OUR STORY
4th Generation Family-Owned Business
Our French Canadian farming family emigrated to Vermont in the early 1900s to work in the Woolen Mills in Winooski. After working in the mills, our family relocated to the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont to start a dairy farm. Jean Paul Bonneau and his wife, Germaine, had several children whom they raised on the farm. Jean Paul Bonneau was an industry Agri-Mark director for 20 years and vice-chair for the last few years, an Agriculture Stabilization and Conservation Services director, and a United Farmer director. Their daughter Irene continued sheep and dairy farming with her three children in northern, VT as well. Nathan Dagesse was one of those children who relocated to Williston, VT, marrying Jacquie and having four children of his own. Nathan and Jacquie have just started their family farm, Dagesse Farms, that is focused on heritage breed sheep and chickens. The main products of the farm are yarn and fresh eggs.
ABOUT THE FARM
Dagesse Farms aims to produce high-quality fiber from Valais Blacknose sheep while contributing to the upbreeding program for this unique and rare sheep breed. We are committed to sustainable farming practices, rotational grazing, and offering premium products, including natural compost and eggs, to the local community.
The yarn that we currently have available is from our twin sister ewes, Piper and Peony. They are 62.5% Valais Blacknose sheep with Shetland and Teeswater as well, providing the perfect wool blend for your next fiber project! The ewes have a guard llama, Milo, who has a dark suri fleece. His raw fleece is available for sale and is ideal for hand spinners and welt felters. Additionally, we have llama manure for sale (locally) to naturally enrich your garden's nutrients.
We have fresh rainbow eggs for sale (locally) from our large chicken variety. Our chicken breeds include: marans, cream legbars, white leghorns, a frizzle, easter eggers, rhode island red, barred rocks, wyandottes (white and gold-laced), and buff orpingtons.
If you visit the farm in the Fall you can help yourself to apples off of our small orchard. Over the next few years we will be expanding our orchard to offer apples for sale.
VERMONT PRODUCTS
We aim to use sustainable partnerships to ensure the quality of our products. All of our products are raised and made in Vermont. Only the wool from our sheep are included in our yarn, and this is spun in a small-batch mill in Vermont.
Our chickens are free range during the late Spring, Summer, and early Fall months when predators are at bay. They have a large chicken coop and run that they enjoy during the winter months, and when it is best advised (during avian flu outbreaks).
Our mature apple trees were relocated from Shelburne Orchard in Shelburne, VT several years ago, and they offer some of the best taste and freshness for naturally grown apples (no pesticides).