Valentine’s Day visit to Hopkins Farm
Anna Foster, an intern of Farm Fresh Rhode Island along with Sarah Lester of FFRI, visited Hopkins Farm and Hopkins Southdowns in North Scituate, RI last week. Read Anna’s write-up below!
The Hopkins Farm is a lovely, 57 acre piece of land (40 acres of which are used and fenced, the rest are woods) that situates the Hopkins family: Bob and Mary, married for 56 years. Deborah and Don, as well as their daughter. The farm has been in the family for 300 years. Bob began selling veggies 11 years ago and has a greenhouse on his property where he grows lettuces, spinach, cucumbers in pots, swiss chard, beet greens, and arugula. He uses fenced-in plots for spring and summer growing, as well as renting 18 acres in Foster. From their vegetables and fruits they make their own preserves, ranging from jams, to relishes, to pickled Brussels sprouts. 
Debra and Don manage the sheep business (Hopkins Southdowns), of which the primary breeds used are Southdown and Southdown crosses (crossed with Dorsets to make “brockle” faced lambs.) Dorsets are introduced to enhance the all year round breeding ability to keep a more even lamb supply. The Southdowns are known for their meat quality-flavor and tenderness. Ewes typically are pregnant for 5 months and give birth to 1-3 lambs. The Hopkins have a “guard” llama named “Buster” who protects the sheep from predators, such as coyotes.
Debra and Don began with only two sheep (wethers a.k.a castrated males) in 1968 and began breeding two years later. Now, aside from raising her own sheep, her full-time job is registering sheep, which she began doing in 1998. She is also the Treasurer of the RI Sheep Co-op and is involved in Rhody Warm blankets. In the summer the sheep are rotated, alternating across four pastures, to keep down the parasites and to help out the grass growth. The most popular sheep cuts in the summer are chops or ribs, for grilling. In the winter, when stews are more appropriate, shanks are called for. The popularity of lamb as a meat source has climbed recently thanks to exotic, extraterritorial cooking methods.
Photos: Top - the Hopkins greenhouse managed by Bob Hopkins, Middle - Debra and Anna discuss the sheep with Buster, the guard llama, looking on, Bottom - Hopkins Farmstand vacant in the winter months.
You can find Hopkins Farm and Hopkins Southdowns at the Wintertime Farmers Market in Pawtucket on Saturdays.
