Shearbrooke Farms:

When I think of Shearbrooke Farms in Standish I immediately think of the Saco Valley Fiber Artists Summer Textile Workshop. It’s hard for me to separate the two. This workshop has been held on Saco Road since 1991 and that is Karen Smith’s home. People come from all around the area and all of New England to experience what it is like to work with fiber in ways that the earliest pioneer families worked in small villages all along the Saco River in southern Maine. No one worked harder than the tough colonial women who raised flax and wool, harvested, washed, spun and wove every fiber needed for their households.

Every summer in July, these experiences are repeated as the Saco Valley Fiber Artists present their Summer Textile Workshop. For two days Friday, July 20 and Saturday, July 21, from 9:30 to a.m. to 3:30 p.m. you can learn many things about working with fiber. The classes this year include Felting (Wet), Felted Story Masks, Color Blending, Knitting with Beads, Off Loom Weaving, Fimo Sculpture, Natural Dyeing, Rug Braiding (full day), Spinning, Color Theory, Rug Hooking, Weaving (full day), Coiled Fabric Basket Making (full day), Penny Rug Making, Silk Painting, and Hand Painted Skeins.

In addition to learning these new techniques, they serve a wonderful gourmet lunch. The lunches have been so successful that the recipes have been requested over and over. They decided to publish a cookbook to satisfy the request for recipes as well as use it as a fund raiser for their organization. The cookbook is $17.50 and includes shipping. To order a cookbook you can go to: www.sacovalleyfiberartists.com.

The classes for the workshops are small and filled on a first come, first placed basis, so call and register early. No prior experience is needed for these workshops, and it is a real treat to join this group of skilled and talented fiber artists to learn about natural fibers and dyes. Instruction and practice will be relaxed and informal and the lunch will be an extra treat. Go to the Web site for more information or call Karen Smith at 642-3067.

Saco Valley Fiber Artists have also adopted a special charity through Miguel Bello which helps support a Children’s Aids Hospice in Guatemala, as well as helping their sister weavers in the village of Aguas Calientes, Guatemala. A portion of all of their profits go directly to this cause.

These artists also plan a trip each year to go to other countries to learn how women and men in other countries work with fiber. They bring these newfound skills back with them and teach them at their workshops.

I said earlier that it’s hard for me to separate out this organization from Karen Smith’s Farm in Standish. Karen has a working farm where she lives with her dogs, a cat, some chickens, ducks, guineas, rabbits, a horse, two llamas, two rams, and a whole flock of sheep.

Last winter, she boarded a couple of visiting goats. Karen also has a studio where you can go to learn weaving, spinning and knitting. There is an adjoining store where you can buy yarns, needles, buttons, and rovings. She is also a dealer for several brands of looms and spinning wheels. Seasonally, lambs and eggs are available as well.

When I talked with Karen this week, she said that she has lost her creative edge, but knowing her this is just temporary. She fell on hard times two years ago in the spring when her husband died suddenly. Then, after losing her husband, her Mom died last spring. This spring her only sister suddenly lost her husband.

The work that used to be shared with her spouse is now Karen’s sole job. She rises early to feed the animals and they are like family to her and it’s her therapy, but it will likely take her a while to figure out how to get all of the heavy work done, as well as return to the creative work that she used to take for granted. She has someone who helps out a couple of days a week and that lifts some of the hard work from her, but she needs to get a new pace for herself. It is not easy, as it is a dawn-to-dusk business. The animals need to be fed and cared for and they are her priority, so the creative things have to wait until her chores are done. She’s working at it and she will find her way, but for now she’s doing what comes next.

If you want to learn more about this fascinating art, contact Karen and she will guide you through a lesson. Her studio is open one evening a week and people can work at their own pace. There are looms set up for your use. If it’s something that you always wanted to do, this might be the time to try it. Karen is a very kind and helpful person and she will help you to learn in a manner that matches your learning style.

Update on Annie and her kittens:

For those of us who have followed the saga of Annie the missing cat, Annie had four kittens about two weeks ago. They look just like her, and there appear to be three males and a female. She is comfortable at home raising the new family.

Kiwanis Club:

Kiwanis Club recently had their annual Bicycle Safety Program. There was a rain date because of poor weather conditions but 38 students turned out for the event regardless of the change.

Bicycles have been awarded to the following winners: Joseph Elsemiller, Ava Niedermeyer, Abigail Coles, Devin Borchard, Nathan Taylor, Ryan Harris, Rylie Turner, Samantha Avery and Brianne Ray. Samantha Avery, Brianne Ray and Joel Kessler were not available for the picture. A gift certificate was awarded to Joel Kessler.

Once again the Kiwanis Club went into the schools to present the training films to local schools and then completed the Safety Program and presented the bicycles.

Standish American Legion Post 128:

A bean supper will be held for the Standish American Legion Post 128 at the Sebago Lake Congregational Church June 9 with two sittings at 5 and 6 p.m. Cost is $6 for adults and $3 for children. Please come out in support of this newly formed club to show them your support.