Polk County
Living
Polk County Itemizer-Observer • June 1, 2016 7A
Photo courtesy of Laurie Carlson
Laurie Carlson sorts through a pile of fiber from her goats. Before raising goats for wool, Carlson created award-winning goat cheeses at Fairview Farms.
DOING IT RIGHT
Carlson goes from dairy to fiber goat farmer to writer on the Oregon Coast
By Jennifer Halley
The Itemizer-Observer
DALLAS — “If you’re
gonna do something, do it
right.” Words that Laurie
Carlson lives by.
And if it that isn’t evident
in the pages of her newly
published children’s book,
“Knit, Hook and Spin: A
Kid’s Activity Guide to Fiber
Arts and Crafts,” then it
speaks loudly throughout
her daily life.
With a degree in anthro-
pology, and a PhD in histo-
ry, Carlson’s thirst for
knowledge is vast.
“I love to learn new
things,” Carlson said.
“That’s what it’s all about.
It’s fun to learn all there is
about a new topic.”
On top of being a doll
artist, a self-taught wool
spinner, and a goat dairy
farmer, Carlson has also had
a career as a history teacher,
both at Washington State
University, and Western
Oregon University, as well
as time spent teaching
kindergarten and elemen-
tary school.
If that isn’t enough, she
has also published 21
books, most of them chil-
dren’s activities books, some
of which outline historical
figures such as Harry Hou-
dini and Thomas Edison,
using crafts and magic
tricks to help children have
fun while learning new
skills.
She began her writing ca-
reer as a freelance writer, in-
terviewing doll artists for
different magazines.
When she decided to ac-
tually sit down and write a
Laurie Carlson’s latest book, “Knit, Hook, and Spin,”
leads readers through crafts involving fiber.
Photo courtesy of Laurie Carlson
Laurie Carlson turned her garage from a creamery into a yarn shop. Because of family
events, Carlson and her husband sold the Dallas goat farm and moved to the coast.
book, Carlson said she
didn’t know anyone in the
publishing field, nor did she
have any sort of writing
training.
“I just sat down and fig-
ured out what publishers
want,” she said.
That, she says, is the key
to success.
And successful she was,
as her first book, titled,
“Kids Create,” sold more
than 1 million copies.
“It was a good way to get
started,” she added.
Carlson’s writing career
helped finance her and her
husband’s dream of owning
a farm.
After a harsh winter
killed off many of their 300
laying hens they used for
selling eggs, Carlson and
Terry moved from Spokane
down to the Willamette Val-
ley, settling in Dallas, both
favoring the warmer weath-
er.
A berry farm was what
Carlson and Terry were after
originally, she said, but
eventually, “we got goats
and fell in love with them.
You get one and you just
want more.”
It took two years to get
the farm built up and li-
censed, and they ran it to-
gether for six years.
This was another area
Carlson was successful in.
According to her, they
had prize-winning stock,
prize-winning cheeses, and
delivered their animal prod-
ucts, such as wool, any-
where between Portland
and Eugene.
As someone with a self-
proclaimed short attention
span, Carlson said she de-
cided the farm was not
enough.
Their garage on the farm,
which had previously been
a creamery where they sold
ice cream and cheese, even-
tually became a yarn shop,
called Fairview Farm Yarn
Shop.
Carlson ran the shop on
top of managing the farm,
writing her books, and ever-
pursuing various topics of
knowledge.
“We like to stay busy,” she
said with a laugh.
They have since convert-
ed the store back into their
garage.
But despite their happy,
busy life, she and Terry
are no strangers to adver-
sity.
They have two sons, one
of whom lives in Spokane
and is doing well, according
to Carlson.
Their other son, however,
became mentally ill while in
the military and is currently
living in Portland in a shel-
ter.
Carlson says he calls her
often, but dealing with a
son who is sick has been a
huge strain on their lives.
Carlson and Terry took in
their grandson and raised
him; he is 18 now and will
graduate high school in
June.
“Our life was like a bal-
loon,” Carlson said, “and all
the air went out of it when
he got sick. But, everyone
has hardships.”
Though it is clear those
hardships do not stop
her.
After selling the farm in
the spring — it became too
much work for her and her
husband to handle — they
moved to Lincoln City,
where they bought a fixer-
upper house and have been
there ever since, working on
their home and staying as
busy as can be.
“It’s fun to be near the
ocean. Life’s never been
such a great adventure; how
do you top it?” she asked.
“With the Pacific Ocean.”
What’s next on the list for
Laurie Carlson?
Writing a book on kites or
rocks, she said, smiling.
Whatever it is Carlson de-
cides to do, it will not be
without fervor or passion,
just like with everything else
she has done.
Photo courtesy of Laurie Carlson
Photo courtesy of Laurie Carlson
Laurie Carlson raised goats in Dallas for dairy and wool. She has worked as a teacher
and writes books aimed at children. Now she lives on the coast.
The yarn shop at Fairview Farms offered an array of colors for crafting enthusiasts, as
well as some finished products and other tools to help with sorting fibers.