Welcome to Schoolhouse Farm. We are a small farm on a picturesque hilltop in central New Hampshire, where we raise and sell registered Icelandic sheep, grow organic hay, and make our own compost for sale. Our diverse range of value-added products, includes: grass-fed meat; fleece, yarn, and roving; colorful, soft pelts from our own flock; and our new custom-woven throws, made from farm-raised fleece. We are listed with Eat Wild under their Directory of Pastured Product Farms. If you go to our "For Sale" page and click on The Studio, you can view Wendy's original sheep-themed paintings and prints that are now available for purchase as well. By navigating our new website, you can learn more about us, our farm philosophy, our products, and our sheep. In addition, we've provided links to resources that have been invaluable to us as beginning shepherds.

As we approach the shortest day of the year this month, the sheep have been divided into their respective breeding groups in anticipation of the 2013 lambing season in April. We are breeding 15 ewes this fall with three of our farm rams, and are looking forward to not only some new genetics but some interesting color and pattern combinations as well. Stay tuned for our annual For Sale/Icelandic Sheep page in June 2013, which lists all available adult sheep and lambs for sale at the farm. We currently have two nice proven rams available for sale or trade, because we have used them for two to three years now and need to introduce new lines to the flock. You can currently view their photos and descriptions on our For Sale/Icelandic Sheep page.

We had a lot of activity on the farm this year, especially in terms of expanding our hayfield acreage and grazing pastures. The new alfalfa field that we established in 2011 has grown in well, and we were able to take 2 cuttings off of it this past summer. Over a period of two years, we have successfully added four new acres of pasture, after reclaiming former woodland which itself was former pasture in the 18th and 19th centuries. The woods on our property are criss-crossed with stone walls that once enclosed these original paddocks. It feels right to bring back some of this former agricultural land to productive use again. Part of the project involved the recycling of the excavated stone into the creation of a large sheep shelter, which we've named "The Granite Hilton." It should provide nice, cool shade during the dog days of summer.

Once the breeding is complete by the end of December, the pace on the farm slows, allowing us more time for indoor activities like catching up on reading, knitting and spinning, and working in the art studio. It's a time that is always so appreciated after a busy summer and fall, and before the pace picks up again with lambing in the spring. Best wishes for the holiday season!

Until next spring, enjoy this video of our spring 2012 lambs romping around the barn paddock, and showing off their athleticism.