A Shepherd’s Tale: Martha’s Vineyard Fiber Farm

February 15, 2009 3 Comments

Martha’s Vineyard is one of those places where dreams come true. I know that sounds cheesey – but it’s true. This place is magical, and it invites innovation, especially of the green kind.

Susan Gibbs is a perfect example. Once upon a time, Susan was a producer for CBS – now, she’s a shepherd. But, she’s not just a shepherd. She started the world’s first natural fiber (wool from sheep and angora goats) CSA. CSA stands for community supported agriculture which essentially means that shareholders buy the wool or products of the upcoming farming season. Think of it like not pre-selling your inventory before you place any orders.

The best part is that the shareholders of the Martha’s Vineyard Fiber Farm are so invested in the farm, the business, the animals – they’ve really become a community. They read Susan’s blog religiously, comment like mad, travel long distances for shearings and events, help her raise money for charity – and support her to no end when a lamb is sick or anything else bad happens.

For her part, Susan blogs every day, works her buns off and is hilarious. We’re thrilled that she and the Fiber Farm call the Vineyard home!!! You can find her here with her flock, at Fiberfest and at the Farmer’s Market in West Tisbury all summer long…

The Fiber Farm has been wildly successful. They’ve been written up in the Wall Street Journal, Vanity Fair – and I’m sure Martha Stewart is not far behind!

(Oh, and she has a second flock up in New York’s Hudson Valley too!)

Activities, Martha's Vineyard, Vineyard Beaches, Vineyard Towns

Top 8 Reasons NOT to Visit Martha’s Vineyard

February 12, 2009 3 Comments

It’s true, there are reasons that people avoid this incredible island. You ready?

8. Bumping into Jake Gyllenhal and David Letterman while you’re buying fresh peas at the Farmer’s Market in West Tisbury gets really old after awhile.

7. The ocean isn’t always blue, sometimes it’s this majestic shade of green.

6. You have to cross the ocean to get here, forcing you to really let go of life on the mainland.

5. The peace and quiet are deafening.

4. Vineyard locals and our commitment to living local, small family farms, protecting our environment and maintaining a close-knit community of nice people has a tendency to be contagious to visitors.

3. There’s more to do than just go to the beach. The Ag Fair, boutique shopping, summer camps and festivals have a habit of distracting people from their sunbathing.

2. Most of the island restaurants feature fresh caught fish and shellfish, not to mention island-grown veggies, so it’s nearly impossible to be unhealthy here.

And the number 1 reason NOT to visit Martha’s Vineyard…

1. You’ll never want to leave.

Martha's Vineyard, News

Writing on the Vineyard

February 11, 2009 2 Comments

Martha’s Vineyard has long been a haven for artists and writers. The beauty and the magic of the place lend themselves to the romance of art and creativity, for sure.

And, I have a good friend here that is not only writing creatively from a cozy shack in the woods – she’s also running a successful business from that shack! Her name is Julie Roads and I encourage you to check out her blog for all things writing, blogging, marketing and social media – and hilarity.

But, I wanted to tell you about her because of what she represents for the island. She proves that:

You can follow your dreams and build whatever life you want to have because living here was Julie’s dream! And now it’s come true.
The Vineyard does not go away in the winter! We have a thriving population of 15,000 all winter long. Julie is one of them and she loves it here in the winter, just ask her. How cool to rent an off-season house to write that novel, eh?
You can make a living on the island without being a fisherman. That’s tongue and cheek, but seriously, with technology today, you can live virtually anywhere and run a full business. Julie has clients on the Vineyard, across the country and around the world. (and, fyi, many of our cafes have wireless!)

The other reason that I wanted to tell you about Julie is that she’s developed an incredible opportunity for anyone interested in following in her proverbial and literal footsteps. It’s called the One-on-One Intensive: How to become a Successful CopyWriter . If you’ve ever wanted to be your own boss, make your own hours, work from wherever and follow your dreams, check this out. And when you’re ready to test out island living, give me a call!