furry & fuzzy!

Got Milk?

Sheep jokes!

2006-07-12T14:29:00.000-04:00

Billy: Did you know it takes 6 sheep to make a sweater?
Julie: I didn't even know sheep could knit!

Q: What did one sheep say to the other sheep?
A: "After ewe"

Q: Which side of a sheep is the woolliest?
A: The outside

Q: Where do sheep go to get a haircut?
A: To the Baa Baa Shop!

The teacher came up with a good problem. "Suppose," she asked the second-graders, "there were a dozen sheep and six of them jumped over a fence. How many would be left?"

"None," answered little Norman.

"None? Norman, you don't know your arithmetic."

"Teacher, you don't know your sheep. When one goes, they all go!"

Practice, Practice!

2006-07-11T11:29:00.000-04:00

The lessons continue for Miss Marli. . .

Buttercup & Mac are not impressed with Marli's handywork.

But, Sophie is!

Three Stooges

2006-07-11T11:18:00.000-04:00

Jay-Bird, Zeus & Silas: The Three Stooges!

Jay says, "Yay!"

Beautiful sunset!

Road Trip!

2006-07-11T10:35:00.000-04:00

Last weekend, we left the farm in the capable hands of Todd's family, and headed south for a weekend getaway! We attended a wedding in Pennsylvania (congrats Kim & Rich!) and took a tour of theUniversity of Maryland - Todd's Alma Mater! Here we are in front of the "Terp" painted for the ag department. Thanks Lindsay, Katie & Matt for a great visit!

Haircuts for the Newbies!

2006-06-11T19:27:00.000-04:00

What were we thinking! We bought more sheep, more lambs and more guard dogs! As if we didn't already have enough to do! Last week, we drove to Weare, NH and cleaned out our friends whole stock: 19 ewes, 1 ram, 32 lambs and 2 Great Pyrenees guard dogs! As they were not sheared, we put them in the sheep barn until we could get them done. Here's Todd peeling them out!

Next up was Mr. Silas! He had a bunch of mats, and irritation so we gave him a trim too!

One of the lambs we bought is a "bottle baby," a triplet rejected by her mother. Finding no other maternal figure, she became bonded with the guard dogs! Here she is cuddled up for a nap with Mack.

The Chicks Have Arrived!!

2006-06-09T12:22:00.000-04:00

Our first batch of fifty baby chicks arrived today via the United States Postal Service! It was one of the more noisy boxes at the post office this morning! Here's Todd scrambling to set up the chick brooder.

This time, we used a kiddy pool as our brooder. We hung a heat light from the ceiling to keep the little guys warm.

In eight weeks these little buggers will be less adorable, and more delicious looking! For those of you that ordered birds, we will be mailing out information about pick-up dates and times for the first week of August. We are still taking orders for broilers and turkeys!

"The Grass-Fed Revolution"

2006-06-08T12:54:00.000-04:00

This week's issue of Time Magazine featured a article titled "The Grass-Fed Revolution." Click here to read --> http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1200759,00.html

Movin' Along:

2006-05-29T20:25:00.000-04:00

We move our sheep in a 12 hour, half acre pasture rotation. At the end of 12 hours, the paddock looks like this:

When we start to build the next paddock, all of the sheep rush up to the corner and holler at us to hurry up already! With a simple "Come on girls!" we open the gate and let them into their new area.

It takes about a half hour to set up a paddock shift,and a little extra time goes into picking up their old fence, moving their water and mineral. All together, moving sheep and beef takes about an hour and a half, twice a day!

Todd stands back to observe his handy-work before heading off to work some more! Summertime sure is busy!

Dog Day Afternoon!

2006-05-28T15:04:00.000-04:00

We finally have some nice weather, which calls for a relaxing dog day afternoon!

Jay & Kelli take a little nap. Jay-Bird makes a fabulous pillow!

Marli wants so badly to come inside the fence and play with the sheep!

"Please??"

Overlooking the homestead!

She's a Sheep Dog!!

2006-05-23T18:31:00.000-04:00

Training has begun with our sheep-herder-to-be, Marli!

Here we are, practicing with the rams. In this picture we're learning our 'sides' - "Come By," which is a clockwise direction, and "Away To Me," which is counter clockwise - from the dog's perspective.

In this one, Marli gives the rams "eye." This position is a natural instinct for border collies, and they use it to intimidate their quarry and hold 'em steady!

A little pep-talk from mum.

That'll do!

"The Heartland of America's New Rain Forest!"

2006-05-22T15:50:00.000-04:00

-Henry Tiffany

Nope, this isn't a pond. It's a field. Or it used to be. It has been raining now for a whole week. We had 10 inches of water in the basement, and there are newborn lambs that have yet to see the sun! We are nervous for the sun to come out, becuase the lambs will be afraid of the bright light! (Just kidding, humor is scarse in soggy times like these, so we take it when we can!).

Rain, Rain, Rain

2006-05-18T12:48:00.000-04:00

Oh, what a soggy week it has been! Rain, rain, rain!

But it stopped raining long enough for us to move the cows outside, and we started them in on their half acres paddock rotation.

We fence them in with electric poly-nets that get moved each morning.

The look on this steer's face says it all, "Enough already, let's have some sunshine!"

Fresh Grass!

2006-05-12T11:03:00.000-04:00

Spring is now officially here, and we couldn't be happier!

We got the new fence built (which seems to be the talk of the town! Folks around here are only used to seeing holstiens grazing), and the girls are outside filling their bellies with the spring lush!

Since they have been out to pasture, we have had three new lambs born, and we must say, lambs born on pasture are just a dream come true!

They are healthy, and up and about in no time. The ewes just love giving birth on clean, fresh grass, it makes for quite a picture of health.

The dogs are so happy to be out of the barn - this is the first time little Jay-Bird has ever been outside of a barn her whole life!

We hear them barking throughout the night, so we know they are doing their jobs well. We are very proud of them!

This is our first "farm" blog. It was created to let everyone get a glimpse of day to day life on the farm, and we will do our best to keep it up to date! Enjoy!!