OUR TOWNS

If you're looking for the type of New Hampshire town where people set up lawn chairs to watch a flock of sheep go down the road, you've found it. Sullivan, a town with fewer than 700 residents, is a place where serendipity seems to rein. Sometimes you simply end up where you're supposed to be. &emsp;&emsp;"I came to farming in the most backwards but most stereotypical way imaginable. It started with a border collie," says Milton Trimitsis, founder of Five Sigma Farm. &emsp;&emsp;A business owner and Bostonite, Trimitsis did not intend to one day move his entire life to a strikingly small village in the Granite State. However, he got curious. First, he wondered if his dog might be interested in sheep. &emsp;&emsp;"It just went downhill from there," he says with a laugh. &emsp;&emsp;After living in Boston for decades, he began searching out a farm but the right one, within a two-hour radius of the city. &emsp;&emsp;"I looked at a lot of rundown farms over the course of a decade," he recalls. &emsp;&emsp;When his realtor brought up a property in Sullivan, he hesitated because of the distance. But that feeling didn't last long. &emsp;&emsp;"I absolutely fell in love with the place. It's just a spectacularly beautiful property that I'm really, really lucky to be in," he says. &emsp;&emsp;The farm for which he fell is a sprawling hillside property with lush pasture land and views that never seem to get old. &emsp;&emsp;"I don't think there's a square inch of flat ground on the property," Trimitsis says. &emsp;&emsp;But the gratitude he feels for his unlikely farm life stretches well beyond his hilly home. &emsp;&emsp;"I've met a number of amazing mentors here, and I feel like the whole town has really embraced what I do," he says. &emsp;&emsp;Five Sigma specializes in raising sheep and chickens protected around the clock by livestock guard dogs and guided by Trimitsis' beloved border collies. &emsp;&emsp;He sells grass-fed lamb, as well as flavorful eggs with some of the brightest yolks you've ever seen, all by taking advantage of Sullivan's plentiful pastures. Locals contact him to pick up goods at the farm, and his products are also popular items at the Monadnock Food Co-op, as well as other local shops and restaurants. At this time of year, his flocks are nestled on the farm, but in the summer, you can find them all around town. &emsp;&emsp;"I graze over 125 aces off my far around Sullivan," Trimitsis says. &emsp;&emsp;And that's all thanks to how supportive his fellow townsfolk have been of his unique methods. &emsp;&emsp;"When we walk the sheep across town, people will bring out their lawn chairs and watch," he describes. &emsp;&emsp;Even once the animals have landed at their next munching grounds, many people will stop to watch the peaceful scene. &emsp;&emsp;For instance, one evening, a town selectman saw one of Sullivan's policemen parked by a field and stopped to make sure everything was alright. He explained he just liked to pause and look at the sheep when time allowed. Trimitsis has seen him a few times since, a sweet scene for sure. &emsp;&emsp;"I feel very lucky to have landed here," he says. &emsp;&emsp;While Trimitsis and his animals benefit from a plethora of grazing grounds, they are simultaneously paying it forward. &emsp;&emsp;"Management-intensive grazing is one of the most effective ways to bring back fertility," he says. &emsp;&emsp;He says in Sullivan, it's obvious that much of the land was farmed using traditional European methods for hundreds of years, which has left the soil depleted. His long-studied and progressive agricultural approach "is a way that I feel like I can give back to the community because most of the land I graze isn't mine," he says. &emsp;&emsp;To him, that stewardship piece is so important. He says that for all of us, "It helps to remind you that it's not yours; you're just using it for a while." &emsp;&emsp;That same spirit of stewardship is one that's embraced by many in town, and it certainly resonates with Megan Lafaso Hercher and William Hercher; they purchased the Sullivan Country Store last fall. They, too, came to Sullivan through a bit of serendipity. &emsp;&emsp;"The past 10 years or so for us have been a whirlwind. We've lived on tropical islands, experienced one of the largest wildfires in California's history (The Thomas Fire), driven across the country four times and so much in between," Megan says. &emsp;&emsp;They wrapped up their lives in Massachusetts and moved into the residence attached to the store in January. &emsp;&emsp;"Winters here are much different than they are in the middle of the city. When it snows, it is picturesque; wildlife is abundant, the community is neighborly and helpful," she says. &emsp;&emsp;The couple is feeling lucky and excited to be starting 2021 in the Granite State. &emsp;&emsp;However, as with the opening (or, in this case, reopening) of any business, there are bumps along the way. &emsp;&emsp;"Funding took much longer than we anticipated; much of this had to do with COVID," Will says. &emsp;&emsp;They've also encountered underlying issues with heating and cooling, electricity, plumbing, etc., which need to be addressed to get everything up to par. &emsp;&emsp;Another hurdle is the licensing. &emsp;&emsp;"There is necessary documentation that the state of New Hampshire needs for us to continue through the process, and we are having difficulty obtaining it," Will says. &emsp;&emsp;So right now, the couple is doubling down to get it all worked out. &emsp;&emsp;The community has been overwhelmingly supportive. &emsp;&emsp;"We have received lots of congratulatory responses, kindness and most importantly, patience," Will says. &emsp;&emsp;For both he and Megan, the most rewarding part will be actually throwing open the doors, which they hope to do late spring. &emsp;&emsp;"We moved to Sullivan for myriad reasons, but one important reason in purchasing our property was so we could be part of a small, vibrant and hardworking community and continue to serve as an asset," Megan says. &emsp;&emsp;The pair look forward to laying down roots and starting a family of their own, which Megan says absolutely plays into the kind of business presence they want to have in the community. &emsp;&emsp;They've been eager to hear what people would most like to see, and overwhelmingly, the response has been: "Run it as the Sullivan Country Store," which was a community staple run by John Little alongside his mother for years. &emsp;&emsp;The Herchers intend to honor the landmark's role by carrying necessities for both locals and Route 9 travelers, as well as being responsive to the community's ongoing needs. They welcome ideas and questions via email at sullivancountrystore@gmail.com. &emsp;&emsp;"This new adventure of ours comes with responsibility that we feel fortunate to take on, and it will continue to be a learning lesson each day," Megan says. Caroline Tremblay writes from Richmond, New Hampshire.