The Lavender Fleece:

Seeding the Dreams and Growing a Farm

Article by Laurie Ball-Gisch

 

Just as one cannot grow a garden without first planting the seeds, dreams cannot come true until they are thoughts spoken aloud and then carefully nurtured through discussion, research and action. Over the years, as our own farm dream has grown and blossomed, I meet many people who are attracted to the dream of living in the country, of having a small (or large) farmstead. My business is about more than selling sheep or wool, or plants and homemade soaps -- I am helping others nurture their first seed of the farm dream.

When we were able to purchase our farm (in 1999) our daughters were just 6 months, 22 months and 15 years old. I had quit my full time teaching (I was an art educator) to be home with the children. “The Lavender Fleece”  began as a small seed planted when I said to my husband “This little barn and fenced area should have a few fiber animals.”

Little did we realize how that seed would spread and flourish into a farm business that is now into its 7th year. We’ve expanded our farm (adding acreage, fencing and animals); my father-in-law lives across the road on a small farmstead that we bought for him a couple of years ago. We keep our ram group there as well as a small group of ewes with lambs so that “Papa” can have sheep of his own. Along the way, Icelandic sheepdogs joined our family; initially to herd the sheep, but they are such wonderful dogs that we can’t imagine life without them. Our children are now old enough that they are beginning to help with shepherding duties. We’ve also added a couple of horses to their lives (including a gorgeous yellow dun Icelandic mare) so that the girls can grow up with the rewards of caring for and riding horses. We’ve had chickens (for eggs) since the beginning, and a year ago we added some Icelandic chickens to keep with the “Icelandic theme.”

To diversify the farm “products” -- in addition to raising the sheep --I have specialized in lavender. Initially the dream was to have acres of lavender growing (visualize Provence, France!) but the reality of the weather of mid-Michigan meant that I have had to adjust the lavender dream somewhat. Now I tend a display garden with as many varieties of lavender as will do well here. I sell lavender plants in the spring; I make lavender soaps and lotions and conduct garden tours to educate people about the versatile and beautiful lavender plant.

Although I no longer teach full time in the public school system, I am still educating people. I teach them about the joys and rewards of raising sheep and working with fiber. In addition, I teach about lavender plants - how to grow and use them and how to take advantage of the myriad uses of this wondrous plant and its essential oil. I teach still through my writing; through my website, and through meeting people from all walks of life who are also drawn to this lifestyle that we call farming.

 

What our farm does best is to allow us a lifestyle that we appreciate and retreat to in this busy and confusing world. Our animals give us much joy and the lifestyle - the health style - of working outdoors is a reward in itself.

I cannot tell you that our farm is fully self-sufficient because it isn’t. My husband is a chemist and thankfully is fully employed. This allows me to be a full-time mother, shepherdess, gardener and business owner. But our farm dream is a reality that is sustaining itself, which we think is remarkable for our small acreage and without hiring additional help.

 

The farm business has rebuilt the original farmstead barn, put up another new barn for the horses, renovated all of the outbuildings and built a greenhouse. We have added prime Icelandic sheep breeding stock; we’ve been able to afford to do artificial insemination to improve our seed stock; we were able to purchase the Icelandic sheepdogs, (which included a trip to Iceland), and add the horses, all from the farm profits. It is a way of life that is at least self-sustaining and the reward and joys of living and working on our farm are priceless. 

I think it’s important to note here though that almost all of the money that our farm business has generated has always gone back into the business. It costs money to run a business of any kind, and when one is feeding livestock, it’s imperative that enough money is generated to keep the flock in hay, minerals, etc. To keep the retail side of the business going, all sales generated are turned back into restocking. As time has gone on, I’ve found that the profit margin for the retail side of our business is fairly minimal and I’ve cut back on what I keep in stock (especially expensive spinning wheels and weaving looms). The reality of the Internet --which can help build a business -- can also hurt it. People are happy to come to your place of business and try out equipment, but when they go home and “shop” the internet and order that piece of equipment (that they tried out at your store!) from out-of-state, so that they can save the 6% sales tax and get free shipping and free incentives, then it doesn’t make sense to tie up your cash flow in equipment. A friend of mine has always told me “work smarter, not harder” and I keep that mantra in mind as I reevaluate the farm/business from season to season.

Our goal as we approach “retirement” age is to be debt-free so that the farm business can be our future activity and income. Keeping one of us employed “off the farm” now, helps us to realize that goal faster. And we also have to keep in mind that we have two young daughters who will be college age in another 10 years. So we don’t pretend that having a flock of 50 sheep is going to support a family with young children, or pay off a mortgage or keep up with inflation. But it’s a dream that we nurture daily now and as our dream matures and it’s roots spread, we hope that in the future it will be a mature “garden” that will sustain and nurture us, as we have sustained and nurtured it in it’s infancy.
  

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Laurie Ball-Gisch, her family and all things Icelandic can be found on-line at The Lavender Fleece.