August 2021 Newsletter – Resilient as Daylilies

As the remaining snow melts every May and birds return to the northland, the goats start to get antsy. To a goat, the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence. They find weak spots that have been worn by the harsh winter, and like any good escape artist, they wiggle their way out. With their newfound freedom they charge toward the budding flower beds, and within minutes they’ve munched off the golden orange heads of every single daylily plant in the row. 

The goats manage to do this a couple times a year. Climbing into the garden beds, they trample over any plant and, if left by themselves, will mow down any green thing in sight. As we watched Covid-19 take over the world last year, it was hard not to feel like the poor lilies whose heads are bitten off every spring. We all lost so much during this time. Valuable time spent with family and friends, school going online, vacations canceled, shows canceled, etc. No loss is too small.

We at StoneDog Ridge especially missed seeing all of you at craft shows. Seeing your bright faces and talking to each of you about the happenings in your life, like welcoming new babies, starting new jobs, or even something as simple as watching a new leaf grow on your plant. We miss hearing about all of your life victories, even the small ones. 

While 2020 was the year of loss, things started to look up in 2021. The world opened up, and like the daylilies, we started to blossom again. We proved to ourselves that we are as resilient as the flowers whose beautiful blossoms keep getting eaten by goats. Here at StoneDog Ridge, we welcomed seven goat kids into the world this spring and adopted five more kids from other Minnesota farms. Along with raising goat kids, we raised three 25-chick batches of cornish-cross chickens, and one 15-chick batch of laying hens. Our freezer is full for another winter and over 80 jars of chicken stock line our pantry walls. 

With an expanding herd, Mr. B set out to fence a 7 acre plot of land for new foraging. After a summer of hard work, he is only 100 feet away from finishing the fence! All of us at StoneDog Ridge, including the goats, appreciate his hard work. Additionally, Mrs. B has tried her hand at gardening. While the garden hasn’t taken off as much as she hoped, it’s been a learning experience that we hope to grow from. 

The new challenges brought on by the pandemic have shaped the ways in which small businesses compete in the global market. With the push to adapt to an online world, we gave our website a new look. To celebrate, we’re launching a sale. Starting August 22nd, all products will be 25% off. 

Lastly, we’ve been working hard to keep the soap shelves stocked. Currently, we are booked for multiple in-person craft fairs this holiday season. We are excited to continue building a relationship with this community and we hope to see you there. 

Just as the goats continue to escape and munch on the daylily blossoms each year, we fear Covid-19 will do the same. Each coming year will present new challenges that force us to adapt to the changing world. However, like the daylilies that continue to grow every year, we hope to persevere through the challenging years to come.