A little bit about me
Welcome!
Hi, My name is Liz. Thank you for checking out the mill!
I've been working with fiber as long as I can remember. I started knitting when I was about 8 or 9 and knitting was always in the background, even in college when I was studying to get my masters degree in animal science I managed to sneak in some knitting.
I learned how to spin when I was pregnant with my first daughter and that's when I got into ALL the fibery things. In 2007 I was pregnant with my second daughter, I decided to open a mill. I opened the mill and ran it till 2012, I ended up having to put things on hold because life got messy for a bit.
Fast forward to 2016. I had been through a divorce and then met Johnny and the girls and I finally settled in Northern Vermont where I was working as a calf manager and LOVING every minute! I also wanted to re-open the mill because I missed it. We moved all the equipment up here and set things up. we got the mill up and running and opened May 2017.
Then disaster struck... on July 31st, 2017. I was at work helping a mama Cow give birth when she decided she didn't want the help and came after me. I woke up a week later in the ICU at UVM. I don't remember anything. The cow had, tore my aorta (7/8 of it was torn off), broken my sternum, had 6 broken ribs, and a hole in my esophagus ( poked a hole in it when the ribs broke). Because of the blood loss, I ended up having a massive right brain stroke, meaning my left side wasn't working. It took the past 2.5 years and lots of dr. appointments, therapy, driver retraining, and had to re-learning how to do everything in a new way. I used to be left-handed so I think that has been the hardest hurdle to overcome.
At the end of June 2018, I have been able to slowly ease back into working both on the farm and in the mill (both part-time), I love everything I do and wouldn't trade any of it. Its been a long year, I still can't do everything I want to and get tired, but my Left hand continues to slowly (very slowly) improve, just this past spring (2020), I'm finally able to do some crochet :) I'm getting better at writing right-handed (if you've ever bought something, you will see, lol) I'm determined to get back as much as possible.
I would not be where I am without all the help I have received from friends, family, my girls, and John. It continues to be a huge lesson in patience for all of us!
Although I'm the primary owner, the rest of the family is involved in the mill. John does all the maintence work and runs his own full-time plumbing business is always helping me fix or build things as well as giving me great advice or finding ways to streamline and make things easier for me. I love that I have someone to bounce ideas off of and that he is so supportive.
The girls are my helpers. Beth(17) is more behind the scenes, photographing, labeling, preparing for shows and such. Emma(15), helps out everywhere. She helps with washing, watching the carder, pin drafting, She even helps with dyeing. If you come to a show, I can guarantee she will be there helping.
There really never is a dull moment at our house. Both the girls are in 4H and are raising calves for working steers (oxen). They also have a small flock of laying hens to keep us in eggs.
In the springtime, we are busy sugaring, making maple syrup. this is one of Johnny's favorite times of the year. It a lot of hours, but it's a great way for us to spend time together as a family.