St. Mary's on-the-Hill
Ora et Labora

The Sisters of St. Mary live a contemplative expression of the monastic life, grounded in the Benedictine principle of ora et labora  -- prayer and work. This principle balances prayer and study with manual labor. Simple handwork of varying forms provide a contemplative outlet for prayer and meditation and are an integral part of their offering of worship and service to God.

Since moving to the rural community of Easton/Greenwich in 2003, the Sisters' manual labor has found an outlet in agriculture, providing a common ground for involvement in the local community. The Sisters seek to exercise sustainable stewardship of the land and resources entrusted to them. They raise a portion of their food in their gardens and their farm produces regionally-acclaimed North American Cashmere goats. Sisters work with wool and other fiber and embrace other art media as an expression of their love of God. They have developed a ministry which draws all these components in a ministry with youth which touches young people locally and regionally.

Sister Mary Elizabeth showing off a young cashmere goat to a visitor at the Washington County Fair

The Farm's Beginnings 
Peekskill, Africa and More...

In 1998 the Sisters of St. Mary were approached by the Rt. Rev'd Jackson Biggers, a CSM Associate and Bishop of the newly formed Diocese of Northern Malawi, with the request to train young women to found a new Anglican religious Order in south central Africa.  Among the life skills which the Sisters were asked to impart was goat dairy husbandry...

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Cashmere Goats
& Great Pyrenees Dogs

The Sisters of St. Mary began raising cashmere goats in 2004, shortly after moving to their new home on 100+ acres in Easton (Greenwich postal address), New York.  Their goats have included five Grand Champion does and two Grand Champion bucks, awarded at the annual New England Cashmere Goat Association Show in Tunbridge, Vermont.

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Cashmere Kids 4-H
​& Youth Outreach

One of the ways that the Sisters of St. Mary engage the local community is through programs for youth using goats.  This outreach has grown over the years from occasional "goat walks" with guests or children from the Beaver Cross Camps to sponsoring a year-round regional 4-H club and intensive summer programs with youth leasing goats as a 4-H project.