The Gilbert Family is comprised of Andy, Aimee, Stephen and Albert.  We moved to 18 Loomis Street, North Granby, in July 1999.  We purchased the house and property from Andy’s mom and Stephen and Albert are 4th generation Gilberts to grow up on this land!

Animals are not a new commodity to this property.  When Andy’s brother Rodney was growing up in 4-H he had a Guernsey cow.  Rodney pasteurized the milk and sold it.  Andy found the pasteurizer after we moved in, in the original box with a post mark date of 1964.  This same pasteurizer is still in use today by us for pasteurizing goat’s milk to feed to goat kids.  The barn was built by Andy’s dad and relatives.  Andy had goats and sheep and also showed pigs and dairy cows as a member of Granby 4-H.

We purchased our first two goats, Cranberry and Martinque, from Sweet Pea Farm (Dorothy and Stanley Hayes) for Stephen when he was 8 years old for his 4-H project.  There are lots of funny stories to be told from the adventures of the first two goats and subsequent goats there after!

Stephen decided that he wanted to take his 4-H projects to a new level.  The Hartford County 4-H Fair Association had a Hereford calf that was available to be given away in the Calf Chain.  Stephen completed the application and it was announced at the 4-H Fair at the end of the beef show that Stephen was selected to receive Klover.  Klover came to live in the barn in October 2004.  Stephen’s obligation to the Calf Chain was to give back to the Calf Chain the first heifer born.  In 2006 Hemlock Knoll Julia was born and awarded to another 4-H’er to keep the Calf Chain going.  Stephen has continued breeding Klover and has had the following calves:  Buster, Jessica, Krista and this year’s calf Fernando.

The boys 4-H projects have turned 18 Loomis Street into a small farm by the name of Hemlock Knoll LLC.  Hemlock Knoll LLC specializes in Saanen dairy goats, Hereford cattle and pigs.