In celebration of a dear friend

We invite you to share your memories and photos with us. Willard was loved by so many & we want to capture that love here, in his memory.

Tuesday, April 1st

Our hearts are heavy today. Saturday morning, our beloved steer, Willard, passed away lying in his favorite spot: a hillside overlooking the pond, in the fields where he has lived for the past seventeen years. The misty, cold weather reminiscent of the Scottish Highlands felt fitting as we gathered around him and said goodbye to our beautiful friend.

Willard and Curtis came to us from John Lee’s family farm in Bridgewater, VT in the early spring of 2008. Farmer Jim Buckle carried them into the paddock where they stood shoulder high to my then eight year old son. They had little nubs for horns and were adorable and playful while even then exuding the serene calmness they carried throughout their adult lives. As they grew in size and horn length, so grew the magical space that they held and hold still for all of us, these improbable residents of our Jamaica Plain neighborhood.

In this acute moment of missing Willard, it feels impossible to overstate the impact this sweet, imposing steer and his brother have had on our community. We have been overwhelmed by the outpouring of love for Willard and the depth of sadness at his passing. We want very much to provide a way for people to share memories. You may have read in our last email that we had a party planned for both boys this coming Sunday. Let’s still gather! It will be a celebration of life for both Curtis and Willard. We’ll meet at 1pm at the barn, where we can lavish treats and love on Curtis and take a meaningful moment to share our memories of Willard from the past two decades.

Thank you for all the kind words and support. And thank you, Willard, for continuing to bring our community together. We love you. 

April 6th, Sunday’s Schedule, Rain or Shine:

10am-1pm

  • Garage Sale: Shop our old bits and bobs and bid a fond farewell to the old store

  • Greenhouse Open House: Stroll behind the scenes in our production greenhouse and get a glimpse of what’s growing

1pm-1:30pm:

  • Celebration of Life for Willard and Curtis