Farm Pickings

News and Updates from Sanborn Mills Farm

— June 19, 2024 —

Agriculture is the most healthful,

most useful and most noble employment of man.



— George Washington

A Beautiful Day on a Beautiful Farm

On Sunday, June 16, Sanborn Mills Farm welcomed friends, neighbors, families, workshop students and teachers, and anyone simply curious about our historic farm to join us for our annual, and popular, Open Farm Day. More than 400 people watched demonstrations of traditional farm craft and skills, visited our historic mills and barns, chatted with staff, ate delicious foods prepared from Farm-grown ingredients, and learned about our extensive roster of workshops. It was truly a day to remember for all!

Restoring the Historic Blacksmith Shop

Work has begun on the restoration of our historic old blacksmith shop. While there is no documentation of when the blacksmith shop was built, the building is recorded as “Shop” on an 1858 map of the area. The structure measures 31 by 29 feet and sits on stone piers. Over the decades the old rubble foundation has heaved and subsided — New Hampshire weather isn’t kind to old structures. Steve Fifield has jacked up the building to install new sills and insert a new rock foundation under the sills on top of the old foundation. At the start of this year’s project the building was level on the side closest to the grist mill. But the opposite side was more than 10 inches higher on the corner near the road than the corner on the back of the building. The jacking has managed to bring the building closer to plumb. In the 1980s the building had been propped up on blocks of hardwood that rotted away where the water had the easiest access. The new dry laid rock foundation should last another 25 years until the weather catches up with it, too. Straightening the building meant freeing the chimney where it attached to the roof. New shingles have been attached to the roof around the chimney. The old siding boards that are usable will be reattached to the frame and new floor joists will be installed in the back room which used to hold the coal supply for the forge. Some of the floor boards are too rotten to reuse and new doors will need to be built as the old ones are too far gone to repair.  The replacement pieces will be milled on the up-and-down saw to match the original siding. The aim of this repair is to stop the building from falling down and rotting away. It won’t look much different and will continue to serve as it always has as the farm’s first maintenance shop with a leather bellows for forge work and wooden stock for shoeing oxen.

Sunday Suppers at

Sanborn Mills Farm

New this year, plan to join us this summer for a Sunday Supper prepared by Head Chef Kelly Fahey and Sous Chef Taylor George from ingredients grown or raised on the Farm. These special events will give you the opportunity to enjoy the Farm in the magic of evening. Several dates are available; click here for more information and to choose a Sunday for your supper at the Farm.

And don’t forget our popular Farm to Table Lunches held on Thursdays in June. Click here for more information.

Upcoming Workshops of Interest

Sanborn Mills Farm’s 2024 Workshop Program is now underway, but it’s never too early to register for a favorite workshop later in the schedule. Many of our workshops fill quickly, so if there’s a workshop or two that catches your interest, make a point to register soon. The full schedule of 2024 workshops is posted on our website here.

Here are three upcoming workshops that may be of particular interest to you. Click on the workshop title for more information and to register.

Wall Hung Cabinet

July 12-14

Instructor: Owain Harris

Just one spot left!

A small wall-hung cabinet is a practical piece with a lot of learning opportunities. Starting with an overview of casepiece design and construction, participants will learn the fundamentals of solid wood cabinet joinery. Topics covered will include stock selection and milling, router table basics, casepiece joinery, hardware installation, making and fitting a door, door pull considerations, and finish. This is an intermediate level workshop — if you are unsure of your level and would like to be connected with the instructor, email marsha@sanbornmills.org.

Introduction to Scandinavian Woodcarving

July 27-28

Instructor: Wayne Miller

A Tomte (Swedish) or Nisse (Norwegian) is a mythological creature from Nordic folklore, today typically associated with the winter solstice and often referred to as a Yuletide gnome. Our tomte (or nisse) starts out as a 1 ¾” x 1 ¾ “ x 4” block of native New Hampshire basswood that roughly outlined with a bandsaw. Class participants will be instructed in basic knife safety and woodcarving terminology before beginning. Knives, cut-proof gloves and thumbguards will be provided for use, but those with their own tools are encouraged to bring them. Step by step instruction and individual attention will be given throughout the class. 

Visible Mending: Learn Swiss Darning for Knitwear

July 13

Instructor: Jennifer Duff

In this one day workshop students will deep dive into Swiss darning knitwear. We’ll first go over the basics of knit and purl stitches and how to choose a good thread or yarn for a mend. We’ll use our materials to learn Swiss darning over thinning areas. We’ll cover stocking web darning over holes and charting your own decorative patterns. If there are any knitters in the group we can also cover a method that combines knitting and darning on larger knits.

We’ll practice what we learned in the first half of the class in the afternoon on our own pieces. This will give us a chance to discuss strategies and design choices around yarn selection, how we’d like things to look visibly mended as well as which technique is best suited.

www.sanbornmills.org

Photo Credits

Top photo, photos of Open Farm Day, and Sunday Supper photo by Steve Bjerklie.

Blacksmith Shop Restoration photos by Craig Mabie and Colin Cabot.

Workshop photos courtesy the instructors.

Sanborn Mills Farm | 7097 Sanborn Road | Loudon, NH 03307 US