In 2013, Marilyn and her young daughter moved to the farm they collaborated to name Mountain Lily Farm after the wild flower that emerges from nothing each spring on the rocky edges of the property.

 

In those early years, the fields were overrun with aggressive weeds from years of neglect.  After some research, she decided to bring in foraging sheep to help improve the land without the use of chemicals.  Never having managed sheep or livestock, she started with just three Icelandic sheep.  Marilyn attended Washington State University shearing school and together, she and her young daughter learned by trial and more than a few errors about lambing, handling, and the management of animals.  The flock has expanded over the course of the past decade with numbers ranging seasonally from 25-45 animals.  Additionally, they have four herding dogs, four horses, two goats,  chickens, ducks and several farm cats.   When not farming or working on property improvements, they share a passion for foraging, rock hounding, and all kinds of creative projects.