Spring Newsletter

 

Welcome spring!  We’ve been very busy here on the farm this month moving all of our animals to their spring locations, making room for the chickens and pigs, which arrived this past week, and last but not least, tending to our 65 new kids.  We’ve cranked up the milking parlor and we’re back in there like clockwork at 5:00 AM and 4:00 PM seven days a week milking the 31 does that have already freshened.  We’ll have more does giving birth over the next month, but the initial burst is behind us.  Here’s what we have in store for you this season!

New Product Alert!
If you were lucky enough to try our prototype goat’s milk caramels last fall, you know how good these little treats are.  We’re adding caramels to our product line this season and already have a delicious selection of flavors including vanilla bean, sea salt, cinnamon, and maple.  Come by during our store hours to try some for yourself.

Goat’s Milk Soap
For the last six weeks, we’ve given our office yet another role as the base of our soap-making operation.  You may have tried our goat’s milk soap in years past and come to love its gentle, moisturizing lather.  This year we have all sorts of new scents, as well as some old favorites including: lavender, honeysuckle, balsam, rose, lilac, oatmeal & honey, unscented and lemongrass-sage.  We are also piloting some new soaps specially crafted for farmers and gardeners and one for hikers—check out the “soap” section of our website for more detailed descriptions.

Farm Hours
We maintained our open farm hours all winter long – a huge thanks to our regular customers who braved the weather to visit us each week!  We will continue with the same hours for the 2011 season.  We are open:

            * Thursdays 2:00 PM to 6:00 PM
            * Saturdays 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM

Farm Tours
We had quite a demand for farm tours last season, so we’re going to offer guided tours every Thursday at 1:00 PM and every Saturday at 1:00 PM.   The farm is quite spread out, so plan to walk about ½ mile or so.

Watch a Milking
Ever wanted to see how we milk the goats?  We have an observation window into our parlor so you can see what really drives our farm.  Come by on Thursdays at 4:00 PM sharp to see for yourself!

Au Sable Forks Farmers Market
Did you know there’s a new farmers market this year?  We’ll be in Au Sable Forks every Friday evening this summer from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM.  Come see us and stock up on farm fresh goodies for the weekend.  The market will be in Riverside Park behind the Grand Union starting June 24th.  We’ll still be attending farmers markets in Saranac Lake, Lake Placid, and Keene Valley.

Pet Goats
If you’ve ever considered having a pet goat, now is the time!  They make excellent stable mates for your horses and great hiking partners and lawn mowers.  We sell 10-week-old goats in pairs for $60 each weaned, vaccinated, and neutered.  Goats are incredibly social animals, so we can’t sell you just one lonely goat.  Contact us if you’re interested.

Farm-Stay Vacation
We’re putting some final touches on our newly renovated “Emerson House.”  Imagine an evening of relaxing on the porch with a view of grazing goats and stunning mountains, and waking up to a breakfast of eggs laid that morning just steps away.  A farm-stay will bring new excitement and experiences to your Adirondack vacation.  Stay tuned for more details…

Egg Prices
Our laying hens will continue to forage on our certified organic pastures, but this season we’ve also made the switch to organic feed for the hens.  This switch will be reflected in our egg prices effective April 15, 2011.  We’ll be increasing our on-farm price to $4.00 per dozen and $4.50 per dozen at the farmers market.

Hope to see you soon!