Date: Fri 22-Nov-1996

Publication: Bee

Author: ANDREA

Quick Words:

crafts-farm-Perkins

Full Text:

A Crafty Farmer Offers Christmas Shopping In The Country

B Y A NDREA Z IMMERMANN

Stoneledge Hollow Farm's pastoral setting is so inviting, motorists often pull

to the side of Huntingtown Road to spend a moment enjoying the view. But the

quiet landscape belies the unceasing activity within the farmhouse - Jan

Perkins is stitching up one last flannel quilt, arranging dried flowers, and

finalizing plans with the other craftspeople who will be exhibiting work at

the farm on November 29, 30, December 1, 7, 8 from 9 am to 4:30 pm.

Christmas Shopping In The Country was literally a home-grown endeavor started

by Jan eight years ago. Using products from the farm, Jan applies her talents

to create gifts to sell from her home. She knits hats with yarn spun from the

fleece of her Suffolk sheep, creates herbal oils and vinegars as well as dried

wreaths, swags, and table pieces with flowers and herbs she had grown in her

own garden. Jan also fashions colorful quilts out of flannel fabric, and makes

a variety of smaller items for the sale.

"It began with myself and one other artist; this year we'll have eight to ten

artists here," said Jan. "We use the living room and dining room - all my

paintings come off the walls, and each year we move more and more furniture

out so we can set up tables."

The holiday open house has become a popular annual event with some residents

who plan on hosting Thanksgiving in this area so they can go to the sale the

next day with their families. "We have people from Maine, Pennsylvania, and

New York come to do their Christmas shopping," said Jan. "It's amazing how

much stuff goes out of here. It's great!"

This year, there will be more than 1,000 pieces offered at the farmhouse

during the open house. Exhibitors include Linda Zaraza who paints folk art,

Teresa Hick who creates calligraphy pieces, and Eva Donnelly who specializes

in American Girls' doll clothes. Other items will be specialty baskets, horse

related gifts, ornaments, breads, jams, wall hangings, quilted vests and tree

skirts, handcrafted rag dolls and santas, 50 colors of wool yarn (with kits).

Huntington this is correct, should NOT be HUNTINGTOWN Bears, designed and sewn

by Mrs Perkins' daughter, Bonnie, will also be featured.

Newtown resident Robert Fulton, Jr, has donated a pair of crystalite horse

sculptures he created, along with copies of his book and video One Man Caravan

. The author/artist, who has signed each piece, will contribute the money to

Newtown Scholarship Fund.

The Business of Farming

Paul and Jan Perkins moved to Newtown 22 years ago, establishing Stoneledge

Hollow Farm on Hundred Acres Road. Within six months of settling in, Mr

Perkins was assigned to work in Holland for 1« years so the family rented

their home and went to Europe. There, Jan taught horseback riding, and their

daughter started taking riding lessons. When they returned to Newtown, they

bought two horses and a couple of sheep.

The flock grew because, as Jan said, "If you have two sheep, you might as well

have six. And if they have babies..."

In 1985, they bought the property on Huntingtown Road, enlarged their flock to

the point where they were selling 150 head a year for show stock and market

lambs. They also sheered the sheep for fleece, which they sent to Maine to be

dyed and spun into knitting yarn.

"Now we've cut way back - we don't do show breeding. The sheep were a major

business; now it's a nice relaxed hobby," said Jan. Raising sheep can be

profitable because "you are feeding one animal and getting three or four

products," explained Jan.

Right now, the Perkins own six sheep. Jan wants to increase the flock to eight

or ten - just enough to keep the fields eaten down. The Suffolk sheep is an

English breed, identified by black face and legs, that is mostly bred for meat

lambs. The ewes are known to be excellent mothers with good milking ability.

"I always name my ewes," said Jan. "Even though they're part of the business,

they are somewhat like pets... We will keep our girls until the end - they

live 12 to 15 years. I don't have to be cold-blooded about it."

One of the reasons the couple bought the property on Huntingtown Road was

because it was already an income producing farm, with the Fairfield County

Hunt Club boarding horses there. Right now, they have five boarders and one

horse of their own.

Jan planted flower and herb gardens, and now uses about 80 percent of her own

material in dry arrangements. Her plantings include delphinium, lavendar,

tansy, black-eyed Susan, lamb's ear, straw flowers, salvia, and many roses.

Christmas Shopping In The Country will be held November 29, 30, December 1, 7,

and 8 from 9 am to 4:30 pm, at the Stoneledge Hollow Farm, 45 Huntingtown

Road, Newtown. Cider and doughnuts will be offered, and children are invited

to visit the sheep.