"Life on a farm is my bit of Heaven on Earth and I love sharing it."
Holding a Masters Degree in Mental Health Counseling, I recognize the negative effects that life events have on health and productivity. Please consider using our farm as your source of rest and revitalization. Whether it be just for yourself, a group of your friends, or a group of coworkers, we can prepare Weekend Retreats tailored to renew and refresh. For those of you who are interested in Learning Workshops, I am offering workshops that will teach our guests about the running of the inn and farm. Here are some of the topics from which you can choose. If there is something else you would like to learn about, please do ask. If I can't teach it, I bet I know someone who would join us for a weekend of instruction and sharing.
- Quilting - Guest instructors offering a variety of topics and special projects. A materials list is supplied in advance so that you may purchase the fabric of your color choice. Offered quarterly.
- Gardening with a Master Gardener - Guest instructors offer a variety of topics for both flower and vegetable gardens. Organic techniques are emphasized. Offered twice annually: Spring and Fall.
- Basic Livestock Care - Ever wonder what is involved in raising small livestock? Did you consider a few hens in the backyard or raising rabbits? We will cover the care and feeding of small stock in small places. You don't need a farm to enjoy their company and produce a useable product.
- Carriage Driving 101 & 102 - Do you read historic novels and wonder what it was like to use carriage for transportation? Are you a older rider who is finding mounting and riding difficult? Let me introduce you to a wonderful pastime that can also be a very adrenaline-pumping sport. Do you have a horse that you believe would make a nice driving horse? Bring your horse with you and we will evaluate him/her as well as recommend a trainer in your home area.
- Hand Milking 101 - Not only will you learn to hand milk one of our goats, you will learn about her care and the safe practices required with raw milk. Goat milk is nearly identical in taste to cow's milk but its butterfat molecules are naturally pasteurized so do not require the same treatments as the commercial milk found in the stores. You will learn about the health benefits of goat milk and goat milk products as substantiated by research.
- Basic Cheese and Dairy Products - Learn to make fresh cheese, yogurt, cottage cheese, as well as how to set up a place to age your cheeses. Choose your favorite cheese (feta, mozzarella, cheddar, etc) and we will prepare it as time allows (some cheeses must be aged). We can even age it for you and ship it when ready.
- Shearing & Wool 101 - We shear our sheep twice annually - usually in early March and again in late August or early September. Additionally, we harvest our Angora Rabbit wool by plucking or shearing about every 90 days. If you would like to observe the harvesting of luxurious wool or even get some hands on experience, be sure to contact us for exact dates. If you would like to learn how to process wool, stay an extra day or two and we will cover washing the fleece, carding the wool, and getting it ready to spin.
- Spinning 101- Add this package to Shearing 101 or as a stand alone. We will briefly cover how wool is prepared for spinning with emphasis on carding and then cover using a drop spindle and the spinning wheel.
