Chickweed Farm [Haugarfi Byli in Icelandic] is a small organic producer, specializing in Icelandic wool and lamb, heirloom vegetables and herbs, pastured poultry, and Icelandic Sheepdogs. Animals and plants are selected for their beauty, functionality, and adaptability.

Sandy has been involved in organic farming, fiber and food production since the mid 1970s. She was a founding member of the Ferry County Co-op, the oldest, continuously operating food cooperative in Washington State, and supported her family by selling organic produce through the co-op, local farmers markets, and restaurants. She bartered eggs, milk, whole grain breads, and handspun wool, mohair and angora yarns from her spinner’s flock, along with handmade soaps.

In the mid 1990’s, Sandy moved to Olympia to pursue a degree in human development, and launched a career in child and family mental health and parenting education. Sandy recognized the therapeutic value of natural food and fiber production, and incorporated spinning, knitting, weaving, organic gardening, and animal assisted therapy in her school based, day-treatment programs in Thurston County in the mid 1990s. She returned to Eastern Washington in 2001, to join her adult children and their families. She is currently a social work administrator in Indian Child Welfare, and is raising two of her five grandchildren.

Sandy’s vision for Chickweed Farm is to provide a gathering place for sustainable farmers, artisans, and students. She offers workshops, individual instruction, coaching, and access to processing equipment for custom handspinning, dying, knitting and weaving. Consultation and instruction in small scale organic poultry/egg production, organic gardening/orcharding, and food preparation/preservation are offered. A cookbook that showcases local organic meats, poultry, fish, fruits, veggies and grains is on the horizon.