Massachusetts Ag Day on Beacon Hill

Ag Day was easily one of the best ever for those of us in the sheep business.  Our President, Gordon MacPhee was the master of ceremonies and managed to work in a mention of our Federation, the Worcester County Association and the Baaay State Blanket program.  The Governor, Deval Patrick, was in attendance and paid some special attention to our blanket and we managed to get one of our small samples and a brochure in his hands.  We also sold a couple of blankets at the event.  The Lamb sliders being served in the Hall of Flags were popular and all of the legislators and staff on hand that day enjoyed themselves.  Great job Gordon!

Spring has sprung and all of the excuses I had for waiting to get started are no longer valid.  We are working to get pastures growing, mending fences and watching as the lambs discover how much space they have to run, jump and learn to head butt! We are getting lots of calls for an Easter lamb and/or legs for the holiday along with the occasional request for things not asked for before......pickled tongue comes to mind.

The last Saturday of April marks the start of the "Festival" circuit with the annual "Sheep Shearing Day" at Gore Place in Waltham, MA.  The massive Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival is the next weekend and corresponds to the Mother's Day weekend this year which will surely add to the size of the crowd.  The following weekend is the New Hampshire Sheep and Wool Festival at the  Hopkinton State Fairgrounds in Contoocook, NH, and then on Memorial Day weekend, the Massachusetts Sheep and Wool Festival in Cummington, MA rounds out the month of May.  If you have never been to any of these events, you should go if even only to see all of the talented people out there with new ideas for our wonderful wool fiber.  Speaking of our wool, Barbara really needs to know if you are going to participate in the blanket program this year.  We are looking at some promising marketing efforts to help sell them, try to stick with us! 

Those of you who have been attending our meetings, will recall that I have mentioned on several occasions the effort by certain groups to remove all grazing on federal lands in the west.  Western federal lands are akin to MDC and other protected usage lands controlled by the Commonwealth and local governments here in the east.  As an example, more than 70% of the state of Nevada is owned by the Federal government.  For as long as there have been livestock operations in that part of the country, federal land has been used, under permit, for grazing.  In a case involving the Payette Mountains in Idaho and the grazing of domestic and the possible mingling of wild Big Horn Sheep, a federal Judge has ruled that a large part of these grazing permits are placing the Big Horn sheep in danger from domestic sheep diseases.  One sheep family in Idaho whom I know personally is now downsizing nearly 40% of their operation to meet the ruling.  Oh, and that is 40% of nearly 8000 head of fine wool sheep.  It has been clear to me for some time that the agenda here has little to do with the Big Horn sheep and all to do with removing all domestic grazing from federal lands.  The end result meets the organizers goals of reducing the meat intake for the American public but does not account for the starvation of the rest of the world when we no longer are able to help feed them.  Enough said!  Get outside and enjoy the sun, you know, that warm bright orb in the sky!

The 2011-2012 Meeting Schedule

Last night we had our Annual Program Planning Meeting for the Worcester County Sheep Producers here at Greenwood Hill Farm.  The night began with our usual expansive potluck supper complete with great desserts.  The business meeting covered a review of the Blanket Program and the news was not good.  We currently have only half of the wool pledged that will be required to do another blanket for next year.  Those present voted to give two more weeks to the effort to bring in more pledges and then our Blanket Chairpersons will make a decision to move on or cancel the program for this year.  I should add that there was some discussion about some new and exciting venues for selling our blankets and we decided to pursue them with "vigor".  One opportunity is a new indoor farmers market at the Prudential Tower in Boston.  Now we're talking!

The Association also voted to send $100 to the Harris Family Farm in Peter Harris' name in accordance with the family's request.  

Doug Gillespie, the Executive Director of the Massachusetts Farm Bureau, presented an overview of key legislative initiatives on Beacon Hill and encouraged all of us to attend "Ag Day" this coming Thursday 7 April.

Discussions around next year's program were energetic and several new ideas were brought forward.  Work began this morning getting speakers signed up.  We hope to have an "open mic with a Vet" night in October in conjunction with a "new membership drive" to open the year.  We also are trying to schedule a Federal Vet and USDA rep to speak to us on the need to remain vigilant on the Scrapie front.  We are planning a workshop on wool products and how to make them complete with spinning, knitting, composting, etc; presentations.  Also on the docket is a processor demonstration on cutting up a lamb, a lamb tasting asking each attendee to bring in a cut of lamb from their flock and doing a taste comparison.  I wanted to name it the Great American Suffolk Putdown, but Gordon objected...grin....  We also are trying to schedule someone from ASI to come talk to us about Wool Grading; and we added a June meeting predicated on there being a Blanket Program that will adjourn to the barn to help skirt, weigh and bag wool for the program.  All of this and our Christmas Party at the Kerns and a planning meeting.  Mark your calendars for the first Tuesday evening of each month from Oct 2011 to June 2012.

For those of you who are hosting one of these meetings, please support Barbara in getting any information she requires to her so she can publish the meeting schedule as soon as possible.  There are some very good opportunities to publicize our organization coming up next month and we can take better advantage of them with a printed meeting brochure.

April 5th here at Greenwood Hill Farm

We are fast approaching the end of our meeting schedule for this year.  Tomorrow night we have our planning meeting for next year and need your ideas for scheduling programs of interest to our members.  If you leave it to a few to come up with ideas, we will have just that.......only a few ideas.  Make your plans to come to the farm and be a part of the planning session.  Doug Gillespie from the Farm Bureau will also join us to update us on several issues on Beacon Hill impacting our Sheep Producers.

I am saddened to inform you of the passing of one of our fellow producers.  Peter Harris died this last Friday, April 1st, after a long battle with his health.  Peter and his family have been a long time advocate for the sheep industry and has exhibited his sheep far and wide in New England and all the way to the North American International show in Louisville, KY.  His wife, Judy and family were with him at the time he left to join his maker.  The funeral will be in Ludlow, MA and we will have details at the meeting tomorrow.