Getting Stitched Down on the Farm

I live with my husband Mark and daughter Julia on a farm in the hills of western Massachusetts. My husband is The Farmer – he grew up just across the hill from this place we bought 8 years ago. If you know any farmers, you know that genetically there must be something in their DNA to keep them farming forever. (Mark too has a real job.) Primarily, we raise sheep. But along with the sheep come fences, haying (so the sheep have something to eat in our long winters), lambing (in the midst of winter when no human in their right mind would “drop” a lamb in 0 degree weather), shearing (we hire a great guy named Kevin Ford who blade shears – that’s right – no power – just hand muscles and some sharp metal), border collies (to collect the sheep – we have two - Phoebe and Ness) and lots more.

We (me that is) also raise chickens (for their eggs, meat, and entertainment), pigs (with my partner in swine Mike, the baker), and we all grow an amazing patch of sunflowers which we sell by the side of the road when they bloom in August.

I’m Kristin Nicholas and I design “things” for a living – mostly textile and yarn related, write non-fiction books about making things, work with companies on new textile-related products, take care of the gardens, try to keep the dirt and clutter under control (I have pretty much given up) and entertain my precocious daughter Julia.

Julia is seven and she is a “cat-farmer.” She is crazy about all things “cat” She (we) has 7 cats right now – Vera, Charlie, Sebastian, Boo-Boo, Lily Pons, Cookie, and Ginger plus a barn cat named Ella who “arrived” last September and hasn’t left yet. It helps that we feed her. Julia likes to draw but mostly, if you ask her, she’s a social butterfly and will talk anyone’s ear off.

My goal with this blog is to bring you into the daily workings of farm life, living in the country, and to update you on what I am creating. As I travel (infrequently) around to promote my books and work, I often hear people say “boy, what I wouldn’t do for your life.” So hear it is – the good and the bad – the funny and the sad. And I promise I’ll throw in some creative tidbits from time to time.

I’d love to hear from you too!