Products and Services:
-natural-colored and plant-dyed washed wool & roving
-hand-spun and mill-spun yarn
-felted mittens, handbags, vests
-organic eggs
-garlic
-herbs
-flowers
-garden design/installation/maintenance - April-Oct.
-winter workshops: spinning, pottery, felting, dyeing
What Makes Sunshine Daydream Farm & Gardens
Unique?
The sign that Michelle DeLucia displays at the fairs
and in her shop that states, “Hand-Raised, Hand- Washed, Hand-Dyed, Hand-Spun, and Hand-Felted -
Support Your Local Maine Farmer” well represents
her fully-committed and multi-faceted approach to fiber arts.
Michelle has been caring for several kinds of sheep and creating works of art with fiber since 1991. Ever since her initial association with raising sheep, she took advantage of attending many fiber workshops. She enjoyed studying with and learning from master spinners and felters, and shepherds and veterinarians. Now skilled in all the facets of working with wool and other fibers (silk, cottons, llamas, alpacas, and angoras), individuals turn to Michelle for advice and guidance with their fiber projects. She leads workshops on natural plant dyeing, needle felting, spinning, wet felting, nuno felting, and pottery.
It is apparent that Michelle is quite a gifted individual. She earned a Master of Arts in Clay/Pottery from Skidmore College. In addition to running the farm, making pottery, felting, shepherding, spinning, and natural dyeing with plants, she holds a full-time job as a garden designer.
Michelle is a Master Gardener and a certified herbalist. She raises her plants from organic seeds in her greenhouses and incorporates the organic plants in her commercial and residential gardening accounts in New Hampshire and Maine. In addition to designing gardens, she also installs and maintains them at various homes, bed and breakfasts, hotels, and businesses from April through October. During the holiday season she shares her innovative flair by offering unusual holiday decorations. Her creative talent for floral designs for inside and outside weddings is greatly appreciated.
A focus on organic gardening and farming is a priority for Michelle. She will serve as the Coordinator of the Maine Fiber Farms’ area at the Common Ground Fair once again in 2013. She is a proponent of biodynamic farming methods and incorporates integrated pest management practices. Sunshine Daydream Farm and Gardens is animal welfare/humane certified. Michelle is a member of MOFGA (Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association) and the Northeast Organic Farming Association. She strives to keep her animals happy and healthy. It is clear from viewing her website and reading her blog that she is committed to treating animals with kindness and respect.
Growing and harvesting plants to use in the natural dyeing of the wool that is sheared from her sheep is one of Michelle’s favorite pastimes. She enjoys searching for lichens to use in her dyes. She also uses apple bark, green ferns, and St. Johnswort. Michelle has an assortment of natural dye books that she sells in her shop and at various fairs.
The colors of her rovings and batts are very distinct. Michelle uses the thorny bark chips from Brazilwood that are ground into powder to dye the wool from her Columbia Finn sheep. She also uses Cochineal, which is a dye which comes from an insect from Central and South America, Mexico, and the Canary Islands. Madder and Osage Orange, and the wood chips or bark from the hedge apple tree are also utilized in the natural dyeing process. The organic roving and batting are sold by the ounce. The hand-spun yarn is sold by weight. Custom colors and blends are available.
Michelle raises Merinos, Lincoln Longwools, Corriedales, and Columbia-Finn sheep. The sheep were originally purchased to clear the brush on the farm and serve as a source of manure. They are raised for wool and they are not eaten. Michelle also sells brown and colored farm-raised organic eggs that originate from her flock of fifteen chickens. She has cared for a rescue horse and she raises Angora rabbits. All the manure from the animals are used in the gardens.
Raising almost one thousand dahlias makes Michelle
quite a dahlia expert. She offers Spring Dahlias from March 1 through July 15, in the following varieties: Red, White, Park Princess, Dinner Plate Pink, Dinner Plate Peach, and Dinner Plate White. Bags of dahlia tubers are also available. She also offers Organic Russian Red Garlic, New York Winter Hardy Garlic, and Organic Garlic Braids with Hot Peppers.
In 2013, Michelle will be participating in the SpaKnit Spin in February; the Portland Flower Show in March; the Denmark Sheepfest in April; the 13th Annual Maine Fiber Frolic and the Pleasant Mountain Fiber Arts Weekend in June; the Saco Valley Fiber Festival and Maine Open Farm Day in July; the Common Ground Fair in September; the Sandwich Country Fair in October; the New England Fiber Festival and the Green Mountain Fiber Festival in November.
In addition to being a farmer, gardener, shepherdess, and teacher, Michelle is an artist. She has a clay studio at her farm for her pottery work. If you check out the vests, hats, scarves, and pullover tops that she has felted, you will note that her designs are very unique and absolutely stunning. Her choice of vibrant colors and a touch of whimsy sets her work apart from many other fiber artists. Her felted wool bird nesting pods are a great addition for any home.
There are several types of colorful and natural fibers that Michelle incorporates in her designs. In addition to the wool that is gathered from her sheep, she uses silk, cotton, llama, alpaca and angora fibers. She offers a wide assortment of styles and colors of hats that are made with Merino wool, silk, and cotton. There are also soft and warm mittens that are made with Merino wool. The mittens are custom-designed and made for men and women in all sizes and many colors. Michelle also creates beautiful handbags that are extremely functional.
Visitors are welcome to tour the organic display gardens and enjoy all the animals at Sunshine Daydream Farm and Gardens. Fresh herbs, cut flowers, vegetables and greens, organic eggs, body care and medicinals, and bedding plants and seedlings are available for sale. Michelle has an online catalog and also conducts mail orders. She sells on a wholesale basis to restaurants.
On her website and blog and in her shop and at fairs, Michelle reminds everyone to support their local farmer. She sets a good example because she is active in her community. Recently she conducted a felt workshop for members of the York County 4-H group and led a dying workshop for Peace Fleece Farm. In turn, the local community demonstrates an appreciation for her skills. Sacopee Laser Dentistry in Porter, Maine, invited Michelle to be the Artist of the Month in March 2013. It proved to be a wonderful opportunity for area residents to view the felted wool creations that Michelle had made from the wool she hand-raised, hand-washed, hand-spun, and hand-felted.