Pickings from Sanborn Mills Farm

Farm Pickings

News and Updates from Sanborn Mills Farm

— March 13, 2024 —

Maple syrup is Nature’s way of giving us a little taste of sweetness.

~ Unknown

Visit Us This Weekend

at the Old House and Barn Expo

This year’s Old House and Barn Expo, sponsored by the New Hampshire Preservation Alliance, will be held at St. Anselm’s College in Manchester, and Sanborn Mills Farm will be there! Come join us on Saturday, March 16, and Sunday, March 17, to discuss the preservation of New Hampshire’s historic homes and barns, including the historic structures at the Farm. For more information about this wonderful event and to register, click here.

1st Annual Sap Gathering Contest!

March is traditionally the sugaring month in New Hampshire, when the days are warm enough and the nights are still cold enough for the maple sap to run. A few gallons of this wonderful sap — actually, about 40 gallons — will boil down into one gallon of New England’s favorite condiment: pure maple syrup.

Join us at the Farm on Saturday, March 23, for our first annual Sap Gathering Contest, being held in partnership with Granite State Draft and Pony Club. We will demonstrate how to collect maple sap in the woods with draft animals — sap-gathering the real New Hampshire way!

For more information, click here or visit our Event page on Facebook.

Sign-Ups for Our 2024 CSAs Now Open

This year, Sanborn Mills Farm offers two different subscriptions for our Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program. We have a share for Farm-grown vegetables and also a share for Farm-grown cut flowers. Our CSA provides a weekly bounty, with pick-ups on Wednesday afternoons from 1 – 6 p.m. The 18-week vegetable CSA runs from June through October, and the nine-week cut-flower CSA runs from July 24th through September 18th.

You’ll find more information and sign-up information here. Our CSAs tend to become fully subscribed quickly, so don’t hesitate to register.

Upcoming Workshops of Interest

Sanborn Mills Farm’s 2024 Workshop Program is set to open in early April, but it’s never too early to register for a favorite. 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.

Beginning Spinning on a Spinning Wheel

April 27

Instructor: Cathy Crooker

Throughout most of human history we relied on the skills of a handful of talented spinners to make every thread for every piece of clothing, every flour sack, every sail on every ship. Spinning fibers into thread or yarn is one of the oldest human skills. In this workshop you will be introduced to both wheel and drop-spindle spinning and will be given an overview of fiber prep tools, such as the drum carder. You will have plenty of hands-on practice and coaching to launch your spinning journey. By the end of the day, you will go home with your first handspun yarn and be on your way to years of spinning enjoyment.

Introduction to Lace Knitting

April 27

Instructor: Donna Kay

This workshop is for the knitter who would like to learn to knit lace stitches. Unlock the mystery of working these beautiful stitches so that you can knit lace patterns with confidence. In class, participants will work on a sampler that includes several different lace patterns. Leave the workshop with the skills you need to knit a simple lace shawl (pattern included). Students must know how to knit and purl. Some experience with yarnovers would be helpful.

Sew a Classic (Fully Lined) Child’s Dress and Coat

May 2-5

Instructor: Joyce Leblanc

In this workshop participants will construct a classic child’s dress and coat, both fully lined. The size of the dress and coat is your choice and there are three color options to choose from for the coat and dress. All supplies are provided (fabric, interfacing, thread, buttons, piping, Sewing Machine needles) and will be given to you at the workshop. Students are expected to have intermediate to advanced sewing skills. It is not necessary to know the skills and techniques that will be taught, but the student must have used a sewing machine successfully to construct clothes or home decor items. This workshop is not for beginners. If you have any questions as to whether or not you would be a good fit for this workshop, please don’t hesitate to contact marsha@sanbornmills.org  who will put you in contact with the instructor.

www.sanbornmills.org

Photo Credits

Top photo by Steve Bjerklie.

CSA graphic by Helen Westergren.

Workshop photos courtesy the instructors.