Pam and Wayne Sweetser’s Raymond Brook Farm in Presque Isle was a busy place on May 21, as the spring ritual of harvesting fiber from their mixed flock of heritage sheep was finishing up.
On hand to observe and get a sense of what a working farm is like were four students from the Maine School of Science and Mathematics, where Pam Sweetser teaches history part time.
Sweetser, who taught English and history at Hampden Academy for 30 years, started raising sheep in the late 2000s, after moving back to Presque Isle.
“We decided we’d make a go of it,” she said.
While her husband’s family traditionally grew potatoes and grains on the land, they started a small “sheep to shawl” business producing wool from heritage breeds such as the Leicester Longwool, California Variegated Mutant and Scottish Blackface. They also raise horses — a love of Sweetser’s since she was a child growing up in Presque Isle — and cows for grassfed beef.
Maine School of Science and Mathematics students Paisley Keene, Luisa Hutzler, Allison Johnson and Aiden Sites helped clean the hooves of Sweetser’s horses, watched Maine School of Science and Mathematics Athletic Director Sarah Stackhouse ride them, and then observed some of the shearing, led by experts Peggy and George Allen of the Wool Haven Homestead in Caribou.
Shearing is the first of a five step process before the wool can be turned into wool products. The Sweetsers, Allens and other fiber crafters in Aroostook County also meet regularly for group spinning sessions, and Sweetser sells wool, yarn and other farm goods under the name Snow Country Creations.
The four students, who all are from southern Maine, said they’ve grown curious about farming while living in Limestone and that they’ve been curious to see their teacher’s agricultural work in action.
“I think she’s really awesome and empowering and wanted to see what she does in her off-time,” said Johnson, a junior. “It’s really cool to see her living her dream.”