• Updates from our global Affiliate Networks and lots more!
C4 Cotton Tour
Participants visited farms in the San Joaquin Valley to learn more about Climate Beneficial™ practices.
photograph by Paige Green
FEATURED IMAGE
Fibershed is a non-profit organization that develops regional fiber systems that build ecosystem and community health. Our work expands opportunities to implement climate benefiting agriculture, rebuild regional manufacturing, and connect end-users to the source of our fiber through education. We transform the economic systems behind the production of material culture to mitigate climate change, improve health, and contribute to racial and economic equity.
Allison Reilly, Producer Coordinator and Shepherd
Cecilio Trinidad, Land Steward
Heather Podoll, Partnership and Advocacy Coordinator
Lexi Fujii, Producer and A liate Network Coordinator
Marilu Rivera, Land Steward
Mary Kate Randolph, Climate Beneficial™ Program Analyst
We’re pleased to bring you the second installment of our newly reimagined Fibershed Newsletter.
As days lengthen and bloom cycles begin their annual refrain, our hearts are uplifted with the rebirth stemming from the lands that we are responsible to, and yet this vitality is contrasted by our sadness for the unconscionable imperialistic violence we see occurring daily in our world.
Fibershed has always centered its work within the complexity, opportunity, grace, and indefatigable commitment to placemaking. This includes organizing ourselves locally to take responsibility for our material culture at a regional scale, (as much as can occur within the carrying capacity of our ecology). We work to quantifiably diminish the pressure, extraction, and destabilization that occurs due to our society’s opaque consumption. And in this way, we are ever humbly finding that nexus between beautiful local economies that contribute to global peace.
Thank you for working with us and contributing to this movement. Your steadfast support continues to be the driving force behind our mission. We are happy to bring you updates from the Fibershed Community, brought together in The Yarn.
Contents
4Fibershed News
5Fibershed Learning Center
6Environment
7Economy
9Advocacy + Education
13Producer Network Community
16Producer Voices
18Producer Stories
21 Affiliate Network Community
25 The Yarn Gallery
26Classifieds
Fibershed News
We’ve hired two new members to the Fibershed Team!
Rachel works with apparel and textile brands to develop innovative sourcing relationships with Climate Beneficial™ fiber farmers. In her role at Fibershed, she collaborates with brands and farmers to successfully communicate the value and impact of Climate Beneficial™ to consumers and stakeholders. Rachel brings extensive experience working with brands across apparel, food, and cosmetics industries to develop strategies for improving businesses’ social and environmental impact in agricultural sourcing systems. After spending ten years as a regenerative farmer and educator, she transitioned to working with companies to transform industry impact through new sourcing and supply solutions. Rachel believes farmers and businesses can collaborate to create market solutions for investing in socially and environmentally just and regenerative fiber systems.
Mary Kate Randolph
Climate Beneficial™ Program Analyst
Mary Kate supports the development of the Climate Beneficial™ Verification program as Fibershed’s Climate Beneficial™ Program Analyst, helping to accelerate the program’s impact. She has worked with B2B sustainable apparel organizations over the years, collaborating with brands and retailers to bring private label programs to market, managing the process from farm-to-finished product. Growing up in the Hudson Valley NY, inspired by local makers and producers, Mary Kate experienced first hand the power of community and knowing the source of where/ how products are made. These roots have continued to fuel her passion for sustainability and regeneration—to help scale climate strategy and solutions that create long term holistic impact for the textile industry and beyond.
Rachel Kastner, Mary Kate Randolph, and Siena Shepherd (Climate Beneficial™ Program Director, featured in The Yarn, 2023) have joined the Fibershed team to support our Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities grant, funded by the USDA. Read more about the grant below, and read more about the Climate Beneficial™ Verification Program on page 6.
Current Grant Opportunities
Fibershed Healthy Soils Program Block Grant
Fibershed’s Healthy Soils Program Block Grant seeks to provide free technical assistance and financial resources to farmers and ranchers interesting in adopting climate-beneficial agricultural management practices in eight counties: Merced, Kings, Fresno, Humboldt, Modoc, Mendocino, San Luis Obispo, and Solano counties.
Fibershed’s HSP Block Grant is dedicated to supporting these farms and producers in implementing conservation management practices that build soil health, sequester carbon, and improve biodiversity. Applications for projects will be scored based on the following criteria:
1.Fiber producer of cotton or wool and Fibershed producers
2.The Program will allocate at least 25% of technical assistance funding to support Socially Disadvantaged Farmers and Ranchers (SDFR), defined by California’s 2017 Farmer Equity Act. The covered groups include the following: African Americans, Native Americans, Alaskan Natives, Hispanics, Asian Americans, and Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders.
3.Additional projects will be approved on a first-come, first-served basis
Approximately 30 on-farm projects will be selected during the 4-year lifetime of this grant. Projects will be awarded until funds have been exhausted. If you are interested in participating in the Fibershed Healthy Soils Program, please fill out the Prescreen Form. We can o er help with completing and submitting your application, and if approved, we are here to guide you through implementing your farming practices over the three-year award period as well as preparing reporting documentation for your project.
The Climate Beneficial™ Fiber Partnership is working with wool, alpaca and cotton growers in nine primary states to accelerate adoption of conservation agriculture practices that benefit the climate, strengthen on-farm resilience, and build regional fiber systems. The partnership team will provide enrolled producers with technical assistance and $18 million in direct incentive payments to write and implement whole-farm Carbon Farm Plans on fiber producing landscapes. Producers are then welcomed into Fibershed’s Climate Beneficial™ Verified program network and connected with designers and markets that value ecosystem services.
This project has been made possible through USDA’s ground-breaking Partnership for Climate-Smart Commodities Grant. The Climate Beneficial™ Fiber Partnership team consists of six partner organizations: Carbon Cycle Institute, Colorado State University, Fibershed, National Center for Appropriate Technology, New York Textile Lab, and Seed2Shirt. Additional Partnerships projects can be found on USDA’s project dashboard.
Please fill out our interest form below to be added to our email list: fiberpartnership.ncat.org/for-producers-2
Fibershed Learning Center
Spotlight on Land Stewardship and Education at the Fibershed Learning Center
At the Fibershed Learning Center in Point Reyes Station, California, we provide leadership on critical issues pertaining to the cultural and ecological value of natural fiber systems.
In 2023 at the Learning Center, we sowed and planted more than 22,500 native plugs and directly seeded native flora yielding over 15,000 annual plants of diverse wildflower and meadow species. Native perennial grasses and other plants are quickly filling in the meadow and riparian restoration areas.
So far in 2024, we’ve added approximately 120 pounds of textile factory scraps to our textile compost demonstration piles, using untreated organic cotton fabric from local textile company Harvest & Mill. Without any regional textile recycling options, our textile composting provides a healthy solution for their production scraps. It also gives us the chance to show visitors at the Learning Center how quickly cotton products can return to healthy soil in compost.
We’ve hosted 3993 students in educational programs at the Learning Center since we opened in 2020. This year, we hosted education and cultural organizations at the Learning Center for land stewardship, fiber, and natural dye demonstrations, including the Marin Agricultural Land Trust (MALT), Santa Rosa Junior College Department of Fashion Studies, and the Marin County 4H Program.
We’ve hosting workshops with incredible instructors at the Learning Center this spring and summer covering herbalism, natural dyes, and weaving.
Learn more about our work in and around the Fibershed Learning Center: fibershed.org/programs/education-advocacy/learningcenter
Support our work at the Learning Center by becoming a Supporter. Donations are tax deductible and 100% of funds benefit the Fibershed Learning Center, in Point Reyes Station, California. fibershed.org/learning-center-supporter-program
Black Mountain Ranch
Fibershed is located on Black Mountain Ranch on the ancestral and traditional unceded lands of the Coast Miwok people.
As an homage to its historical use as a large-scale sheep ranch, Black Mountain Ranch maintains a small mixed flock of Jacob and Navajo Churro sheep as well as six alpacas. The flock rotationally grazes a dedicated 20 acres of hillside with the goal of perennial grass restoration and maintenance. They also graze smaller areas of the ranch as needed to cut down on fire fuel load and reduce the need for mechanical brush clearing. The grazing work and animals serve as an educational demonstration for those visiting the property. The animals also provide high quality fiber to be processed into yarn. This yarn will be used to create artisan products and be an example of a soil-to-skin closed loop garment cycle.
Environment
Partnering for Progress
Fibershed’s Climate Beneficial™ program continues to support local farmers and ranchers in implementing practices that accelerate carbon drawdown and increase biodiversity while building markets around the natural fibers they produce. In the second half of 2023, Fibershed partnered with five other regional organizations to extend these opportunities throughout nine primary states in the United States via a USDA Climate-Smart Commodities (CSC) Grant—Climate Beneficial™ Fiber Partnership.
As of March 2024, Fibershed has enrolled 24,000 acres of integrated food and fiber cropland and 26,000 of rangeland into the Climate Beneficial™ Fiber Partnership, about halfway towards the California targets we are responsible for. We aim to enroll farmers and ranchers in the San Joaquin Valley stewarding 53,000 acres of food and fiber croplands, and 45,000 acres of land that support wool production.
As part of the USDA CSC Grant, Fibershed is also bolstering our Climate Beneficial™ framework for monitoring, measurement, reporting, and verification (MMRV) to include a more holistic set of criteria and outcomes for participating producers. Many of the land stewardship practices implemented by producers in our Climate Beneficial™ Program bring various benefits to the land beyond soil carbon drawdown, so we are refining the CB™ verification framework to reflect that. While the framework is still in development, it will likely include outcomes criteria for hydrologic function (ex. water consumption, water pollution, and soil water cycling), and terrestrial ecosystems (ex. habitat preservation and biodiversity), in addition to soil health and carbon drawdown metrics that we have already been tracking.
Learn more about our USDA Climate-Smart Commodities Grant and the Climate Beneficial™ Fiber Partnership at fiberpartnership.ncat.org
How
do we
stimulate a climate-friendly, life-promoting textile economy?
Healthy soil supports our world—it is the basis (literally and figuratively) on which life and civilization rest. The future of our world is ensured when we prioritize agricultural practices that build soil, instead of those that deplete soil and create commodities in surplus.
Like food, fiber crops are part of an interconnected agricultural system that impacts health, social justice, and the environment. These familiar yet often overlooked agricultural products include plantbased fibers like cotton, hemp, and flax and animalbased products like wool, alpaca, and leather.
The Fibershed community of land stewards implement land management practices that build soil carbon and increase productivity naturally.
Climate Beneficial™ Agriculture
Economy Developing Markets for Climate Beneficial™ Fiber
Fibershed is taking the lead in developing large-scale markets for Climate Beneficial Verified Cotton and Wool. This initiative is supported by the USDA Climate Smart Commodity grant, awarded to Fibershed and our partners in the Climate Beneficial™ Fiber Partnership. To support Climate Beneficial™ fiber production across landscapes and drive systemic change in textile systems, it is essential to cultivate market partnerships that recognize and value Climate Beneficial™ fiber production.
Developing markets for Climate Beneficial™ fibers diverge significantly from the conventional model. This new approach is founded on just, transparent, and direct sourcing relationships that invest in the transition to Climate Beneficial™ agriculture in close collaboration with producers. It requires innovative cooperation between growers, supply systems, and brands. To foster this market development, Fibershed focuses on three key strategies:
1. Building direct sourcing partnerships between brands and farmers
2. Implementing Climate Beneficial™ Verification that enables markets to recognize on-farm outcomes and benefits
3. Supporting systems transformation and industry collaboration through the Climate Beneficial™ Coalition.
The cornerstone of this work is establishing enduring relationships between producers and brands, ensuring ongoing commitment to both the producers and the health of their landscapes. Fibershed collaborates with brands to educate their teams on the benefits of Climate Beneficial™ agriculture and the requirements for farmers to transition to new practices. Brands learn how their participation is crucial in driving agricultural transitions and how investing in Climate Beneficial™ initiatives can revolutionize their impact on the environment and producer communities.
Over the past four years, Fibershed has partnered with brands such as Carhartt, Reformation, Coyuchi, and Outerknown to build direct sourcing relationships with cotton producers in California who have adopted Climate Beneficial™ farming practices. On Earth Day last month, Carhartt launched its “Thank a Farmer T-shirt,” made with Climate Beneficial™ cotton sourced from farmers with whom Carhartt has built personal relationships and visited their farms.
Fibershed’s Climate Beneficial™ Verification and product label are critical market tools, enabling farms to communicate the full benefits of Climate Beneficial™ production. This allows brands to report on sustainability impacts, make authentic claims, and narrate the complete story of the fiber from seed to shirt. Evolving textile systems and fostering industry collaboration are also vital for market development. Fibershed’s Climate Beneficial™ Coalition unites producers, brands, farms, merchants, manufacturers, and verifiers to transform the systems necessary for sourcing fiber directly from the farm. Together, we work on targeted research and development projects, convening, and education to unlock essential systemic transformations.
Our market development programs aim to revolutionize traditional supply systems, creating lasting partnerships that enable seed-to-shirt sourcing at scale.
Contact the Climate Beneficial™ team for more information on sourcing Climate Beneficial™ Cotton and Wool at scale and joining the Climate Beneficial™ Coalition. ClimateBeneficial@fibershed.org
Economy
Developing Skills to Support Stronger Regional Economies
by STEPHANY WILKES photographed by PAIGE GREEN with additional photos by MOLLY PRENZTEL and RIZPAH BELLARD
In April 2024, 45 students completed shearing schools o ered by the University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE) of Mendocino County and the UC Hopland Research & Extension Center (HREC), and supported by Fibershed through scholarships and equity pricing. Students came to Mendocino County, California from as far as Maine, Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, and Michigan, and learned to shear either the resident flock at Hopland or the ewes of Kaos Sheep Outfit, which provides sustainable target grazing services for vineyards, orchards and more throughout Northern California.
Both schools covered why sheep need to be sheared—for their basic health and wellbeing—and numerous techniques to keep sheep and shearers injury-free. Students learned the fundamentals of humane, e cient shearing, including lowstress stockmanship methods, fasting and overnight preparation for sheep safety and longevity, and the nuances of proper equipment selection and set-up of machine, handpiece, comb and cutter. Grinding and sharpening of gear and stretching exercises and body awareness work were also part of each day of instruction.
Cedar Jo completed the Washington State Shearing School in 2023 and received a Fibershed scholarship to attend the 2024 UCCE school at Pluth Ranch. Cedar appreciated the scholarship and said: “The support meant I could worry less about my expenses and focus on the experience. As a farmer, fiber artist, and now sheep shearer, I am proud to say I know now what it takes to make a garment from the ground up. I am hopeful that we are experiencing a movement towards sustainable farming and textiles. But it starts with supporting those of us who are trying to make a living with these “old-school” practices. As long as we have sheep, we will need sheep shearers, and it means everything to me to be able to learn these age-old skills and keep these practices alive. Thank you, Fibershed community, for making it possible!”
Saill White, of Sonoma County, California, attended the Technique Refinement course after completing the HREC school in 2023. In the past year, Saill sheared about 50 sheep. She said, “During that year I gained a bit of skill, but I still had SO many places that my mind and body froze up, often from the fear of cutting the
sheep, often from the need to problem-solve a particularly feisty sheep, or one with a new wool texture or a di erently shaped body. During that time, I wished I had an instructor at hand, to talk me through the places I was stuck. When I heard that Hopland was o ering a shearing technique refinement class I jumped at the opportunity. I left the class with immensely more confidence and competence than before.”
The Fibershed community thanks all of the shearing instructors, Kaos Sheep Outfit, and the Pluth family for making these schools possible.
Advocacy + Education
Advocacy through Education
In 2023, harnessing the power of social media, Fibershed developed a popular series on Instagram and other platforms that shared facts and provocations about microplastics and clothing in order to uplift microplastic fibers in the awareness of mainstream audiences.
We saw tremendous engagement on this series: views, likes, shares, and comments. This campaign increased our following, which allows Fibershed to have an even more impactful voice on future social media campaigns.
Read the whole article, published tk, on the Fibershed blog: bit.ly/microplastic-campaign.Read more about this education and advocacy campaign in the Fibershed 2023 Annual Report: fibershed.org/annual-report/
Advocacy + Education
Post-Fossil Fuel Fashion: Q&A with George Harding-Rolls, Global Policy Researcher and Advocacy Campaigner
George Harding-Rolls has spent his career advocating for policies and legislation that hold companies accountable for their environmental and social impacts, particularly in the fashion industry. In this interview, George shares how consumers and brands can work together to build a fashion system that aligns with our ecological realities and benefits everyone involved.
What is your vision for a healthier textile and fashion system?
A healthy textile system is a post-fossil fuel textile system and is localized by design. This is crucial not only due to the environmental toll of fossil fuels but also because it addresses both material composition and supply chain emissions. It is a system that is anchored in the bioeconomy—an economic system that stays within our biological limits.
I think a healthier system must consider three critical elements: supply chains, materials, and the very business model. Shifting away from fossil fuels necessitates a proactive overhaul of the fashion system, curbing overproduction. The current production levels are unsustainable and incompatible with a transition to natural fibers, posing a significant challenge. Limited arable land and insu cient regenerative fiber-producing systems underscore the need for a balanced approach.
In embracing this transformation, we not only contribute to environmental wellbeing but also foster a healthier and sustainable future for the fashion industry. It requires a collective shift towards mindful consumption, emphasizing quality over quantity, and redefining the very essence of the industry’s business model.
Your work focuses on the systemic changes necessary to improve the fashion industry’s harmful social and environmental impacts. What role can legislation and regulation play in fostering systems change in fashion?
Legislation is the key to unlocking systemic change in the fashion industry. When we look at what has perpetuated the issues embedded in the fashion industry over the last several decades, we can see that the rules of the game have changed. And rules are just another word for laws.
Luckily, we are now at a stage where we are seeing more progress. We also know we can’t leave it to the market because if you leave it to capitalism, you get fast and punchy solutions, but they don’t last. True solutions must be codified.
Without policy changes, the sustainability landscape remains unstable, susceptible to the whims of individual companies. Instances of greenwashing, where companies make ambitious promises but retract under scrutiny, highlight the market’s limited ability to self-regulate. To counteract this, legislative changes are imperative to establish a firm framework, holding companies accountable and preventing the misuse of sustainability commitments.
Read the whole interview, published March 14, 2024, on the Fibershed blog: bit.ly/harding-rolls-fibershed
Investing in a Regenerative Future: A Conversation with Sacred Futures’ Charity May
Charity May is a visionary investment leader at the forefront of redefining capital’s role to shape a more inclusive and resilient economy. As the Founder and Principal of Sacred Futures, Charity has experience in real estate private equity and investment banking. Fibershed was excited to talk to Charity about her e orts to nurture investments for collaborative transformations in fiber and textile systems.
Could you share your vision for an ideal fiber system future?
My ideal fiber system future is deeply interconnected, rooted in ecological and historical contexts. From soil to seed to design and production, every step should be expressive, allowing us to tell human stories that connect us to the process. Waste doesn’t exist, and there’s a focus on renewal and restoration, requiring capital as a catalyst. It also involves reimagining our relationships with the land and each other. In my opinion, that is how we pursue equity.
Where is capital most needed right now in fiber and textile systems?
There are two very distinct areas where we need as much capital as possible. First, there’s a pressing need to support our land stewards and farmers. In the United States, many fibers are grown conventionally, neglecting soil restoration and climate-friendly practices. Transitioning to sustainable methods requires substantial financial resources and respect for time, emphasizing the need for patient capital to facilitate this transition. Additionally, creating demand in the market for these regenerative products is vital.
Second, once products reach the market, there’s a significant need for hard asset infrastructure like processing facilities and mills. Much of this infrastructure either isn’t operational or is lacking in the U.S. context. Capital investment can address this gap by fostering bio-regionalism and enhancing resilience within local regions. Investing in regional processing infrastructure is crucial and necessitates investment capital to revive textile production and manufacturing.
What advice would you give to other investors and organizations looking to support regenerative and equitable initiatives within the fiber and textile industry?
I would encourage a holistic approach. Take a moment to observe the textiles around you in your daily life—the clothes you wear, the cushions you sit on. Consider their origins, how they were produced, and whether they align with your values and health needs. Every individual, from investors to brands and designers, has a role to play in this collective e ort. Once you’ve done your research and understand the importance of regenerative practices, consider reaching out to initiatives like the Fibers Fund to invest your resources. Together, we can create a regenerative textile sector that aligns with our values and dreams.
Read the whole interview, published May 15, 2024, on the Fibershed blog: bit.ly/charity-may-fibershed
Photo: sarahshreves.com
Advocacy + Education
Four Pieces of Legislation to Watch
Fibershed has been watching four pieces of current legislation that are likely to have a large impact on textile systems in California, nationally and internationally. We want to share information about the potential for these policies to a ect our Fibershed community and the natural fiber and textile systems we are working together to uplift.
1. The FABRIC Act: Fashioning Accountability and Building Real Institutional Change (U.S. Federal legislation)
In 2022, the Fashioning Accountability and Building Real Institutional Change (FABRIC) Act became the first federal bill aimed at protecting nearly 100,000 American garment workers from wage theft while incentivizing domestic apparel production.
The FABRIC Act has four main components:
•Ending “piece rates” as a base pay (the practice of paying workers per garment piece rather than hourly—a practice that has resulted in widespread wage theft or payment far below minimum wage across the industry)
•Promoting transparency via a nationwide garment industry registry
•Holding brands and retailers alongside manufacturers accountable for workplace wage violations
•Incentivizing domestic manufacturing through grant funding and tax credit programs
2. The Farm Bill (U.S. Federal legislation)
The Farm Bill is a landmark bill that has been shaping American agriculture and food systems since 1933. The Farm Bill has a roughly five-year timeline but impacts almost every American on a daily basis by influencing what kind of agricultural products are grown and how. The far-reaching bill encompasses food and nutrition assistance, farm income support, conservation initiatives, rural development, beginning farmer programs, and more.
3. Extended Producer Responsibility and Textile Recovery Legislation (feat. California bill SB 707, Newman)
Mounting textile waste and overconsumption in the fashion industry disproportionately burdens under-resourced communities (particularly in the Global South). Many communities are su ering from the impacts of vast amounts of textile waste exported to ‘receiving countries’ without appropriate infrastructure or financial resources. Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) o ers a framework that can shift responsibility to textile producers to address the inequitable impacts of growing textile waste.
4. European Union (EU) Textile Policy
There is a wide-ranging set of new policies and laws currently being developed in the EU to address issues in the textile and fashion industry and to directly counter the growth of ‘fast fashion’. As these policies are refined and adopted over the next several years, they have the potential to shape industry practice and textile policy across the globe.
Priorities included in the EU Textile Strategy are textile waste recovery, regulation of eco-labels in an attempt to combat greenwashing, and banning destruction of unsold goods. Some of the specific pieces of legislation that are being updated or drafted include: Waste Framework Directive, Green Claims Directive, and Textile Labelling Regulation.
Read the full article, published November 2, 2023, on the Fibershed Blog: bit.ly/fiber-legislation
Advocacy + Education
Borrowed From the Soil: Final Exhibition
In March 2023, Fibershed invited designers in Northern and Central California to join our Borrowed from the Soil Design Challenge. Over the last 12 months, we have been inspired by the 30 designers in our region who explored how their design choices can embrace longevity, compostability, and respect for the soil while using local natural fibers grown on Climate Beneficial™ farms and ranches.
In March 2024, we featured the culmination of work by 13 designers in a curated 5-day Design Exhibition. Learn more about the featured designers and their work.
CSU, Sacramento, Fashion Students Feature Regional Textiles
Two Sac State Fashion students, Kayley Kirkaldie and Andrea Armstrong, completed research assistantships with faculty member Dr. Emily Oertling last summer to produce pieces for the Borrowed from the Soil Design Challenge. Both students worked with Rambouillet wool fabric from Lani’s Lana (Bare Ranch, Modoc County) that was woven at Huston Textile Co. in Sacramento County. Natural dyes sourced from Sacramento and Marin counties were used for color and surface design on the textiles. The garments are now on display in the Sac State Fashion Department, along with conference posters that both students presented on their research, design and construction process highlighting regionally sourced materials.
Inspired by the Borrowed from the Soil Design Exhibitions in 2023 and 2024, Sac State partners are exploring the possibility of an on-campus exhibition of regionally sourced and made textiles in 2025.
Producer Network
Updates from Fibershed Producer Network
Open Letter to Northern California Producers
Dear Fellow Producer Members,
Hello from the Fibershed Producer Governance Working Group! Despite some recent funding cuts, our Producer Program continues on! We know you’ve been waiting to hear from us and we thank you for your patience. Please read on to learn more, and how you can participate!
Here are the current o erings for Fibershed Producers still in e ect for 2024:
•Accepting/managing new producer members & renewals/dues
•Online directory
•New blog posts
•Product tags
•Laser-printed wood signs at an extra cost
•Learning Center classes, such as workshops
•Symposium marketplace and/or demos
•Social media spotlights and/or story-sharing
•Access to business development curriculum and other online educational resources
•Calendar of events on website and e-newsletters
•The Yarn in print newsletter—subscription, classifieds, producer updates
•Sharing items in Fibershed non-profit e-newsletters
•Climate Beneficial™ Verification Program
•Monthly email newsletter and updates for Northern California Producers
•2024–early 2025: Healthy Soils Grant Opportunities for Carbon Farm Practice Implementation
Previous o erings by the Fibershed nonprofit that are uncertain & funding-dependent for 2024 onward include:
•Soil sampling through the Climate Beneficial™ Program
•Carbon Farm Seed Fund (however, up to $200k funding is available for Carbon Farming practices through the CDFA Healthy Soils Program Block grant and a USDA Climate Smart Commodities grant)
•Carbon Farming Cohorts & Support for Community Grazing Projects
•Design challenges and/or fashion shows
2024
Cory Gunter Brown
Formerly The Moon, now Earth My Body, a designer member of Fibershed for over ten years who loves naturally dyeing Climate Beneficial™ wool and weaving tiny baskets from non-native plants.
Irma Rodriguez Mitton
Irma is the owner/operator of Fruition Farm & Fiber, dedicated to re-establishing fiber flax as an integral part of San Mateo County agriculture, and to creating a vibrant local economy based on natural fiber products. She is grateful for the mentorship of other Fibershed Producers When she’s not in the fields, Irma works on local and national programs for advancing climate resiliency, environmental justice, and economic empowerment through her sustainability consulting practice and non-profit organization.
Alexandria Vasquez
Design member of Fibershed and the founder of Herderin, a San Rafael based clothing studio focused on garments single-tailor made from regional textiles. Alix is currently working on a book, Clothing The Self, which addresses how the sustainable clothing movement requires understanding the social and emotional reasons people discard and/or cherish clothing over their lifespans. She lives in San Rafael with her son, Julien, and enjoys teaching at University of San Francisco as a Professor of Sociology and Design Studies.
•In-person marketplaces organized by the nonprofit (this does not include producer-led marketplaces such as Megan’s Temescal market or Helen and Elaine’s Spring Market)
•in-person producer meetups
Since 2013, the Fibershed Producer Program has been operated by Fibershed sta , with response to input and requests from members as the membership grew. In the fall of 2023, in response to recent funding cuts, as well as a desire for more direct representation by some of the members, the non-profit asked the membership if any individuals would like to lead a process to evaluate alternative governance structures that would better represent the producer members.
Regarding the formation of the Fibershed Producer Governance Working Group:
In response to this proposal and an online survey sent out by Fibershed via email to all producer members (if you did not receive this, it likely went to your spam or promo folder), a small group of us began to meet via Zoom. Although the online survey suggested a board-run design, this group of producers has become a Working Group, focusing on designing a way for the Producer Program to continue on in a producer-led model. No decisions have been made yet as to how the program will be run, or what the o erings may be. We are a temporary focus group, working with producer members to collectively create and propose a producer-led structure for the Northern California Producer Program to the non-profit in October 2024.
This is where you come in—we definitely need to hear from you to help us best design a proposed organizational structure that will suit our needs and desires. We hope you will join us for scheduled Zoom conversations that will be announced via email. Please check your spam or promotions folder regularly beginning in June, because messages sometimes go there and we want you to have access!
If you prefer to write to us about your thoughts on the producer program, we welcome your email or physical letter. Please send emails to fibershedworkinggroup@gmail.com or physical letters to Fruition Farm & Fiber, PO Box 864, Pescadero, CA 94060
Many Thanks,
The Fibershed Producer Governance Working Group
Jim Jensen
Jim is a land steward in west Marin for Audubon Canyon Ranch and manages a multigenerational sheep and cattle ranch in Tomales. As a fibershed producer seeking to improve opportunities within the US wool industry, Jim is passionate about supporting this network and collaborative stewardship, carbon farm planning/ implementation, and animal husbandry among producer members.
Marie Hoff
Having spent the past 10 years raising Ouessant cross sheep and operating the wool company Full Circle Wool, Marie has experience working in cooperatives and worked as Fibershed sta from 2016-2019. She has a background in meeting facilitation, and has been part of Fibershed since 2013. She enjoys short walks on the beach.
Craig Wilkinson
Craig has been a Northern California Fibershed member and producer for over ten years growing thousands of Japanese indigo plants from seed to seed, providing fresh indigo seed and seedlings to Fibershed producers, school garden programs and the local region. He is currently using his indigo to dye Fibershed wool and alpaca for wet and needle felted projects.
Producer Network
Welcome to our new Northern California Producer Network Members!
We want to welcome and highlight producers who have joined our Northern and Central California Producer community since the publication of the previous issue of this newsletter. As always, you can find information about local fiber, dyes, and skills within our community, alongside direct links to contact or support their enterprises, in our Producer Directory at fibershed.com/producer-directory
Grazing Dry Creek Yolo County
My flock of 40 Merino sheep graze in annual grasslands, vineyards, and orchards located on the west side of the Sacramento Valley in Yolo County. This provides fire and weed control as well as promoting pasture improvement, especially for ground nesting birds. As a spinner and weaver, I am also interested in selecting sheep that produce high quality fleeces for hand spinners. The sheep are coated to reduce the weed seed load in their wool and I have recently started to do some crossbreeding with colored Corriedale sheep for greater fleece variety. instagram.com/grazing_dry_creek
Lost Coast Spinnery, LLC Fernbridge
Lost Coast Spinnery, LLC o ers our handmade products and exceptional customer service to fiber producers, artisans, and shoppers. We’re a family business that firmly believes quality is not just found in the things you buy but is also in the life of the person who made them. We embrace the soilto-soil construct that supports small farmers and local producers that use compost and grazing management practices that increase carbon sinks thereby keeping livestock producers active participants in improving our health from the soil up to the very clothes we wear. From the farmer that raised the animals and plants that produce the fiber, the gatherers that find mushrooms, lichens, and wild plants for dye, to the designers, knitters, crocheters, weavers, and tailors that provide us with Americanmade products; we are proud to be part of that group by processing raw fleeces into value- added roving, batts, and yarn. We are thrilled to be part of the fiber community in Northern California.
edwardswoolworks.com
As of March 2024, we have 180+ Producer members in our original Northern California Fibershed. Allison Reilly, Black Mountain Ranch’s shepherd, is now Fibershed’s part-time Producer Coordinator to support essential Northern California producer communications.
Serpentine Syndicate Forks of Salmon
We are a small collective of shepherds and craftsfolk living in the Salmon Mountains. We raise goats for milk, fiber, packing, and meat. Our gardens and orchards are diversified with a variety of edibles, medicinals, and dye plants. We prioritize ecological stewardship and community subsistence as residents of the Klamath-Siskiyou bio-region.
Coastal Land & Livestock
Petaluma and Willits
In 2017, Paigelynn Trotter began o ering goat grazing services in collaboration with other livestock owners. Five years later, the business evolved into a family run outfit named Coastal Land and Livestock. Coastal migrates between Petaluma and Willits, CA with their herd of cashmere goats implementing adaptive grazing strategies based on the lands seasonal vegetation needs. Coastal collaborates with land and livestock owners to create symbiotic long lasting relationships.
Oak Run Sheep & Landcrafts was established by Rosie Wilson and her family on their 86-acre piece of land in Shasta County, California. Rosie has a degree in Environmental Science, as well as many years’ experience working on organic vegetable and medicinal herb farms, including the Herb Pharm Internship in Williams, Oregon. The landscape at 1600 feet on the foothills of Mt. Lassen is primarily blue oak woodland, and rotational sheep grazing on irrigated and open pasture is an opportunity to steward the land from an ecological perspective and also have a farm business. The climate is harsh: hot dry summers and relatively cold, wet winters. The Navajo-Churro sheep was North America’s first breed to be adapted to the harsh climate of the arid west, and thus Rosie chose this animal as one that can thrive on the farm. The knowledge and love Rosie has for growing plants and being in the woods is brought to her business by growing natural dye plants in the garden and sustainably wildcrafting dye plants and tanning bark with collection permits through the National Forests in northern California.
etsy.com/shop/oakrunlandcrafts
Oakland
This is a safe space for people interested in destruction as a part of the creative process, for people of color, children of diaspora, marginalized artists, people who don’t identify as artists, and those seeking to cultivate community around creation.
We promote the increase of access to the knowledge and resources associated with fiber, textile, and manual arts (sewing, looming, screenprinting, jewelry making), and seek to create a space that is both socially and materially sustainable. Specifically, the stewards of this space agree to actively try to reduce waste and harm in regards to land and lives. This is an anti-racist space actively interested in the process of decolonization, hoping to bring multiethnic groups of people and their artistic traditions/interests together to form multidisciplinary art that is healing, accessible, and thought provoking. The products of our labor are art that cultivates conversation, art that is shareable, and art that can transform.
This group began with a strong emphasis on trust building, discussion of needs & accessibility, capacity and restorative conflict resolution. The container of this space was constructed on a foundation of systems of care, accountability, and transformative justice with the intent of allowing this creative process to be an accessible form of healing and practical tool for building the world its inhabitants feel the need for. In these ways, may this space support modalities for individual and collective liberation.
instagram.com/sacredmakerartscollective
Bellweather Sonoma County
bellweather is located in the coastal hills of NW Sonoma County in Kashia Pomo territory, just above the thermal belt. We are focused on the interplay between fiber production and healthy relationship with fire, alternating between methods of animalhusbandry and fire-husbandry. Amidst the joys and chaos of tending land in these times, we host the School for Inclement Weather where we study the forms of knowing, sensing and laughing that emerge from climate collapse. We are especially committed to training local community members in prescribed fire and disaster preparedness. We’ve recently started growing our flock of CA Red and Shetland Sheep and look forward to continue learning with the Fibershed community!
Rockwood Ranch Woolens
Nicasio
Rockwood Ranch is located in Nicasio in Marin County. We raise Ouessant Sheep—a rare breed of sheep that is the smallest breed of sheep, weighing around 50 pounds full grown—and Shetland Sheep. Both are primitive northern short tail breeds and are hardy, easy keepers and produce lovely colored wool that is good for felting and spinning. The sheep are also raised to manage 80 acres of grassland and are rotationally grazed to add fertility to the soil and help sequester carbon.
Toluma Farms
Tomales
We raise dairy goats and fiber sheep on our 160 certified organic acres. We make cheese (tomales farmstead creamery) from the milk. We o er tours and cheesetasting and cheesemaking classes.
tolumafarms.org
Sacred Maker Arts Collective
Producer Voices
Hear from your fellow Northern California Producer Network Members. Want to share a project or an update? How about sharing a call to action, a resource, or a poetic musing? We’re ready for your submissions. Write to a liates@fibershed.org with the subject “Northern California Producer Voices.” We will fit submissions as we have space, and prioritize timely submissions.
In Memorium: Lorrie Duckworth
Lorri Duckworth was a woman with a mission.
That mission manifested as a wildly popular blueberry u-pick enjoyed by thousands each summer on her Sebastopol farm that a friend told her was harder to get tickets for than front row seats to The Rolling Stones. But for Duckworth, the blueberries were a bonus in a much bigger picture according to Craig Anderson, the executive director of external a airs at LandPaths who became friends with Duckworth through their shared love of the land in Sonoma County.
“This is one of those small family farmers, while she loved her produce and her blueberries, she loved even more... seeing people reconnect with local food and our sense of history that comes from tending the land and feeding each other,” said Anderson.
Fiber Classes at Windrush Farm
Mimi Luebbermann and Marlie de Swart teach wheel spinning and fiber classes at Windrush Farm in West Petaluma. Each fall our classes focus on learning to spin on a wheel and getting some proficiency on it, natural dying of your hand spun yarn and how to ply creative and di erent yarns.
In the Spring we teach the Fleece to Garment Class, a series of 5 classes where we take you from watching the sheep sheared and choosing your fleece, to scouring, prepping the wool and spinning the wool to fit your desired hand knit or hand woven piece.
Please check Windrush Farm’s website: windrushfarm.wordpress.com and go to Fiber Arts > Windrush Fiber Arts School to get details and schedules of the classes. Or contact Mimi Luebbermann at windrushfrm@gmail.com
Duckworth died April 25 from cancer. She was 62.
It was “The Farm” in her mind’s eye that led she and her husband on a yearslong search across nine states before they finally found it on Canfield Road in Sebastopol in 2001. They moved with their young daughters, Snazzy and Lauren, from Marin County to the 82-acre Sebastopol property, which had a 100-year-old farmhouse that was in need of plenty of TLC.
Duckworth poured herself into bringing her vision for the farm to life. She grew blueberries for wholesale and sold to Oliver’s market, but her goal was always to have the property be a u-pick farm, which she started in 2019.
Duckworth hosted hundreds of schoolchildren on field trips to her farm through a partnership with LandPaths, as well as a summer camp through Santa Rosa City Schools. She wanted to especially host children who had never experienced time on a farm. “She wanted children to understand nature, that the blossom came before the fruit,” said her daughter Lauren. One of Duckworth’s mantras was that the lesson of teaching children about agriculture should be as long as their arm— that reaching out to pick a blueberry and pop it in their mouths would teach them profound lessons about food and where it comes from.
“She was so gracious to share,” said Shepley Schroth-Cary, fire chief with the Gold Ridge Fire Protection District. “I don’t think she ever did it for the money. She really wanted to share agriculture and her passion with others”
Her kindness and compassion was coupled with what Anderson of LandPaths described as her “Joan of Arc spirit,” recalling a time she tangled with local resource agencies over how she was stewarding the creek that ran through her property. He said Duckworth’s legacy is a message to others, especially young, upcoming farmers. “You can be successful at the provision of land and food beyond just a commercial enterprise, but a truly world-changing one at that.”
Read the complete article at pressdemocrat.com
Producer Voices
From the Lost Coast Spinnery
Well, well, well, Northern California, looks like we’ve got something pretty darn exciting heading this way—a wool mill! And let me tell you, folks, this isn’t your run-of-the-mill operation (pun intended). We’re talking about a game-changer, a woolly revolution that’s set to shake up the local scene in all the best ways possible. Not only do we have two complete processing lines (carding to spinning) we are shepherds in our own right. Now, I know what you’re thinking—why on earth do we need a wool mill in Northern California? Trust me, I had the same question when Shawn first said he wanted to go home. But after diving into the nitty-gritty details, I gotta say, I’m pretty darn convinced we are making the right choice. To come home and do the hard work to be part of the Fibershed.
Picture this: a modern facility right here in our backyard, where local wool producers can bring their fleecy treasures to be spun into gold or as we like to call it: “valueadded agriculture.” We’re talking about creating jobs, supporting our local farmers and fiber artists, and preserving our agricultural heritage—all while producing topnotch wool products that would make even the pickiest sheep nod in approval.
But it’s not just about the wool, folks. It’s about the community. It’s about bringing people together, from farmers to artisans to fashionistas, and creating something truly special. It’s about building a stronger, more resilient local economy that we can all be proud of. That means joining and supporting the other mills to keep fiber in California rather than let it slip out and lose millions in annual revenue.
In a world where mass production often takes precedence over diversity and quality, we believe the members of the Fibershed stand out as a beacon of hope for the future of agriculture. Their dedication not only ensures the survival of endangered breeds such as the Santa Cruz and California Red sheep but also paves the way for a more sustainable and resilient farming industry.
At the heart of this story lies a deep reverence for tradition and a profound respect for nature’s intricate tapestry. We understand that each breed of sheep carries with it a rich history and a unique set of traits that have been honed over generations. From the luxurious fibers of Merino sheep to the hardy resilience of rare heritage breeds, every sheep has something to o er.
But it’s not just about preserving the past—it’s also about shaping the future. Our sheep and alpaca farmers recognize the importance of genetic diversity in building resilient and adaptable livestock populations. By carefully selecting breeding pairs based on a variety of traits, from wool quality to disease resistance, they ensure that their flock remains strong and healthy in the face of ever-changing environmental challenges.
In a world where monoculture dominates, their e orts to conserve and promote genetic diversity are a testament to the power of individual action. Through meticulous breeding programs and partnerships with conservation organizations, they work tirelessly to safeguard these precious genetic resources for future generations.
But perhaps most importantly, our farmers understand the interconnectedness of all living things. They recognize that preserving genetic diversity isn’t just about safeguarding the future of fiber—it’s about preserving ecosystems, supporting local communities, and fostering a deeper appreciation for the beauty and complexity of the natural world. In a time of uncertainty and rapid change, our farmers’ unwavering commitment to genetic diversity serves as a shining example of what’s possible when passion meets purpose. Their work reminds us that the choices we make today have the power to shape the world of tomorrow—for better or for worse. And in their hands, we see a vision of a future where diversity thrives, resilience reigns, and every life has a chance to flourish.
So here’s to the unsung heroes of the farming world—the ones who toil quietly in the fields, tending to their flocks with love and dedication. May their e orts be recognized and celebrated, and may their legacy endure for generations to come. So buckle up, Northern California, because the wool mill revolution is coming our way, and we couldn’t be more excited. Get ready to embrace your inner sheep whisperer and join me in celebrating the woolly wonders that await us.
Until next time, stay wooly and we look forward to working with you all.
Find a list of services, pricing, and more information from the Lost Coast Spinnery, located in Fernbridge, CA, at lostcoastspinnery.com
Welcome to the Wool Shed
The Wool Shed, which opened in November of 2023, is a permanent marketplace for local wool products and sells one-of-a kind goods made from wool grown in Northern and Central California. Most of our wool growers are Fibershed producers and many are certified Climate Beneficial™. We carry the work of local artisans and connect them to local wool growers as a source of their raw materials. As much as possible, we source from local processors and mills.
At The Wool Shed, we sell 100% wool:
•Batting and Roving
•Bedding and Blankets
•Woven scarves and shawls
•Knitted hats and socks.
•Felted household goods—sponges, mats, table wares—art and accessories
•Beautiful, naturally tanned sheepskins
•Yarn from a wide variety of unique sheep breeds, naturally colored and botanically dyed.
The Wool Shed is in the Cowgirl Barn, 80 4th Street, Point Reyes Station—along with The West Marin Culture Shop, The Farmer’s Wife and Flower Bed Florals. Hours are 11 am to 5 pm, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday
Stop by and see the beautiful and cozy products made from Climate Beneficial™ wool grown in Northern and Central California. And if you are a Fibershed wool producer or artisan that uses Fibershed wool and would like to sell your wool or product through The Wool Shed, please reach out to o ce@westmarinwoolshed.com.
Follow us on Instagram @westmarinwoolshed
Producer Stories
Community Husbandry at Rancho Las Palmas
by STEPHANY
In coastside Davenport, California, Rancho Las Palmas commercially produces certified organic artichokes, brussels sprouts, and peas. Recently, dozens of community members—the stewards of Rancho Las Palmas, employees of the Santa Cruz County Resource Conservation District (RCDSCC), and Fibersheda liated contract graziers and sheep shearers—came together to care for the 100 or so sheep of Rancho Las Palmas.
“Healthy sheep make healthier soil,” said Sarah Keiser of Wild Oat Hollow, who helped organize and manage the busy 36 hours of husbandry: shearing, vaccinations, and hoof care. Doing all of these things for nearly 100 sheep in such a short period of time requires weeks of planning, skill, and e ciency. The team at Rancho Las Palmas—especially Maria, Tere, Juve and Rigo Cruz-Diaz—prepared for weeks, purchasing fresh, loose sheep minerals and vaccines, and clearing tractors and equipment from a storage space that would become the shearing area for the day: a flat, covered area open on two sides, with power, ideal for adjacent sheep corrals and a shearing floor. They set up shearing plywoods, first aid kits, extension cords, motor oil, and brooms and rakes to keep the shearing area clean. They hung heavy shearing motors from high beams.
Paigelynn Trotter owns and operates Coastal Land and Livestock, a contract grazing and livestock management service provider. She brought her family, her extensive expertise in low-stress stockmanship, and mobile corral panels in order to build a sheep-holding area and chute adjacent to the shearing floor.
The night before the big day, the shepherds of Rancho Las Palmas, Sarah Keiser, and yours truly moved sheep from the artichoke stubble they grazed into the newly built corrals, with Leche, their trusty livestock guardian dog, beside them for the night. Keeping sheep o of food and water overnight is a critical part of preparation for humane shearing. Sheep have a multi-chambered ruminant system that, when full, carries the equivalent of approximately six fluid gallons of weight. When the sheep are flipped over so their bellies can be sheared, that weight pushes against their diaphragms and makes them feel as if they are su ocating. This discomfort and stress is easily avoided with a brief overnight fast.
Before dawn the next morning, a bonfire lit the darkness beneath an enormous stock pot: lunch preparations had begun. Rancho Las Palmas provided lunch for all, including sheep birria, carnitas, consome, fried rice, beans, tortillas, salads, artichokes, and more.
WILKES photographed by PAIGE GREEN
Headlights lit the foggy driveway as six sheep shearers arrived and set up at Rancho Las Palmas. Alex Goforth, Jessie Kanter, Stephanie Reed, Sirima Sataman, Sequoia Williams, and Saill White all completed one of two local shearing schools in 2023, at either the University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE) Mendocino & Lake Shearing School in Ukiah, or the Fibershed-sponsored shearing school at the University of California Hopland Research and Extension Center in Hopland, California. Rancho Las Palmas generously shared their ranch and entrusted their sheep to newly certified shearers, eager to gain more hands-on shearing and hoof trimming experience in an apprentice-style, instructor-supported environment.
Over a delicious lunch, Paigelynn shared educational handouts and led a conversation about the e ects of stress on production and best practices for handling and herding sheep. Sacha Lozano of the Santa Cruz RCD provided Spanish translation to create a bilingual workshop.
Livestock can play an important role in crop systems, and crop farms that have them are commonly referred to as integrated-crop livestock systems. Rancho Las Palmas doesn’t have a commercial use for the 100 or so sheep they keep, but the animals are fully integrated in the soil and crop residue management strategy the farmers apply on this piece of land. Through rotational grazing, the sheep contribute to nutrient cycling and soil health improvement. They deposit manure, which reduces the use of petroleum-based, synthetic fertilizers and provides plantavailable nutrients (i.e. nutrients in a form that crops can use more easily). Manure also adds microbes to the soil. This builds a more resilient soil ecosystem by helping with nutrient cycling and encouraging more soil and plant biodiversity.
The sheep provide yet another key benefit: soil carbon sequestration, which is a ected by a few di erent mechanisms in combination. First, sheep grazing down crop stubble and weeds—diminishing the tops—increases the resources that plants allocate to roots. As the work of Kelsey Brewer and Amelie Gaudin (2020) has demonstrated, grazing increases root biomass and thus the amount of carbon stored below ground. Grazing also stimulates crop roots to release sugars—plant exudates—made up of carbon from the atmosphere into the surrounding soil, sequestering carbon and feeding soil microbes.
Despite its multiple potential benefits, animal integration in annual cropland systems is not common on the central coast, partly because of concerns related to food safety (which can be addressed with adequate management and planning), and partly because of a lack of knowledge or experience on how to make this type of integration work. Rancho Las Palmas is a pioneer in this type of integrative land management on the central coast, and there is much we can learn from their experience. This is one of many reasons why the RCD of Santa Cruz County is actively working with these producers to help advance and learn from Rancho Las Palmas’s practices and help Maria, Tere, Juvenal and Rigo to connect with technical and financial resources that can expand their knowledge and management capacity.
The sheep, their shearers, and the whole team hung in and worked together for a long, yet magical, 12-hour day with some heavy, well-fed sheep. Every person present showed dedication, skill, care, and willingness to care for the sheep who help care for the land.
Read the whole article, published March 28, 2023, on the Fibershed blog: bit.ly/community-husbandry
Producer Stories
Waste Not: Wool Pellets Make Great Soil—and Business
by STEPHANY WILKES photographed by PAIGE GREEN
Two fiber business owners—Charlene Schmid of Integrity Alpacas & Fiber and Anna Hunter of Longway Homestead—create wool pellets to solve their wool-waste problems. In doing so, they’ve also created important regional infrastructure and systems that help other fiber producers.
Charlene is a farmer and certified wool classer with 30 alpacas in Vacaville, California. Her deep fiber knowledge led her “to be very picky about what fiber I use to put into the yarn, because it’s so expensive to process fiber. And I had a whole lot of fiber that I did not process.” Not all fleece and fiber is of su ciently high quality to make it worth sending to a mill, Charlene says. “There are so many di erent grades of alpaca fiber, in the di erent places of a single fleece. You don’t want to blend them together, because the good stu is washed out by the worst stu .” Alpaca fiber also includes guard hair, a very straight fiber that doesn’t spin or play well with others.
To make use of waste fiber, Charlene made dryer balls, felted soaps, needle felting kits, and more. It required intensive labor. “It took a lot of time and a lot of water,” she says, “and I wasn’t making any money on it.”
Fiber mills produce waste, too. “We needed to come up with a better strategy for our mill waste,” Anna says. At Long Way Homestead Fibre Farm & Wool Mill, near Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, mill skirtings were piling up. “I was skirting hundreds of fleeces every week. We could not add more to our garden; I could not turn the compost by hand,” she explains. Anna tried to give mill skirtings away at events but had no takers.
When she walked into a greenhouse in Winnipeg, Anna saw wool pellets—made in the U.S.A.—on the shelf. “I thought, ‘Can I replace these with locallymade ones?’ It’s a product out there already,” she says. “I wouldn’t be starting from scratch. Maybe it
was just instinct, but there are a significant number of knitters in my life who are also gardeners, who really love wool. I thought it would work, maybe make a little bit of extra revenue and we wouldn’t have to pay for mill waste to be handled.”
Wool pellets are raw, low-quality wool or other fiber compressed into pellet form. They are a fertilizer or soil amendment, worked into the soil, with an application rate of approximately one half cup per gallon of soil. Since wool holds 30%-40% of its weight in water, pellets can help soil stay moist, and slugs avoid the tiny fibers that swell in water and stick out. Because fiber composts in soil, wool pellets need to be added to the soil periodically— every six months or so for ground use, or whenever plants are repotted.
Read the whole article, published August 13, 2023, on the Fibershed blog: bit.ly/wool-pellets
A liate Network
Updates from Fibershed’s Global A liate Network
The Fibershed A liate Program supports an international grassroots network that promotes the development of regional fiber systems communities, including economic and non-economic growth, in the form of building relationships and new global networks. Fibershed A liates are grounded in place-based community organizing e orts that work to connect fiber farmers, processors and artisans. Fibershed o ers A liate members ways to share stories, and enhance their organizing e orts, through online webinars, social media, networking, and project feedback. From design challenges, fiber field research, and community education projects, the Fibershed A liate Network includes over 65 groups worldwide with a diverse array of interests and a shared goal of strengthening regional fiber systems.
2024 Affiliate Update
At the time of publication, there are 79 Fibershed A liates worldwide. The following 7 new A liates are in various stages of onboarding: Fibershed Turkey/ Türkiye, Fibershed Ukraine, Fibershed Colombia, Fibershed Sicily, Peach State Fibershed, South West Washington Fibershed, Fibershed Northern Spain, and Succurro Fibershed (New York.)
Courtney Lockemer joins us from the Piedmont Fibershed in North Carolina as a part-time A liate Coordinator to help support the A liate network in 2024.
To join the A liate Network and become part of Fibershed’s global movement, visit fibershed.org/ affiliate-directory 2024
In the past two years, we’ve witnessed remarkable progress and 30% growth within the Fibershed A liate Network. In 2024, Fibershed is seeking additional funding to support the thoughtful evolution of the A liate Network to a peer-topeer governance model with Regional Hubs to support the onboarding of new Fibershed A liates as well as working groups that collaborate on Textile Advocacy and Policies, Development of Alternative Economic Models, and Development of Cirricula for Schools.
6 7 3 18 4 4 4 7 3
A liate Network
A Soil-to-Soil Journey with the Northeastern Fibersheds
by LEXI FUJII photographed by PAIGE GREEN
This past fall, I had the opportunity to visit Fibersheds in the Northeastern region of the United States. From touring knitting and wool mills, to visiting pastoral landscapes and wool washing facilities, I road tripped from Cape Cod, Massachusetts to Rhinebeck, New York, where I met up with ten fibersheds from our A liate Network at the New York Sheep & Wool Festival.
It is incredible to me that in seven days, I was able to experience the Northeastern Fibershed region all the way from soil-to-soil: Sheep grazing on healthy pasture and young carbon farmers advocating for climate beneficial agriculture practices; regionally-scaled natural fiber mills turning raw material into clean fiber, yarns, and fabrics; meeting designers, makers, educators, conscious consumers alike wanting to create or invest in local, sustainable goods. As I made my way back to California, I felt exhausted yet so full—full of life, beauty, and awe at everyone working together to shift the culture of making/consuming into one that embodies collaboration, respect, and ecological balance.
View all the photos, and read the article, published December 6, 2023, on the Fibershed blog: bit.ly/northeast-fibersheds
York Fibershed
at
and Spinning Mill in Greenwich, New York. Battenkill processes raw natural fibers— primarily wool—into spun yarn. battenkillfibers.com
Northern New England Fibershed Design Challenge
The Northern New England Fibershed is running a Design Challenge for designers/makers to create goods made with local materials, processing, labor, and natural dyes. The project will culminate in a traveling exhibition in 2024-2025.
Who can join?
All textile designers and artisans in Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont
Catagories include wearables, home goods, industrial and miscellaneous
Participants can join as individuals or as a group.
The Details
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions until July 20, 2024 (1 month before showcase and awards)
Showcase and Awards August 17th, 2024 @ Sanborn Mills Farm, Loudon, NH
Traveling Exhibitions Fall 2024, Winter 2024, Spring and Summer 2025
Learn more and apply at nnefibershed.com/design-challenge
Awards
Grand Prize: $1000, recognition on both NNEF and Fibershed Headquarters (California) social media, article in local publication
Second Place: $500, recognition on NNEF social media
Most Creative: $250 credit towards a workshop of your choice at Sanborn Mills Farm; recognition on NNEF social media
Most Local: A curated gift basket of local fiber products; recognition on NNEF social media
New
—MJ Packer, founder,
Battenkill Fibers Carding
Northern New England Fibershed—Sara Goodman (natural dye artist and teacher), Lexi Fujii (of Fibershed), Amy DuFault (of the Southeastern New England Fibershed), and Lea Rossignol (co-organizer of NNE Fibershed) at Sanborn Mills, Sanborn Mills, a 400-acre educational farm and craft center and HQ of Northern New England Fibershed, which spans Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine.
Southeastern New England Fibershed—Kristin Draper at the Draper Knitting Mill in Canton, Massachusetts, which was founded in the 1850s and has recently created a series of domestically-grown and produced wool fabrics. draperknitting.com
New York Sheep and Wool Festival—Busy crowds at the festival in Rhinebeck, NY, which drew members from ten regional Fibersheds: Northeastern US: Northern New England Fibershed, Southeastern New England Fibershed, Western Massachusetts Fibershed, Connecticut Fibershed, New York Fibershed, New Jersey Fibershed, Rust Belt Fibershed, Central Appalachia Fibershed, Chesapeake Fibershed, and Southern California Fibershed.
A liate Network
Fibershed Affiliate Working Groups Fibershed’s Regional Hubs
Fibershed A liate Working Groups discuss major topics/ challenges relevant to our regional textile and dye systems. These groups are available to all A liate organizers and communitymembers in their region working in the textile and dye system. Working Groups are coordinated by other A liate Organizers, and topics have been guided by A liate needs.
Advocacy Working Group New!
The Advocacy and Policy Workgroup discusses current opportunities including legislation, regulations, public funding and incentives programs and other ways that a liate groups can be- or already are- advocating to support regional and healthy fiber and textile systems.
The Curriculum Working Group New!
The Curriculum Working Group will work with a liates across the globe to share resources and connect around developing curricula for schools. There is a large interest in the fibershed movement and we want to develop curriculum so that teachers of all age levels can easily share fibershed values and the importance of local supply chain with their classes.
New Economic Models Working Group New!
The New Economic Models working group will explore how Fibershed organizations can enable financially viable local textile economies that grow and distribute resources and empower participants equitably.
Bast Fiber Working Group
The Bast Fiber Working Group is focused on the farming, production, and processing of hemp, flax, and other bast fibers.
Regional Hubs provide peer to peer mentorship and support for Fibershed A liates. A liate networks are encourage to collaborate and support each other within their bioregion.
European Hub
Fibershed piloted the Regional Hub concept in Europe, to help support the administrative, onboarding, and networking opportunities for Regional A liate Networks. As of March 4, the European Hub has a 3-member board of directors, each from a di erent European A liate. The board members are: Leena Pesu (Fibershed Finland), Martine Nieuwenhuis (Fibershed Netherlands) and Ingvild Espelien (Norwegian Fibershed). Their main responsibility is to discuss and propose the mission, strategies and overall direction of the European Hub.
Canadian Hub
Anna Hunter, Pembina Fibershed organized a Canadian Fibreshed Network (equivalent to a regional hub) to connect all the Canadian Fibresheds. The Cross Canada Fibreshed Network’s vision is to strengthen the fibreshed movement across Canada and build capacity among a liate organizations in all regions of Canada. canadianfibreshed.org
OPPOSITE PAGE
Coreopsis tinctora (Dyers Tickseed) by Laurie Mahan Sawyer.
Laurie Mahan Sawyer dedicates her art to engaging viewers in the wonder and complexity of the natural world. A longtime resident of Point Reyes Station in coastal Marin County, she grew up on the southern California coast in Malibu. Sawyer graduated with a degree in illustration from the Art Center College of Design, and a degree in science illustration from California State University, Monterey Bay. She has collaborated with such organizations as NOAA at Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary and Marin Resource Conservation District. She has worked in scientific illustration, created lively murals, and taught art classes. Her work informs her viewers and invites them to be curious and learn more about nature. These illustrations are from a series of commissioned scientific illustrations of natural dye and fiber plants for educational use and display in our learning center.
Laurie’s illustrations can also be found at Flowerbed Florals, her new shop in Point Reyes Station and online: Instagram @FlowerbedFlorals@NewCompassDesigns
Classi ed Ads
Mini Black Sheep For Sale!
Perfect for pets and/or a spinner’s flock
Breed: Cross of Ouessant, Black Mountain Welsh, and Shetland.
Color: Deep, saturated black (very special for sheep’s wool) and salt and pepper coloring
Temperament: Very friendly, they love pets and attention, good with children
Pickup in Millville, CA or free delivery within an hour of it. Pics on Instagram @stargrazers or by request
Wethered Yearlings:
$500 per pair or $675 per 3
Wethered Two year-olds: $400 per pair or $500 per 3
Email admin@fullcirclewool.com or call (805) 404-6861
Alpaca Manure
Fresh or lightly composted alpaca manure is mild enough to top dress your plants, but nutritious enough to enrich your soil. Bring your truck, we’ll load it for you. By the pickup load (4–5 ¼ yard buckets) or trailer load. $20 per load/yard.
Alpaca Rentals
For Weddings, Special Events, Photo Shoots. Make your occasion special and fun! Call or email for pricing.
Alpaca Products
Alpaca fleece, roving and yarn for your next project. Natural colors: white, light fawn, brown, silver grey, rose grey and black. Visit our farm store for best selection. Appointments required.
Deb Galway, Vacaville, CA (707) 290-7915 menageriehillranch.com deb@menageriehillranch.com
Seeking leather artisan and sewer
Sunday Salon at Meinolf Weaving School
San Anselmo, California
Sunday Salon at Meinolf Weaving School is now also Soup night! Vegan Soup every Sunday at 5pm. Bring mending or other projects, or just ideas— we’ve got lots of materials and tools to play with.
Our shop is also open 4 days a week with loom kits, yarn, and handwoven and handmade articles. There are many looms available for people who want to weave with us in the space, or rent tools to take home and use.
All are welcome and you are always invited to come witness the magic of weaving, spinning and more— it’s quite relaxing. meinolfweavingschool.org
Se busca artesano del cuero y costurera
Seeking leather artisan and sewer (sewing by hand and machine) for our Mill Valley design studio for local production. Requirements: Familiarity with following patterns, cutting skiving, sewing and crafting vegetable tanned leather by hand and machine. Pay depends on skill level and experience. Please reach out directly to us at info@stickandball.com.
Se busca artesano del cuero y costurera (costura a mano y a máquina) para nuestro estudio de diseño en Mill Valley para producción local. Requisitos: Familiaridad con los siguientes: patrones, corte, biselado, costura y elaboración de cuero curtido vegetal a mano y a máquina. Comuníquese con nosotros directamente, info@stickandball. com. Pago depende del nivel de habilidad y experiencia.
stickandball.com
Registered Harlequin Lambs for Sale!
Harlequin Sheep are large miniature sheep. They are polled (naturally hornless) and are known for their docile temperaments, spotted coats, and occasionally blue eyes. They have fine, medium staple length wool and their coats are often multi-colored resulting in beautiful natural colored wool. Harlequin sheep make great pets and additions to a small flock. Check out our website for more information!
shootingstarsheep.com
Goat Mohair from Tolenas Mohair Farm
Certified Angola goat mohair is available, in the grease or washed.
Nancy Thompson, Fairfield CA nancyfleeny@gmail.com tolenasmohairfarm.com
Join Fiber Circle Studio in Oaxaca!
Join Fiber Circle Studio (located in Petaluma, CA) this December for a 9-day Textile Tour in Oaxaca, Mexico. We’ll be immersed in the traditional Zapotec ways of weaving, dyeing and spinning, as well as exploring other cultural sites, museums and artists. Participants will get to have a hands on experience with weaving, spinning and dyeing, and take home their projects.
No prior textile experience is necessary. This is open and valuable to all levels of fiber artists and fiber admirers. Speaking Spanish is helpful but not required. We will have several guides to help translate! December 6–14, 2024
fibercirclestudio.com/pages/visit-oaxaca
The Wool Shed
The place for climate beneficial, local wooly goods. Come see what ewes can do.
The Cowgirl Barn, 80 Fourth Street Point Reyes Station, CA, 94956
Friday to Monday, 11am–5pm office@westmarinwoolshed instagram.com/westmarinwoolshed
Black Mountain Farmstay Pondhouse
If you’re attending a class at the Fibershed and would like to stay on a nearby Sheep Farm.
Book at 2 night minimum with Airbnb. Search for: Black Mountain Farmstay Pondhouse
Living Sky Tannery
Living Sky Tannery—Your Story Matters
Black Sheep of the Industry, Living Sky Tannery specializes in preserving nature’s beauty and honoring the whole animal. Your hides are not worthless commodities. They transpire from an animal with a life well-lived, tended with the upmost care. We take pride in our tanning and finishing methods that bring out the natural beauty and durability of sheep hides. The entire process is completed by our own hands with meticulous care and attention to detail, resulting in washable durable rugs that stand the test of time. Our methods originated in the U.K where they are certified organic. Visit our website for detailed prep instructions. We look forward to working with you.
livingskytannery.com 208.907.2482
Support Fibershed
Your contribution to Fibershed directly supports the reemergence and in-perpetuity existence of soil-to-soil fiber systems. Donate to our general fund to support our operating costs, or donate to one of the following initiatives:
Carbon Seed Fund
Contribute directly to the Fibershed Carbon Farm Seed Fund to support our community in restoring the land, harmonizing the carbon imbalance, and producing right livelihoods within a regenerative fiber system.
Fibershed Ag Scholarship
Would you like to help people access new, viable livelihoods in agriculture? You can help a new generation find a way into agriculture by helping them acquire a well-paying, in-demand skill, stewarding the animals who nourish and build our soil, health, and livelihoods.
