Alpacas, sheep, peacocks, goats, chickens, and a highland cow: this is just a handful of the animals you will see roaming Hill Heritage Farm.
Shay and Jamie Hill are the passionate owners of the 8-acre homestead and run the farm with their youngest son, Jaydin, who is a full-time shearer. Together, the family takes care of animals, plants, and sells entirely homemade fiber art through ShayDay Fiber Arts.
This will be the farm’s fifth year hosting Festive Farm Days, with this year’s theme being winter wonderland. It will be happening on Nov. 7 from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. and Nov. 8 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 1992 Jesse Drive.
There are 22 vendors attending the festival this year, including 4 special vendors that will only be there for their Friday evening preview party.
Friday night there will be a bonfire and live music, while Saturday will have live demonstrations. Both days will have food made from their outdoor kitchen, hot chocolate, and a Christmas photo booth to take photos with the animals.
The couple prides themselves on being homegrown and handmade, a value engrained in both of their families and one that has carried over in their farmwork and in their passion for community connection.
The farm regularly hosts children’s groups to teach them how food is grown and how fabric is made. They also annually host the Miami University knitting club students to spend a day at the farm to learn about wool preparation and processes.
[These visits can be] a first glimpse for many into a world of connection between animals, land, and craft,” Shay said.
The Hills shear, spin, and dye their own wool to create a variety of yarn blends from home-raised melino sheep, angora goats, rabbits and alpaca. Just a few of their fiber-art products include socks, hats, yarn, and even homemade animal finger puppets.
ShayDay Fiber Arts was born through passion and Shay’s love of nature, but fiber arts eventually became more than just a hobby for her. Shay admits that even today, she doesn’t knit. Her passion mainly grew from her deep appreciation for caring for her many animals and their unique needs and qualities while also curating a variety of wool to work with.
Alpaca wool has a lighter feel to it and is hypoallergenic, while sheep wool is bouncier and soft, but contains lanolin, which can potentially cause allergic reactions. This range of blends allows the farm to widen their audience and gives enjoyers of homemade fiber-based products a way to choose personalized blends that suit their comfort needs.
More recently, the Hills have begun experimenting with a wool pellet mill, which supports their personal motto: “No Wool Left Behind.” This mill utilizes the wool that isn’t suited for yarn and turns it into valuable nourishment for plants and functions as natural fertilizer pellets that enrich soil and are beneficial to the environment.
Hill Heritage Farm is also a part of The Farmer’s Collective, which aims to create a Hamilton wholesale market while showcasing local farmers within the community. This collective allows for local farmers to have opportunities to showcase their products at events like Festive Farm Days.
The proceeds that Hill Heritage Farm receives throughout the weekend will not only be supporting the farm and it’s abundance of livestock, but will specifically be supporting eye surgery for two of their beloved animals.
“I hope that by coming here, people can become a part of our family and be able to experience an exciting day at the farm,” Shay said.