What a lot of exciting things are happening at Pony Farm, Horse Power, Stepping Stone Lodge and our new Touchstone Farm!!!! Hearing from so many people from across the country is a daily thrill. I keep smiling and being so excited about all the fun and good energy. Thank you for your interest and lovely emails. Keep them coming!!!
As I stroll arou
nd the farm, the activities just beg for picture taking. I hope you enjoy these pictures of why I love this little piece of land. Seeing the ponies plowing the gardens with Dave, our “Driving Guy”, and Chris, our Farm Manager made my day. Having the Colonial Garden by the Homestead, the sweet corn garden, the herb and the salad garden all getting prepared to plant was a treat. We will soon get the rich compost from the company which provides the containers for all our manure. My dream has been to have all of our gardens chemical and fertilizer free…and this is the year we have finally accomplished this. Our goal is has been have organic fresh salad, herbs and vegetables for camp and visiting groups until late fall. I am delighted to report that this will happen in 2011.
I also adore seeing the Horse Power and Touchstone lesson students and teachers enjoying riding in the rings and down the dirt roads. Seeing their faces and big grins warms my heart. The ponies and horses are shedding out and getting fit. The rings are now all raked and smooth, while the grass is green and lush. The newly painted jumps are a lovely back drop to it all. The horse show programs are being made for our summer shows on July 2nd and 23rd. As you can imagine, it is a busy but productive time at the farm.
Along with the gardens, new ideas are being planted as well. The summer Touchstone lesson program is ready to be in full swing, allowing our students to ride with us year around. Sarah, our Head Trainer, will be available to not only provide lessons but to take those who wish to compete to local shows. We are excited to re-enter the horse events in our equine community. We are eager to get out there and showcase our wonderful horses and riders.
We are also starting to offer Birthday Parties beginning in June. We have created a ‘birthday party haven’ down at the Cottage. We will be letting folks know more about this on the website but for those of you who are local, do consider hosting your child’s birthday party with us, complete with pony rides, piñatas, pictures, farm animals, and arts & crafts.
The major thing we are gearing up for is Pony Farm summer camp. Becky and Carrie will be joining me in co-directing the summer fun of camp. The lodge, horses, staff and facilities are ready to greet our campers from all over the world. This will be our 40th Anniversary so we are planning on making this summer a true banner year. A big celebration is being planned for SATURDAY JULY 16TH, beginning at 3PM and ending at 8PM. We will have riding demos, carriage rides, music,. Speeches and awards, a raffle, and lovely food. It will be our thank you to our farm friends, local business people, as well as alumnae. We want to truly celebrate our 40 years of fun and friendship. We hope you will mark your calendar now and join us.
Finally, we want to publicly thank all those who attended our Strategic Planning Retreat this past weekend. It was a most productive work session which included such g
ood planning for the future of the farm. Over 20 people, each representing a different section of the farm, came to give of their wisdom, experience and input for the future. Ed Tomey, our consultant, designed a rigorous and most helpful agenda, allowing ample input from all participants. The plan incorporating all the input will come together over the next weeks, and will then be posted on the website. We are proud of the direction in which we are moving. Great change is coming as we marry Horse Power and Pony Farm into Touchstone Farm, while fulfilling our mandate with the money to fuel the mission. It was a joyous and most helpful process.
I end as I began by expressing my most heartfelt gratitude to all of you. Thank you for loving this farm and being a part of the past, present and future. Do not be a stranger to us. The welcome mat is always out for YOU. Something exciting and interesting is happening all the time. Come and be a part of Touchstone Farm as it grows!
Most Warmly,
Isabella (Boo) Martin
