About the Producer
Shawnee Hill Farm started 20 years ago after the birth of our first child. We found a place on Vashon that allowed meaningful exploration of many of the rural arts while also having a great place to raise our kids. The piece of land we found allowed for all these things but it took work, a lot of work. Over that time we have built 2 new houses, a barn, a new well, 2 new septics and numerous fences and trellises, planted hundreds of nut and fruit trees, as well as 2 vineyards. We have been blessed that for the most part everything worked out and now we are able to share many of these things with other people, through our products and experiences here.
Now that almost everything is built and mature enough to produce, our jobs now are to basically move piles from one spot to the next: branches, canes, mulch, bedding, mash and must. Sometimes I get to do some skilled labor. Pruning is my favorite, as you see the realities of previous seasons and prepare for the unknowns of future years. The vineyard is a particular puzzle that is incredibly time consuming but so enjoyable to be in.
And of course there is the harvesting and processing of all the fruit, which goes from the heat of summer to the freezing holiday season. Then everything goes into the winery and things get crazy. We do almost a 100 ferments a year, between the cider, wine and spirits, all without a forklift! It's crowded but really not that bad; the yeasts do most of the work and we do have a pump and a nice insulated space. We then clean up, have about a month off and start the whole process over again. Why do that much work for so little pay, my practical friends and family ask me. This kind of work provides insight and understanding that is hard to come by, not to mention exercise and fresh air. As humans it is easy to get focused on controlling variables, outcomes and timelines. My days are spent knowing, and being constantly reminded, that I actually control very little. The humility that this creates allows you to enjoy successes and the simple beauty very much and be thoughtful of failures that will surely be better next year. Also the seasonality of my tasks gives me an internal clock and purpose and reminds me that I am a part of the land and it is a part of me.
