New York State Fiber Conference

June 11, 2023, New York State Fiber Conference

9:00 am to 4:00 pm (sign in 8:30 am)

Butternut Hill Campground, 6893 US Route 20, Bouckville NY 13310

This one day conference is for new and beginning animal fiber producers who are looking for additional information to better make educated decisions regarding what species and breed of animal to raise and their efforts to produce, use or market their animal’s fiber. Producers and potential producers from New York State and throughout the Northeast US are welcome to attend. Participants will leave with a better understanding of what they can do with their animal fiber or its value-added products to increase its market value; whether marketed through direct-to-consumer channels, commodity markets or wholesale.

Conference sessions and panels will cover the following topics

• Selecting an animal species/breed and understanding their fiber quality
• Fiber types and uses
• Fleece quality with examples of poor, good, and excellent fleeces
• Fiber mills, supply chain, and finished products
• Market channels for the small producer
• Success stories from 4 small fiber producers/businesses

Agenda - Animal Fiber Conference June 11, 2023

9:00-9:10        Welcome   Dana Havas

9:10-10:00      Introduction to fiber types, qualities and uses   Marcia Weinert, (Undeniable Loopy)

10:00-10:30    Fiber exploration - You will physically touch, feel and see various fibers, fleece types and qualities.  Jim Baldwin, (Shearer); Christine McBrearty-Hulse, (Clean Cashmere) and other morning speakers

10:30-11:20   Animal fiber supply chain - farm, fiber and finished products   Mary Jeanne Packer, (Battenkill Fibers Carding and Spinning Mill)

11:20-12:10   Market channels for fiber producers  Cecilia Tkaczyk, (CeCe’s Wool)

12:10-1:30     Explore the CNY Festival/meet vendors and lunch on your own

1:30-3:00       Panel Presentations

Marketing Hand Dyed Fiber and Finished Goods, Lisa Ferguson, (Laughing Goat Fiber Farm)

Marketing Alpaca and Starting Your Own Mini-Mill, Jeff Jorritsma, (Autumn Mist Alpaca Farm and Fiber Mill)

Selling In a Yarn/Kraft Store - Ann Petit, (Fiber Arts in the Glen)

Setting Up a Booth and Selling at Festivals - Karen Stern (Windsong Farm)  

3:00-4:00       Question and Answer - All

4:00                Fill out your survey sheet and turn it in.

Adjourn - Have a safe drive home

Registration

Registration opens April 1, 2023. Fee: $30 per person.

Advance registration required by June 5, 2023.

Conference is limited to the first 50 participants. New York veterans will have their registration fee reimbursed through the Farm Ops Program.

Registration questions contact Tove Ford

Registration includes free admission to the Central New York Fiber Festival (see below) on Sunday with opportunities to explore almost 100 fantastic fiber booths during our 1 hr. 20 min. lunchbreak. Food venders will be on site for you to purchase food, but you can bring your own, if you so choose.

The Central New York Fiber Arts Festival is on June 10 & 11, 2023 at the same location. This festival is a family-friendly festival celebrating the fiber arts: spinning, knitting, weaving, felting, dyeing, and crochet. Demonstrations, lectures, and workshops and activities for children. Wheel corral: visitors can experiment with spinning. Story loom: visitors can contribute to a weaving project. Over 100 booths under cover with yarn, roving, and handmade finished products made with natural fibers. Fiber animals, weaving competition, and fleece sale. For additional information regarding the Fiber Arts Festival: https://cnyfiberarts.org/?t=1673539489

Overnight accommodations

https://tinyurl.com/FiberConferenceAccommodations