The first time Kim, of Vermont Grand View Farm, emailed me, I found myself completely enthralled by the photos of her farm. It’s now a dream of mine to visit one day. In the meantime, I will have to be satisfied by knitting with yarn from her Gotland sheep. Kim is here today to share a little about herself and her farm and all that she has to offer. You can also find her at her blog and on Instagram!
Hi, I’m Kim Goodling, shepherdess, knitter, fiber artist, homeschooling mom, wife, Christian, and innkeeper.
My husband and I moved to a 200 year old Vermont cape early in our marriage to bask in rural living and God’s beautiful creation. We started a small homestead with a large garden, a few hens, and three small children running barefoot in the field. Here we began a homeschooling journey, which has lasted 23 years.
Sheep entered my life in the middle of a “mid-life crisis”. It was one of those times when you say to your husband that you want to live a good, full life-one with no regrets-one filled with “dreams come true”-one where you work the land with your hands and feed your family from the soil. A life where you recognize God’s calling to be a good steward, a shepherd over all he has blessed you with, as He is our shepherd. Soon after purchasing our first four sheep, we began looking for a farm with outbuildings, a place to store hay, and a place for sheep to get in out of the weather and to lay their lambs. That’s when Vermont Grand View Farm became home to our family of five.
Since then, I have learned much about shepherding, homesteading, wool, and fiber art. We began with a flock of Romney sheep, and in 2014, we added Vermont’s first flock of Gotland sheep to our farm! Through 10 years of living with sheep, I have learned much about life. Through my blog, Living With Gotlands, I share all the life lessons my sheep have taught me.
Knitters and spinners around the world support our flock of sheep by purchasing their wool. We sell Gotland wool yarn and roving, and Romney yarn on our newly launched online store, the Gotland Wool Company. In the late summer, we also offer yarn CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) shares to those wanting to invest in the care and feeding of our sheep.
We open our farm to farmstay guests who want to experience rural living, who want to feel the dirt between their toes, experience starlit nights, and breath in the fresh air. Families and individuals stay with us to learn about sustainable farming, take a fiber art class, or to just refresh and rejuvenate from their busy lives.
I hope you will spend some time with me either on our blog or here at the farm. I would love to introduce you to country life, farm raised yarn, and living with sheep.
Please enjoy browsing our new shop! Type in smallthings in the coupon code to receive a 10% discount on your total purchase. Coupon good from April 11-18, 2015.
In honor of the season upon us: I am offering one winner a pint jug of our own 100% pure maple syrup and a skein of yarn with a little bit of wool from the whole flock-25%Gotland and 75% Romney wool, spun in worsted weight 2 ply with 250 yards to the skein.
For your chance to win, leave a comment on this post. Comments are closed and the winner is Elizabeth, who commented, “beautiful farm! thanks for this opportunity would love to try that maple syrup and work with such a beautiful wool yarn!”
Thanks, Kim and Vermont Grand View Farm!
Mmm real maple syrup sounds good. And I love wool yarn! =)
Oh, Vermont! How I love thee.
Beautiful! Would love a chance to try this yarn.
Gorgeous yarn! I’ve heard that goats are a cure for all types of ailments! They are adorable!!
Two bits of yumminess! Thanks for the chance to win!
What a serene and beautiful farm, it looks so warm and inviting. I love to knit with that beautiful yarn and experience the wonderful taste of that pure maple syrup.
Thank you so much for this generous give away.
I love her farm! That is what I dream of building on our land…someday:)
What a beautiful family farm! How happy I was to learn about them and discover that we are just slightly over thirty minutes away from each other! Thanks for the lovely giveaway.
Living the dream! What a beautiful homestead you have. I would love to win-thank you for the chance 🙂
I’m so glad to get to know you! Can’t wait to catch up on your blog; just reading about your lovely farm make she feel serene.
I just love her yarn and her story.
What a generous giveaway.
Seems a lovely place! I wish I could visit!
What a wonderful life you live on a beautiful piece of land. Thanks for the chance to win!
Deise
Hi everyone,
Having recently moved over here from England (i’m British) where i have lived all my life, i am so looking forward to visiting your neck of the woods.My American husband has told me of it’s beauty and having read your article I can believe it .The farm looks beautiful and serene ,I’m sure that God is well pleased with his handiwork.
God bless.
My dream farm exists! I only wish that my daughter will someday have a farm like Vermont Grand View Farm. Thanks for the give-away! If I win I will give the yarn to my daughter who will make something beautiful with it!!! Fingers crossed! 🙂
Love this giveaway! Pictures are beautiful.
Beautiful surroundings to live and work in!
What lovely yarn!
Thanks for sharing your story.
I love what your creating on your farm. It’s beautiful. I know it’s a lot of work but seems like living a dream. Thank you for your generous giveaway.
my husband and I are planning a trip to Vermont in August, I would love to visit the farm!
What a beautiful place to call home and a purposeful way to live! Your sheep are gorgeous and what lovely wool they produce! Thanks for the giveaway……can’t get much better than homemade maple syrup & pure yarn!
I’m so happy to learn about Kim and her lovely farm! Thanks for the generous giveaway!
What a gorgeous life! I love wool and maple syrup! Thanks for sharing Ginny!
Wow what a beautiful life you much have in a beatific space.
What great lush rolling hills. A different type of mountain than mine. But the green! Thank you for the chance!
What a lovely place to get to call home! Thanks for sharing her with us, Ginny!
What a beautiful farm and what gorgeous wool!
Oh my goodness. I so want to visit. Your farm looks so serene. Thank you for sharing it with us!
What a beautiful place to call home. Thank you for a chance to win!
What a beautiful farm and life. And that yarn looks so soft, I just want to hold it up to my face and breathe in the scent. (Anyone else do that with yarn straight from the farm? It’s one of my favorite smells in the world!) Thanks so much for the giveaway!
The farm looks beautiful! Thank you for the giveaway, Ginny!
Wow! I want to visit the farm now. Lovely! Thanks for the chance.
Beautiful.
I so enjoyed this post! What a beautiful farm you have, Kim! I would love to win both the syrup and the yarn. Oh, and even though I live in the rolling hills of rural Western Pennsylvania, I would seriously LOVE to stay at your gorgeous farm. Everything looks so cozy! Thanks for sharing, Ginny!
I have been wanting to try this wool yarn! The farm looks so peaceful. Thanks for the opportunity!
Lovely!
Beautiful!
While I already make maple syrup, I would really love that yarn! 🙂 hee, hee…
Beautiful farm, animals, & yarn,
Beautiful place! Looks similiar to my 200+ yo Cape and barn. The sheep are interesting, hadn’t heard of those before. I always head to VT when I want to get away-I live in Western MA:-) Not too far, but just enough! Fingers crossed for the giveaway!
Really enjoying browsing the farm site.
I’ve never been to Vermont but this place sounds like a lovely place to visit!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Farstay guests we could be 🙂
The farm looks like heaven! Thank you for the chance to win.
Just added your blog to my favorites. I love to knit and I especially like all kinds of yarn.
Yummy!
please count me in!
Oh, I’d love a chance to win. Your place is beautiful!
Thanks for the lovely tour and giveaway!
What a beautiful farm and a beautiful way of life!
A pint of maple syrup! How wonderful :).
The yarn looks beautiful, I love that colour.
What a wonderful place to call home and a generous giveaway.