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Land Management In
addition to village buildings and businesses, the Foundation
owns approximately 1,600 acres of land, roughly two percent of
the land in Grafton. Over 95 percent of that acreage is cropland,
pasture and forest. The cropland is used primarily in the dairy
operation at Idyll Acres Farm. The balance is grazed by a flock
of sheep, managed by the Windham Foundation.
Several miles of hiking and cross country ski trails traverse the Foundation’s woodland. Ongoing professional forest management practices assure a continued harvest from Foundation woodlands.
Sheep ProgramLocated immediately behind the Windham Foundation offices is where the sheep flock is housed. A sheep display tracks the history of the sheep industry in general with a special emphasis on Grafton's contributions. The sheep project is part of the Foundation’s contribution to an effort to promote the sheep industry in Vermont. The University of Vermont Extension, in cooperation with Windham Foundation and Shelburne Farms, sponsors an annual sheep shearing class. One is held here in Grafton every spring. The class covers how to set up equipment and the basics of how to shear a sheep, followed by actual shearing under the supervision of a professional shearer. We post the class information in our events section as it becomes available.
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In
addition to village buildings and businesses, the Foundation
owns approximately 1,600 acres of land, roughly two percent of
the land in Grafton. Over 95 percent of that acreage is cropland,
pasture and forest. The cropland is used primarily in the dairy
operation at Idyll Acres Farm. The balance is grazed by a flock
of sheep, managed by the Windham Foundation.