Breeze Hill Farm

Haven't been around much lately. I really do have to get better about my bloging. It's just been so crazy busy here that by the time I think about the blog, it's after midnight and I'm off to bed.

The soap and lotion business is doing it's impersonation of the "Christmas Rush" here in July. Which is a good thing! I've been very happy with the sales for June and this month is looking like it might just be better. We've introduced two new items to our line, Jewelweed Balm and Soap, and we can't keep it in stock. For those of you who don't know this Jewelweed is a wonderful, natural treatment for posion ivy and oak. To add even more benefit, we use just a bit of goat's milk in the soap which helps with the drying effect of posion ivy. We haven't gotten these two items on our website yet, so if you happen to be interested in either of them, just email us at breezehillfarm@verizon.net.

The fiber side of the farm has slowed down for now. All of this years clip is off at the processor and I haven't had time to work on the alpaca and cashmere that I held back. I miss having the time to spin my own yarn. It serves two very important purposes for me. It's relaxing and I get to "show off" my stuff! Last week, I visited our local yarn shop and they said that business is way off from last year at this time. It's a shame, all of us in this industry were hoping that more people would flock to knitting with natual fibers, that will last for years and after vacations sales may pick back up.

For everyone who has been coming to the St. Stephen's Farmer's Market to visit us, we have taken the month of July off and possibly August too. Our reasons are very simple..I am just too busy to leave the farm during the week. My thought is, if I can't keep up with sales, why make it harder on me? This way my husband and I both get a little break. Last Saturday, as part of our anniversary celebration, we did a day trip to Gryffon's Aerie www.gryffonsaerie.com in Whitehall, Virginia. What a beautiful trip this is! It was so clear, not horribly hot, and most of all relaxed. We hadn't seen Ramona for several years and it was just great visiting with her and taking the "ride" around the farm to see all of the cattle and pigs..oh yes, and sheep. She and Collins' farm is featured in Virginia Living Magazine this month, so hopefully many more folks will make the trek out to their place.  

This past Saturday we took the day and visited Grayhaven Winery www.grayhavenwinery.com, for their South African Food and Wine Festival. Grayhaven is one of our wholesale accounts and Max and Dion are also very good friends of ours. We had a wonderful time and I have to say, the food was excellent. Oh yes, so were the South African wines! We picked up the coolest print of an African child carrying a lamb over his shoulder. Every opportunity we get, we try to pick up anything that is tasteful portraying sheep. So basically, what we did is take a full week of doing and going and called it our anniversary week. Not very traditional but definitely relaxing and fun. I think that it is important for any of us who run our own farms and farm businesses to take some time for ourselves. It's good for the soul.

On a happy but equally sad note. We had a barn kitten born in May that did not have eyes. We've taken him into the house and raised him with his litter mates and Mom (that's been a real experience) and today, "Baby" is going to live with his new family. The family who is taking him, just lost their blind cat that had been with them for years, so he's going to a home that knows how to take care of his special needs. As I sit here and type this, I am crying like a baby. I'm going to miss that little face held high, inquiring as to what I'm doing when I come into a room. I know he is only a kitten but he has become very important to me and I knew his life would be better if he lived in a home with a little less confusion than ours. Everyone, say prayers for "Baby" and wish him well in this new journey.

Spring has definitely sprung here at the farm. Still no babies yet but our Mama's are about to burst. We spent the day shearing the goats yesterday. All of our Alpine x Angora's produce beautiful fiber that is blended with our sheep wool to make a glorious yarn for our knitting and crochet customers. When this blended fiber is dyed it is simply beautiful. Thursday will be Alpaca shearing day which will bring us about 150 fleeces and Saturday we'll shear the sheep. So much fiber! I love it. Within the next several weeks we will announce the details on our Fiber CSA. So far, just sharing this idea with our customers, we've sold several shares. Having been in the fiber business for since 1994, we've developed a good size customer base that is familiar with the quality fibers we offer. We love this time of year even though our aging backs don't!

Thanks to the fact that goat's milk can be frozen I've been hard at work making soap. With Farmer's Market season upon us, it's time to grow inventory. The selection of new Farmer's Markets in this area has grown unbelievably for 2009, so this year we are employing family and friends to help us out. This way we can be at more than just one or two markets. It is a good positive feeling to see so much interest in providing local grown to those who are seeking it. It is also good to see so many people adding vegetable plants to their landscaping..this is how it should be. We should know where our foods and yes, even our fiber and soaps come from. One of the sell points we use with our goat's milk products, that seems to really make a difference is, "we are trying to take care and put only the best there is in our body's but let's not neglect the largest organ we have..our skin". It's a great feeling to see that lightbulb go on when they get it.

Our new website is almost ready to launch. For those who have painfully looked at our existing site, I am so sorry you had to go through that. This has been an exciting task..though at times it has gotten tense. Having your husband as your web designer can prove to be, let's say annoying. After 30 years of marriage, I simply cannot understand why he can't read my mind! He's a great guy and he's doing a beautiful job on the new site. Can't wait!

Well that's it for our news from the farm. Until next time, take care.