Marion reports: The flood waters are receding for the third time, the Canadian geese are seeking places to swim other than our Verdant Pastures, and we’re getting excited about spring in Epping.

The warm weather brought daffodils, spring fever, and chicks. We anxiously crossed off the days as we waited for their hatching. We’d carefully peek under our broody hen listening for peeps, until the day they surprised us by peeking out from under her! We now have five adorable yellow babies who change and grow every day.

We also welcomed a new rabbit to our menagerie. Freckles has joined Oreo, and they are enjoying being next door neighbors. Freckles has a sweet personality and loves to be petted. He has been teaching Oreo to be friendly as well.

We were very pleased that City Year NH chose us as one of their service projects. They brought a group, and spent the day removing barbed wire, and clearing brush and debris, to prepare a pasture for the sheep we are expecting. They said they would come back when we’re ready to put in our new fence. We can’t thank them enough!

Plans for a garden, and a farm stand are also moving forward. We’re looking forward to a great summer here at FNE at Verdant Pastures, Epping!

   Who needs a radio when you’ve got Allison? She loves to sing, and can usually be heard belting out show tunes, or the newest Taylor Swift song. Allison loves the annual “One Sky Picnic” where she gets a chance to strut her stuff doing karaoke.

Allison’s favorite thing to do here on the farm is to collect eggs.She eagerly grabs the basket each morning and hurries down to the barn hoping to find eggs waiting in the nest box .She is also in charge of putting the eggs into the cartons, and keeping our egg count on the calendar.

Allison’s 21st birthday is in May, and she hopes to go to the Foxwoods Casino to celebrate!

Our athletes have had a great spring season participating in many events! Now that another basketball season is behind us, we will be focusing on practicing for the Summer Special Olympic Games. Athletes will be participating in track & field, tennis, swimming, golf, and of course the many social opportunities.

On June 5, we will again be participating in the statewide fundraiser for Special Olympics at Irving/Circle K Gas stations. The athletes will be on hand to help customers pump gas, wash windows and share their positive experiences with Special Olympics hoping for generous donations. Our local team will get $200 for each station at which we participate. We are always looking for new people to get involved in the programs throughout the year.

This year many parents have attended the events as observers or active participants. Thank you to all who have donated their time as well as funds to support our athletes. A special thank you to Rena Correia for providing housing for the basketball team during the basketball tournament in Portsmouth.

FNE Basketball Team 2010 Front: Connie, Dave, Miranda; Middle: Bryan, Amy, Erica; Back: Chris, Heather

If you are interested in getting involved or would like to help sponsor an athlete, please contact the coordinator, Chris Bobber [click here to send and email] at 769-1483. Thank you to everyone for your continuing support of our athletes!

   Gloria Hallett (better known as "Missy") has been a member of our staff since August of 2007. She is the mother of three sons, twin boys who will be graduating high school this June and their older brother who is in the Army Reserves and headed overseas later this year.

During her years at FNE she has worn many hats, organizing the farmstand, working with our farmers in the crafts room and most recently being the lead staff in charge of doctor visits and follow-ups.

Missy has a ready smile and enjoys mostly the one-on-one interaction with our farmers.

Meet "Missy" Hallett

Marion Cobban is the Director of Day Services for FNE at Verdant Pastures in Epping, NH. She has been a member of our staff since May of 2009 when we opened our second site for day services.

Meet Marion Cobban

“If you had told me that I would become fond of chickens when I started as Program Director of Farmsteads — Epping, I would have told you that you were sorely mistaken. I grew up with furry pets, and my experience with chickens was limited to Purdue. Before coming to Farmsteads, I spent 20 years running public school special-needs programs as well as working in group homes ,so a framing environment is a learning experience I am delighted to share with my farmers.”

Our barnyard population is growing as we now have a head count consisting of hens & chickens, bunnies, 2 mules (on loan), a barn cat and sheep arriving soon. Our garden is being prepped for spring veggies and flowers as we have plans to construct a small stand.

Our farmers will be able to learn some of the skills required to tend a garden and the animals. As the crops grow we look forward to our interaction with the community at our Farmstand.

My name is Henrietta. I am delighted to speak for the barn yard and love the beginning of a new season. Our hen house has 20 little units for the flock. I must boast that it has the cleanest nests and common room that you can imagine.

Now that spring and warm weather is here, we are basking in the sun as we scratch up new growth. The "grapevine" has it that we are expecting new lambs pretty soon. At long last we are going to have a petting farm of miniature animals by summer so that little kids (children) can play with our barnyard friends. We would love to have a miniature horse donated!

Our bunnies, Cinnamon and Gerry, are very friendly and will be a part of the new petting farm. There are a few of us who would enjoy scratching around the grassy area with the rest of pets!

The Farmstand is being prepared for a lot of new crafts for sale as well as the early crops of lettuce, radishes, peas and those great sweets they bake in the kitchen. Once again, we thank you for helping to support us, your Barnyard Friends!

Remember our barnyard sponsorships:

Rabbits, $5/month; $60 annually.

Goats and Sheep, $15 per month or $180 annually

Flocks of Hens, $65 per month or $700 annually

    Our Annual gala fund-raising event has become legendary among our supporters and we are so grateful to each and every person who donates items for the auction, comes to partake of the delicious feast put on by Foster's Downeast Clambakes, and/or bids often and high on our silent and live auction items.

Mark your calendar for Saturday, November 6, 2010, and plan to attend this very important event for Farmsteads of New England! Thank you ...

For the FARM

1. 18” gas Chain Saw
2. Rear-tyne rototiller
3. Garden Cart/Wheelbarrow

3. Garden Tools
4. Garden Benches

For the KITCHEN

1. Commercial grade pots & pans, cookie sheets (no Teflon)

2. Counter-size refrigerator (for Farmstand-without freezer)

CRAFTS

1. Acrylic paints, brushes, ink pads & ink, poster board, fabric paints

2. Rotating stand for notecards

OFFICE

1. File cabinets
2. Book shelf

3. Computer networking switches
4. LCD projector

FNE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
President - Barbara Cohen

Vice President - Kevin Bartlett

Secretary - Denise Nash

Treasurer - Robert Charron

Kevin Burke
Gail Johnson
Stephen Kaneb
Heidi MacLean
Paul Scarpetti
Bryan Terry