A couple of weeks ago, my friend Tamara and I headed across the border to New Hampshire for a party with Scratch Supply Company for their third year, and a trunk show with Adella of LolaBean Yarn Company. It was great to celebrate independent businesses, women entrepreneurs, and, of...
Interviews
2019 Spring Preview: New products, workshops and festivals
It’s finally Spring here in Vermont, and we’re looking forward to some of our favorite events of the year. This week, Sarah shares a preview of all the new products we’ll be debuting this season, including new skincare scents, travel project bags, yarn, and gifts. Plus, if you enjoy...
27 – ReBecca Béguin: Shepherding as lifestyle and inspiration
We’ve known ReBecca for more than 10 years, and have come to appreciate her thoughtfulness and creativity as our friendship has grown. Join Sarah in conversation with ReBecca as we discuss her growth from accidental shepherd to committed advocate; her books that explore the human connection with the land;...
26 Pauline Van Gulden: Collaboration is an essential part of sewing creativity
I’ve been working quietly behind the scenes on a new design for a project bag for portable crafts, and couldn’t do it without the expert guidance of a professional seamstress like Pauline Van Gulden. Pauline was kind enough to sit down with me for a chat about her career...
25 The Knitting Nook, Portland Maine: This cozy neighborhood café is also a yarn shop.
Sometimes, it takes a life-changing experience to realize what you really want to do with your life. That’s what happened to the owner of The Knitting Nook, Lisa Plourd, when she fell through the ice and ended up in the emergency room. After her recovery, Lisa decided to combine her...
Waterbury, Vermont Field Trip: Local Yarn, Food, Beers
This weekend, my mother and I made a quick trip up to Waterbury, Vermont a town about an hour from the homestead. Our venture was prompted by the relocation of our local yarn shop from Montpelier. We were happy to see the new space: bright, open, and buzzing with...
24: Mary Lake – Shepherd, Shearer, Slaughterer
These days, the sheep industry is experiencing a scarcity of slaughterhouses and trained shearers, as any experienced shepherd can tell you. So it’s rare, and wonderful, to find a woman like Mary Lake who had the interest and tenacity to learn both trades and make them into her twin...
23: Joseph Morel – Sustainable Farming at Eastman Farm
Despite growing up on a Vermont farm himself, Joseph Morel of Eastman Farm didn’t think that there would be an opportunity to continue this way of life while raising his own family. But through perseverance, developing community with neighboring farms, assistance from the Vermont Land Trust, as well as...
22: Michael Hampton – Master Knitter
Michael Hampton founded his fiber mill around the same time that we got our first sheep, which was a fortuitous coincidence. Over the years he milled several beautiful yarns for us. Recently, Michael has taken a step back from custom milling to focus on his own projects, including completion...
21: Janet Zug – Fun and functional handblown glass
Janet Zug of Zug Glass Studios has been blowing glass for over two decades. In the interview we discuss her start as a contract glassmaker with no experience and how her signature style has developed with her expertise. You can find more of Janet’s work on her website, or...