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9/21/15 - NEW this year! We have a fantastic new event called "Shepherds Talk Fiber" - a scheduled list of talks about breeds focusing on their fiber. Our presenters have been asked to provide a 5 min intro of their breed, highlighting its fiber & Breed Association information. What is the breed standard for the showcased breed, color, micron, special characteristics, historical and/or current uses?
Any special care and handling of the sheep to produce great fiber (Breeding choices, nutrition, stress, coating, controlling vegetable matter, effects of lambing or age)
15 Minute Presentation or Demo
This can be spinning and talking about various ways to spin the breed for different results, OR
Recommendations on how to have it commercially prepared (what spin or ply or weight of yarn best highlight your breed’s characteristics etc.)
OR
Talk and/or demonstrate felting, or weaving or any other ‘best use’ for the breed’s fiber and what makes it special,
OR
You might see them could skirt a fleece, or do just about anything they want to get you excited about their breed’s fiber (why they love it?)
5 Min Question and answer.
Show up on time to learn about breeds that would work for your new flock (hint hint), or types of fiber you may never have worked with before. Enjoy! Add the talks to your Sched so you get reminders and can plan your festival experience.

Our 2015 Schedule is evolving. Please check back to see additions and create a Sched account to start your own custom festival schedule and plan your time wisely. Share events with friends and family via Facebook and Twitter to rally them to plan the day together. Accommodations around the Hudson Valley are booking up, so if you haven’t done it, get on that ASAP. This is just the schedule - see our official website www.sheepandwool.com to volunteer and see more pics.
avatar for Erin Bradt

Erin Bradt

Helder~Herdwyck Farm
Vendor, Exhibitor
Albany, New York Area
Websitehttps://helderherdwyckfarm.com/index.html
We are a Holistically and sustainably managed small family farm, raising and breeding up the rare Herdwick Sheep. We are a pasture based farm selling meats and our Self-raised unique Herdwick fiber as raw fleece, roving, corespun, pindraft & yarns, as well as sheepskins (pelts, hides). Our sheep were once raised by Beatrix Potter! We will be showing our sheep again in the Black and White Sheep show this year - the 3rd time Herdwick bred sheep have ever been shown in the U.S. Ours! Come see the newest results of our program and our ewenique sheep and learn about their wool. Containing 4 separate fibers, and keeping these sheep warm through winters at upwards of 3,000ft. The fiber is excellent for felting, weaving, knitting or crochet. Strong enough for floor applications and cozy enough for the warmest wool outerwear, and even used as household insulation in the U.K.! Naturally colored from black to silver blue to nearly white. We also offer knitting, crochet and rug making tools and supplies, Oxford Punch Needles and a variety of books and other fiber arts tools. We feature James Rebanks, @herdyshepherd1, world famous Herdwick Shepherd's books "The Shepherd's Life" and "The Shepherd's View"! You used to know us as The Wren's Nest.