Amy Klippenstein

office manager, sales and marketing, Sour Cream and Butter Enthusiast

Amy had a crazy dream one night that she was a dairy farmer – how funny! Last she knew she was vegetable farmer who loved growing greenhouse tomatoes and salad greens. Now, in between coordinating the main office, making sure customers get the yogurt they need, and helping Paul fix things, she is sneaks home to practice qi gong in the garden, and tend to the tomatoes and winter greens in her greenhouse.

Paul Lacinski

Head Yogurt Consumer, production manager, Source of All the Trouble

This was all Paul’s idea – him and his four-quart-a-week yogurt habit. In between fixing things, managing the yogurt production, vision planning the future of Sidehill Farm, and fixing more things, Paul dreams of growing figs and red wine grapes in greenhouses here in western Mass. He’d also to breed a cow that goes on vacation in the summer so he could paddle the entire length of the Northern Forest Canoe Trail in his beloved Jensen canoe.

Lauren Hartman

yogurt maker and Head machine operator, crocheter of octopuses

Mom to Dakota, age 7 months, as well as 6 huskies, some ferrets, sugar gliders, and other various fur people, you’d think Lauren would have her hands full at home. But no! She also crochets elaborate hats - and we’re not talking doilies here folks, we’re talking life sized octopuses you wear on your head, no joke - and tie dyes amazing designs. Leaving a trail of smiley faces, Lauren shows up every day with a smile on her own face and a laugh to share with the whole crew. She is our fearless wrench-slinging, filling machine whisperer and positivity source.

Shahid Jalil

Yogurt maker and production lead, believer in eating dessert first

Shahid grew up spending time gardening and cooking with his mother and sister, and has been making his own yogurt since he was a child. Now, after ten years “on vacation” as a white water raft guide, snowboard instructor, mountain biker, and runner, Sha is back making yogurt, although on a much larger scale than he ever imagined during those days in the kitchen with his family! On his days off, Shahid continues all of his outdoor adventures, only now with 9 year old Josephine and 4 yr old Haris riding shotgun on the stand-up paddleboard. You can’t miss Sha when you come to visit – he’s the one with the extraordinary collection of colorful knee socks, and the laugh you can hear all over the farm.

Dennis Patterson

Delivery Driver, part-time buddha

As the former owner of the Bird’s Nest Bed and Breakfast, Dennis knows how to do everything - include frying onion rings for a crowd when duty calls, and driving the SideHill delivery truck all over western Mass. The only guy we know who can wear a Hawaiian shirt with plaid shorts and not cause fashion chaos, Dennis arrives each morning armed with wry humor, the ability to leap annoying nonsense in a single bound, and the certainty that the human race will no doubt entertain him again today.

Julie Martin

Yogurt maker and Cleanup specialist

Julie spent much of her adult life on her dairy farm, milking cows and making sure the milk was top quality. Her farm won many milk quality awards, so she knows a thing or two about keeping dairy equipment clean! She recently moved to the area to be with her daughter and soon-to-be grandchild. In her spare time, she builds little stuff - like a house for herself - and farmsits for other people’s farms, now that she no longer has one of her own.

Rick Sandstrom

yogurt maker

After a long career of avalanche ski patrol and climbing wind towers, Rick has hung up the skis and climbing harness and joined our yogurt making team as the guy who gets up earlier than anyone else, and gets the yogurt started. Those of us who like to sleep in a little are eternally grateful for that! Rick spends his weekends sailing with his wife Brenda on the Harriman Reservoir in Vermont - just to keep the adrenaline level a little closer to where it has been for most of his life!

Cole Skibik

professional boxer

Professional boxer of yogurt, that is… Aside from his impressive skills in the yogurt boxing ring, Cole is sous-chef at a highly regarded local restaurant, and entices us with tales of delicious things he cooks at work and at home. We hear he makes a mean Chicken Alfredo! He’s dad to best buddy 7 year old Jackson, drives a much cooler car than the rest of us, and when he gets the chance, a sneaks away to be a fisherman, hunter, and skier.

Dave Nelson

everything and anything

Dave is actually famous - he’s the drummer in the much-loved local band Swing Caravan! It makes the rest of us feel famous too, just to be around Dave. But you would never know he’s famous - we’re pretty sure he’s the nicest, most humble guy in the world. Dave makes his mark on the world not just on the jazz stage - he’s mentored a couple of generations of young drummers as their favorite teacher, and he builds amazing stone walls and patios. Dave used to drive our tractor trailer back when we farmed, and even though we owe him a few pairs of underwear for some unnecessary excitement in that rig, he is still willing to drive the delivery truck when Dennis is on vacation, box yogurt, jump in on yogurt making, and drive to all our partner farms to pick up milk whenever the need arises.