Hedgerow Willows

03/06/2025

Some weeks farming is hard. Some days it's devastating. I have the privilege of owning a micro farm. That means I am able to develop a relationship with each animal and plant here.

This week, I had to say good-bye to Annie. My first dairy finn, and the sheep the hooked me in. I am so happy I retained two of her daughters for our breeding program. And while not the beauty of their mother, her personality shines in them.

Thank you Annie for walking with me as I learned about sheep dairying, becoming a shepardess, and finding my way to myself.

Rest in green pastures sweet girl.

02/24/2025

Dickie Meadows harvest was abundant this year. I'm super excited because our first year we had a ton of pests in our Dickie Meadows and this year it's looking pretty good. A couple of tips died off from breakage but this harvest is looking spectacular.

The plot featured is the first trial plot, enough for a hobbyist basket maker to make a couple of baskets a year. There's 10 varieties up there and double rows of two staples. Dicky Meadows and Harrison's B.

This year has been slow for me as I'm adjusting to a new lifestyle. However, the farm is here for the long haul. Hang in there and be patient while I work on getting weaving rods into your hands!

02/21/2025

First lambs are on the ground and I am wrapping up your willow orders! We still have plenty of cuttings to offer and will update the website by March first with what's available.

Hawthorne lambed 2 ewes and one ram from Barely of nine trees farm. Last year, as a first freshener, Hawthorne fed 3 lambs and provided 1/2 gallon delicious sheep milk everyday for 5 months!

Finnsheep are wonderful homestead dairy sheep. Milk, meat, and wool provide for you well all around.

If you are interested in your own small finnsheep flock head on over to the website and check out who is available and our policies on sheep.

01/29/2025

My 2025 lambing expectations.

If you are interested in reserving a Finnsheep lamb or have questions about our lambs, please feel free to reach out.

Hedgerow Willows Finnsheep is a newer breeding program focusing on milk production and fiber, as well as many of the other wonderful attributes of Finnsheep!

Reservations open mid February!

01/28/2025

I spent a wonderful afternoon surrounded by amazing humans as we worked a few hides for some summer markets.

These tasks have always been meant to be done in community and I am grateful to be a part of this one.

01/23/2025

This is what 37 lbs of lamb meat looks like off of an 8-month-old Finnsheep ram lamb and 62 lbs of mutton from our 18m old ewe sheep.

What's the difference?

Lamb tends to come from an animal that is under a year old. Lamb meat has a tender and mild flavor. It's often used for grilling, braising or roasting.

Mutton is from sheep that are 1 to 3 years old. They have a deeper red colored meat with a healthy amount of fat and a little more flavor. Mutton is often best used in slow cooking, long roasting, ground, or stews.

We have found that our sheep that are under 2 years old don't have much of a stronger flavor than our lamb meat does. They're tender and succulent.

Each of our lambs produces between 35 and 45 lb of meat. We pasture raise and hay our lambs. They are never grain fed.

Finnsheep produce a slightly smaller carcass than a traditional meat lamb. They tend to be a little bit slower growing, but their meat is described as having a 'light and delicate flavor'. The meat to bone ratio is good with them being a smaller b***d slightly more petite heritage breed of sheep.

In April after we have finished lambing and evaluating the new sheep we will open up our half and full shares of pasture-raised lamb on the website. We will require a deposit to hold your share and will butcher in November, just in time for holiday dinners.

01/19/2025

01/19/2025

Plot number two has been harvested to put up for cuttings and drying.

This plot was an experiment to see how certain varieties grow and weave. Then decide what to plant for basket/coffin/living architecture weavers in the future.

I have my top 6 varieties and we are planting another 1/3 acre this spring with them.

I will be updating the website this week with our living rod availability and more cuttings now that we are seeing the harvest!

This small farm is looking to collaborate with mentors/educators and their students for access to willow weaving materials for continued education and weaving.

If you're instructing or taking classes between Vancouver BC and Portland, OR. let our farm keep you weaving!

I will be posting the spring/summer/fall class list in mid February for our weaving activities AND our farmstead educational activities.

01/17/2025

I know I have some hoof trimming clients waiting to hear back from me and a few folks have asked questions about willow.

I promise I am seeing the questions and I will respond soon if I haven't already. I have been unwell the few weeks and between sleeping/working my "not my farm job" I've. using my time to recover.

I will be out of town 1/26-2/10.

Willow, sheep/goat hoof clients, and shipping will begin again 2/20.

Thank you for your patience while I work things out and recover.

01/12/2025

One of my favorite willows this time of year is Mount A*o. These beautiful pale pink catkins and the soft fuzzy stems in the evening light are beautiful to behold.

They hold up great and floral arrangements and make a beautiful statement on their own.

We will have cuttings in the shop listed 1/25/2025!

12/26/2024

I finally had the pleasure of hitting up .noodles before the holiday. I've been working on figuring this one out for the better part of 2 years.

Opportunity had me in the right place at the right time and this ramen was well worth the ferry time.

11/14/2024

This is going to be a long and challenging update.

I am not disappearing entirely, but I am pulling back and slowing down.

With all of you, I have been encouraged and loved stepping out of my comfort zone. Growing something I have dreamed about for years. Grown this small farm in just 3 years at a rate that ... I didn't expect.

This season my life altered drastically when I chose divorce. The farm has been a two person outside income, community building effort. I cannot continue to shoulder the expense solo while working full time, solo parenting, and planning for retirement. Sometimes, we have to sacrifice for personal growth.

I have been a wife and mother primarily, for 18 years, while working in multiple facets of the agricultural industry that have been flexible to those needs.

Now, the money that I earned and invested into the farm must go to my future. Wives/mothers only have security in marriage. Even today. . .

The egg flock was ravaged by coyotes 2 months ago. My sheep are a significant expense that had a goal to bring revenue two years from now. Now I must reduce herd numbers.

The willow is where my focus needs to be. But it will be between jobs and supporting children.

If you made it this far, thanks. And I am sorry. I have built the excitement and you all have filled my cup with desire to continue. Sometimes we have to adapt to the winds and we don't know where they will blow.

Keep following, willow is coming.

10/19/2024

Hey folks, sad announcement.... We are canceling the Autumn festival. The road out to the sheep is currently underwater and who knows when it's going to abate.

If we end up at any craft fairs I'll let you know where!

I know that many of you are looking forward to coming out and meeting the sheep and getting to know a little bit about the farm.

Pacific Northwest weather at a little bit of a different plan.

10/18/2024

Just a quick update for everybody....

Eggs are slow, and will only be restocking the fridge on Sundays now.

My family has had a lot going on the last month so I'm behind on getting those Willow pictures posted that I promised. I am a solo farmer and mama, I appreciate your patience.

The varieties are coming. Sales WILL open on November 1st!

Did I mention we have some new sheep products coming?

Fiber, soaps, lotions. . . Sales of these go directly to building a licensed sheep Dairy parlor and processing to provide you with sheep milk in the future.

10/05/2024

Taking a morning off the farm and enjoying a delicious breakfast at the firehall.

10/05/2024

While I was at a grocer during my day job today I did a little bit of comparative shopping.

Vital farms pasture raised eggs are on sale at just under $9/dz. haggen brand cage-free eggs are $13.99 a dozen.

Both of these farms come from very large poultry operations.

For us to be able to continue offering our small farm, pastured, non-GMO corn and soy-free feed eggs, we will have to make some adjustments to prices in the new year.

Feed costs continue to rise, and we want to be able to offer our community eggs and more for many years.

10/03/2024

The Willow leaves are beginning to turn, and with that comes the brightening of the rods.

I love this time of year, the vibrancy of color that explodes right before the gray season.

I'm looking forward to the deep long nights, the rest, and the afternoons of seeing the bright reds, gold, mahoganies of the willow rods that will be harvested in the winter months.

This month we're going to showcase the basketry Willows that we will have for sale. Sales for cuttings will begin Nov. 1st!

The willow varieties that will be available, their descriptions, will be coming this month so that you two can enjoy Willow in your weaving garden.

09/29/2024

Our new peepers just wanted to remind you that we have fresh eggs stocked in the Farm stand today! Chicken and duck eggs for your kitchen table.

Pick them up in our self serve farm stand where you can pay with Venmo or cash