About
Mack Hill Farm is located in Marlow, in southwest New Hampshire. 320 of our 343 acres are under a conservation easement. We are building the remainder into a self supporting farm. The image used at the top of the page is a shot that Frank took in the summer of 2004. I submitted it to a People, Places, Plants photo contest and we won, in the “place” category that year.
Currently we have a small flock of registered Icelandic sheep, two Percheron horses, Prince and Pearl, Ella Mae, an American Milking Devon cow, and her calf Danny, a small herd of Tamworth swine, and chickens, turkeys, ducks and geese.
We raise a continually expanding garden, keep bees, make maple syrup and forage for mushrooms in our woods.
We are now clearly past the point of feeding ourselves and are beginning to sell farm products as we have them.
The journal dates back to 2000 and reflects a gradual change from ‘pretty’ gardening to trying to be a paying farm. Older images were stored locally in a Gallery II installation which is now unfortunately down, newer ones are hosted on Flickr.
As the mood strikes we’re cataloging our book collection on LibraryThing. It’s fun comparing our tags and collections with those of others, and the shelving information alone is worth the $25 lifetime membership.
{ 11 comments… read them below or add one }
Great website!
What a lovely blog!
We sold our farm a year and a half ago and I miss my animals. Now we live on an apple farm downstate and there are sheep and cattle, but, really, it’s not the same as when they’re yours.
Have you raised pigs before? You think your sheep are tricky, wait until the pigs get there!!! The happiest day of the year for me was always the day the pigs went to the butcher! Fiendishly clever, they are!
Well, thanks for letting me peak in at your farm.
God bless.
Terri
Wow! I am very impressed, your garden is making me long to see it in person! As the person above said, I cannot wait until our piggies g to the butcher! Love the Icelandic Chickens and sheep!
Asta Helgason
I have dairy goats instead of sheep but other than that we seem to have a lot in common, from the Rex Stout books to the Crochet Guild. I’ve been wanting some Tamworth hogs for a long time. Just not enough room here right now.
With an antique spinning wheel and donated loom, we are just now learning the trade. Do you use a diz and crochet hook to spin? Do you have a diz for sale?
Do you have any turkeys for sale for this Thanksgiving? – google lists you, but I don’t see any on your web site.
Thanks! And keep on doing what you’re doing!
Hi,
Found you guys on Linked in actually, just wanted to commend you on your sheep dairying plans. I am amazed how many people are starting to milk sheep. I remember back in the early 90′s when Hollow Road Dairy was the only commercial sheep dairy in the US. Good luck. And make great cheese
Sincerely,
Steve Schaefer
Hi Lisa
Your place is booming! Wow! The pics are great! I can’t wait to see the recipes.
Ps…. Could you ask your apprentice Kel to email/call her mom?
Thanks!
I would love to purchase some Icelandic chicks . I have been looking for them for well over a year now. I learned you are able hatch chicks for customers with a $25.00 deposit and $4.00 per chick charge plus 12.50 for total shipping. I think they are the most beautiful birds.
Please feel free to call me if need be.
Thank you so much.
Susan
Susan,
We should be able to start a batch for you late this week. The clutch in there now will be at 21 days on Tuesday.
I am interested in buying some Icelandic chicks. I just bought a pair of adult birds from a guy who bought them from Behl farms. I would be very interested in some chicks to add more variety to my very small flock. Please let me know what I need to do to purchase them. Email me if there are any concerns.
Thanks,
Ethan Fithen