With the cozy sound of an accordion playing in the background, Ruth Olmsted sat at a spinning wheel, making samples of wool. Kids gathered around, watching as she wove colors together into fluffy patterns of purple, blue and green.
This was a typical scene of Clifton Park’s 15th annual Farm Fest. Olmsted co-owns Shepherd’s Hey Farm on Riverview Road with her husband, Larry Syzdek. On Sunday, Sept. 16, Shepherd’s Hey had a few dozen visitors who came to pet the sheep and learn about the farm.
This gives us an opportunity to meet with the community and have them come and see the farm and ask questions about the animals and what we do, Syzdek said. `We think it’s very important that the community learns about farming and asks questions, because they don’t get a chance to get close to animals. There’s something very fine and peaceful about feeding animals and taking care of them.`
Shepherd’s Hey is one of seven local farms that participated in the town-organized event. Olmsted said that the family has owned the 17.5-acre property since 1986 and has participated in Farm Fest for the last 12 years.
The farm has approximately 90 sheep, which are sheared for their wool once a year. Shepherd’s Hey also fills seasonal lamb meat orders. Olmsted sells most of the raw fleece to be spun, but said that she enjoys hand-spinning some of the fleece herself.
`It’s very calming. I like the creativity of it, I like to be able to mix the colors at will and create something really creative,` Olmstead said. `I like learning about ancient crafts and keeping them alive. This style spinning wheel itself goes back to the 15th century.`
`I’ve learned a lot from working with sheep,` Syzdek said. `[I learned] to deal with people in a strong but forthright way. Dealing with sheep is the same way. They have certain needs and requirements in their life and we learn about those needs and those requirements, and you can apply that in your daily life.`
The back of one of the family’s doors reflects some of the lessons Syzdek said he has learned. It reads, `Remember you are loved and do what you can.`
`In other words, every person can only do so much,` Syzdek said. `Sometimes your best efforts will still lead to failure, but that doesn’t mean that you should stop giving your best efforts.`
Clifton Park resident Karen Jeffs toured several of the farms with her three children over the weekend.
`I want them to see what the city has to offer and I want them to see what farms are like and have a real life experience,` Jeffs said. `They’re getting outdoors when it’s a nice day. They got to pick apples, so we’ll go home and wrap it up and make applesauce and apple pie.`
Jeffs’ daughter, Morgan, 6, said that she had fun at a scavenger hunt at Riverview Orchards, in which kids tried to find a penny in a bale of hay.
`I found two, but I was only supposed to have one, and then there was free candy. It was wrapped up and it was a surprise,` Morgan said. `Then we went apple picking and I ate some apples.`
Town Parks and Recreation Director Myla Kramer said after a recent town board meeting that she enjoys Farm Fest with her husband, Adam.
`You go with your family, you pick applies, you pet lambs. It’s a great exciting way to kick off the fall,` Kramer said. `It’s a good feeling of community. There aren’t that many opportunities where you feel like you live in a small community.“