Blue Tin Farm at Boothbay Farmers’ Market

Wed, 07/05/2017 - 8:45am

Blue Tin Farm in Edgecomb is overrun with kids right now. Soft, fluffy little kids.

The owners of the farm, Crystal and Seth Lewis, have been raising goats for almost five years. In the last couple months, baby goats, along with a growing herd of Gloucestershire Old Spot pigs, have taken over the farm.

The couple decided to expand their goat herd after Seth gave Crystal two of the West African breed Nigerian Dwarf goats for her birthday in 2008. The goats are a small dairy breed, and Crystal wanted to start using the milk for soaps, lotions and cheese.

As of May, there were just over 50 goats at the farm. Since then over 20 more kids have been born, with more due on July 9, and some of them, and some adult goats are for sale. Lewis is currently hand milking 13 twice daily.

With her mother, Penny Theall, helping, Crystal has been selling her goat’s milk products at the Boothbay Farmers’ Market this summer. There are several different soap fragrances, including honey oatmeal, blueberries and cream, and tea tree lavender.

And there’s one called “Ruttin’ Buck” for men. The name Buck comes from the days Lewis worked at the East Boothbay General Store. A man named Bill Wilde was a regular. She said he smelled spicy, and like the ocean.

“You could smell him when he came in. Someone always said, ‘Bill’s here.” The lotions, which are smooth as silk, come in unscented, lavender and spring breeze. There is a men’s version of Ruttin’ Buck lotion, too.

“We write ‘especially for men’ on the signs for the men’s products, so they know it’s geared toward them,” she said with a smile. “But more women buy it because they love the smell. It’s my favorite scent.”

Between taking care of all the kids, and the pigs, and the chickens and rabbits at the farm, and now making her skin care products, Lewis is usually awake by 5:30 a.m. She tries to stay in bed till 6. “I love to lie there and listen to the rooster crow.” she said. “Then I get up and have a cup of coffee, and my day starts.”

“I care for the animals, and do this (the skin care products) between everything else.” Lewis said the next step will be making cheese. She hopes to have some available at the Boothbay Farmers Market, along with her other products, soon.

Among the other products available at her Blue Tin Farm Stand is pork. Most of the Gloucestershire Old Spot pigs the Lewises raise are for meat. The historic breed, developed in Gloucestershire, England, is favored for its size, lean meat and bacon.

Lewis, who loves all animals, but especially her own, feels a responsibility to do what most animal lovers can’t. “That’s my personal burden,” she said. “And at the end of the day I feel better that every one of these animals get to wallow in the mud, dig up rocks with their noses, and eat acorns.”

“I bear the burden because I know there are lots of people who can’t. I’m there to supervise their unloading from the truck so that I can feel comfortable that everything is good. And then I turn around and leave.”

One pig on the farm, though, Rosie, will forever remain just that. “Rosie is never going anywhere. She’s my baby.”I love her.”

Blue Tin Farm is located at 283 Cross Point Road. If you miss the weekly Thursday farmers’ market in Boothbay, you can call 207-522-5149 to order products, or set up a time to visit the farm.