Stacy Dresow
Thank you for taking the time to talk a bit about your farm and business. Can you tell me where you are located, what you do and why you chose the Cormo and cross sheep?
Dresow Family Farm is located within the rolling hills of Lonsdale, Minnesota. We have a flock of Cormo, Cormo cross, Corriedale cross, a fine fleeced Shetland & a Merino sheep. They are in the company of cattle, laying hens, Idaho Pasture Pigs, rabbits, dogs, cats, a cutting horse & a small herd of free- range children. Everything that takes place at the farm is a family effort.
We are striving for sustainable farming practices as we provide food and fiber for ourselves and other families. We raise our animals on grasses & clover from our pastures and bedding from our neighbor’s fields. We also use field peas and locally milled grains from our town’s feed mill. The sheep also benefit from a Minnesota product; Boreal Balance, a free choice mineral. We rotationally graze our flock, compost our manure to return it to the fields, over-seed the paddocks, fertilize as little as possible and have restored our wetlands. In August 2018, we were named a Minnesota Water Quality Certified Farm by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture.
After the sheep are shorn each spring, I bring the fleeces to local mills in Hastings and Randall, MN. Our fibers are farm “fresh”; no chemicals are used to dissolve Vegetative Matter (VM) so there are remnants of our pasture in the yarn and roving. The yardage on our labels is approximate as each of the mill spun skeins is rinsed in cold water as the final step in processing. We also offer raw fleece, dryer balls, Cormo lamb rugs & roving.
The majority of my dye colors come from plants, trees and flowers that I gather from our farmland or save from the compost pile. Once in a while you will see a bright pink skein or two from Cochineal, a beetle from Mexico.
We chose Cormo because it is a docile breed with a fine fiber. Cormo can also be used for meat. The Cormo breed was brought to the US via Australia. They are an intentional cross of Superfine Merino and Corriedale. The micron count for the breed is 18-23, which places them in the super fine to fine category. The sheep that we raise range between 17 and 23 microns. The majority of the sheep born at our farm stay at our farm their entire life. As they age, the quality of their fleece may change but we are always able to find a useful purpose for their wool, regardless of the micron count or wool break.
I love raising sheep, and enjoy all aspects of it. Every day, I have the opportunity to learn something new just by walking out to the pastures and looking and listening. I am proud of what I do and the choices I make for my flock and business. As a producer, one of the biggest thrills is to meet my customers face to face and see the appreciation they have for our yarns and fiber. I personally have the most fun at fiber fests I attend in MN, WI, SD and MT. You can also find me at trunk shows at twin cities area yarn stores. In the past year, I have collaborated and befriend like –minded regional natural dye artists and pattern designers. In 2017, our fleece was used for the Minnesota Hemp & Wool Project by The Fibershed. I am a member of the Sustainable Sheep and Fiber Community of Northern Minnesota, Minnesota Grown and the Three Rivers Fibershed. Most recently, I volunteered as the Producer Outreach Coordinator for the Three Rivers Fibershed.
Find out what is happening at the farm on facebook and Instagram @dresowfamilyfarm or #dresowfamily farm. We also have an etsy shop or you can visit us at the farm by appointment.
Thank you again for taking the time to answer some questions.
Dresow Family Farm is located within the rolling hills of Lonsdale, Minnesota. We have a flock of Cormo, Cormo cross, Corriedale cross, a fine fleeced Shetland & a Merino sheep. They are in the company of cattle, laying hens, Idaho Pasture Pigs, rabbits, dogs, cats, a cutting horse & a small herd of free- range children. Everything that takes place at the farm is a family effort.
We are striving for sustainable farming practices as we provide food and fiber for ourselves and other families. We raise our animals on grasses & clover from our pastures and bedding from our neighbor’s fields. We also use field peas and locally milled grains from our town’s feed mill. The sheep also benefit from a Minnesota product; Boreal Balance, a free choice mineral. We rotationally graze our flock, compost our manure to return it to the fields, over-seed the paddocks, fertilize as little as possible and have restored our wetlands. In August 2018, we were named a Minnesota Water Quality Certified Farm by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture.
After the sheep are shorn each spring, I bring the fleeces to local mills in Hastings and Randall, MN. Our fibers are farm “fresh”; no chemicals are used to dissolve Vegetative Matter (VM) so there are remnants of our pasture in the yarn and roving. The yardage on our labels is approximate as each of the mill spun skeins is rinsed in cold water as the final step in processing. We also offer raw fleece, dryer balls, Cormo lamb rugs & roving.
The majority of my dye colors come from plants, trees and flowers that I gather from our farmland or save from the compost pile. Once in a while you will see a bright pink skein or two from Cochineal, a beetle from Mexico.
We chose Cormo because it is a docile breed with a fine fiber. Cormo can also be used for meat. The Cormo breed was brought to the US via Australia. They are an intentional cross of Superfine Merino and Corriedale. The micron count for the breed is 18-23, which places them in the super fine to fine category. The sheep that we raise range between 17 and 23 microns. The majority of the sheep born at our farm stay at our farm their entire life. As they age, the quality of their fleece may change but we are always able to find a useful purpose for their wool, regardless of the micron count or wool break.
I love raising sheep, and enjoy all aspects of it. Every day, I have the opportunity to learn something new just by walking out to the pastures and looking and listening. I am proud of what I do and the choices I make for my flock and business. As a producer, one of the biggest thrills is to meet my customers face to face and see the appreciation they have for our yarns and fiber. I personally have the most fun at fiber fests I attend in MN, WI, SD and MT. You can also find me at trunk shows at twin cities area yarn stores. In the past year, I have collaborated and befriend like –minded regional natural dye artists and pattern designers. In 2017, our fleece was used for the Minnesota Hemp & Wool Project by The Fibershed. I am a member of the Sustainable Sheep and Fiber Community of Northern Minnesota, Minnesota Grown and the Three Rivers Fibershed. Most recently, I volunteered as the Producer Outreach Coordinator for the Three Rivers Fibershed.
Find out what is happening at the farm on facebook and Instagram @dresowfamilyfarm or #dresowfamily farm. We also have an etsy shop or you can visit us at the farm by appointment.
Thank you again for taking the time to answer some questions.
Dennis Engebretson
1. Tell me a little about yourself and your family?
Jackie, my wife, and I have been married since 1979. Jackie grew up in Cavalier/Grasston area, ND in her younger years but moved to Bagley area in her teen years. We met at church, married in 1979, been married close to 40 years. We have a daughter Maria who is 38, Philip, our son just turned 36. Maria is home with us and Philip is doing carpentry work and part time employment on a farm in North Dakota in spring and fall for planting and harvesting. He’s been doing the carpentry this past year full time.
We’ve been very involved in church activities over the years, youth group activities, Sunday school. Jackie plays the violin at church regularly. I have a sister Judy who teaches at Clearbrook-Gonvick School Community Ed program summer rec. My brother Gordie and his wife, Roxanne and 4 children served in Gambia, Africa for 26 years. They are now home farming, Roxanne is an RN.
2. How long have you been farming and how long has your farm been in your family?
Farming all our lives. The farm was homesteaded in 1903.
3. What livestock were originally raised on your farm?
Beef cattle, dairy, small dairy operation, sheep, chickens, pigs. Those were the early ones. And then kind of the same now only the elk have been added in 1995.
Back then, almost all people had the dairy. When I was young, pre-teen there were six to seven milking cows, using milking machines then, but early on I’m sure they milked by hand.
We’d put the milk in cream cans, then hauled it to Clearbrook to the Creamery. Later we started using a separator to separate milk from cream and hauled cream to Creamery. That’s when we started getting back into feeder pigs, fed the skim milk to the feeder pigs and sold the cream.
Bagley had a creamery, Clearbrook, Leonard. Leonard’s is Reichert Saddlery now, Gonvick had a creamery. Within eight miles of us there was three creameries. Macintosh had a creamery, Fosston had one.
Used to make butter at the creameries, my Grandpa was on the creamery board there in Clearbrook. Grandpa, back when he was raised, they started the farm, he was into sheep. Had couple hundred sheep back then, had sheep tours on the farm. Pictures show crowds [at these events], county agent or state official had tours. We have a picture of Grandpa down in south St. Paul with a trucker, David Nordlund, and Bob Moore, sales manager. That was in 1953, selling sheep at the sales barn in St. Paul.
4. How did you first get interested in elk?
They had these events around the state on diversified farming options. Different people talked about what they’d started, raising sheep for wool, or raising trout or some kind of craft thing they were getting into and making things. I went to several of those, there were some on raising different kinds of puppies. I was looking for another option for income for the farm and so looked at several. I had looked at elk but I had ostriches for four years before I got into elk. When I went into it [ostriches], a lot of people were excited about ostriches and I was looking for something to diversify but also something that provide more diversified income from the animal. After three years, I realized it was a fad. They were not as diversified at that time with products that could be marketed. After that I started thinking about the elk. Elk are much more adapted to our weather. I’ve raised a variety of animals over the years and visited three to four different elk farms. I bought my first bred cows in 1995 from a man near Sauk Centre. From there I have been adding to the numbers, doing artificial breeding, selling some breeding stock, mainly trophy bulls, meat, velvet antler.
5. What were your original goals for your farm and how has that changed (or not)?
My father, I remember him talking about keeping somewhat diversified with several income options on the same farm. He, when I graduated from high school, recommended I seek a trade so I took two years of carpentry which would work along with farming as an option for extra income. So that was the longer term goal, diversifying income on the farm. One way to do that was by taking carpentry schooling after high school, which worked out in the late 1980s and 1990s to 2000s, doing some carpentry work along with farming. Now that I’m gotten into the elk numbers and my age, I’ve been sticking with farming the last few years.
Birdsfoot trefoil was a big part of the farm and is part of the diversification. That was a major part of our farming for years in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s.
6. What products do you get from your livestock?
Beef cattle are mainly raised for cow/calf operation and selling feeder calves. With the sheep, I sell feeder lambs and a smaller amount of butcher lambs. Now I’m considering wool off my sheep as well, since being in contact with what was Northern Woolen Mills in Fosston. Raising the wool and one of the reasons for doing that is trying to develop interest in other producers, including 4H kids, that there are other products besides just meat lamb. The wool has good value to it. That’s been one of my goals the last five to six years.
Don’t have poultry anymore, when I was 8 years old to 30 yrs old, I raised laying hens. Worked up to 200 hens, started out small and then sold meat birds and sold eggs for about 20 years. That was a training period in my life to take on a task, a project as a young kid, teenager and up through my 20s, selling eggs and butcher chickens.
The elk provide velvet antler that is harvested off the bulls in late May/June and it’s harvested and frozen and then marketed to the Oriental market, mainly China. That’s processed into a velvet product for humans. In North America, velvet is made into products for pets, dogs and horses. For human consumption it goes to China and is used as a natural safe, effective pain relief. It also promotes energy and stamina. It has been used for arthritis, pain relief, nutritional supplement, for athletes and an ingredient in Traditional Chinese Medicine for over 2000 years, second only to ginseng.
There are several grades of elk velvet and even use the hard antler in some oriental teas. It is a high calcium product for anti-inflammatory agents. The hard antler is also cut into four to six inch pieces, splitting the antler down the middle to make dog chews. This is one of the bigger sales, sold by the pound in the U.S.
Trophy bulls are raised to an age of four to five years or older and sold to hunting preserves for the trophy market. AI [artificial insemination] semen is purchased from other elk producers for use in my breeding program. The breeding is very similar to breeding beef cows.
“Trophy hard antler sheds” are antlers that are naturally shed or cut off after the velvet is off. Naturally shed antlers are higher in value. These are used in the craft industry for table legs, chandeliers and things like that.
Elk meat is a big part of the industry but this is a more common use and more well-known.
Elk hides and capes are sold for mounting purposes on trophy bulls and are tanned for display and for craft use. Elk undercoat is now being explored for use in wool blend yarns.
Elk ivory tooth is harvested from skulls for jewelry purposes. One tooth on each side of the upper jaw is ivory. They don’t know what those teeth are used for but elk is one of the only North American animals that have ivory.
7. What led you to try harvesting elk fiber for yarns?
Probably Stephanie Anderson at Northern Woolen Mills in Fosston, looking at fibers, she mentioned bison. I thought “I’ve got down [fiber] laying around all over the ground at home”. I went home, picked it up and took it back to her. She made some skeins for me, blended with wool and that’s how it got started. Stephanie put it out on her fiber site and it could have been sold within minutes but we only had a few skeins. People from Montana and Wisconsin would have bought it all. That spurred me on another year to gather more. If I had ten pounds, what she got from that, what I got back, did some numbers and it seemed to be worth my time to pick it up. Not that it’s been progressing very fast but I have twenty pounds laying in my grain bin I could put together. The problem is separating the hair from the down.
For dehairing, I heard a thing on the radio for a mill in Texas that was dehairing bison. Apparently that down is stronger than elk down and some hair is mixed in. You lose a fair amount of the down when you run it through the machines and I’d like to minimize that. In some of the mills, like Old Creamery in Randall, MN, they’d take the time to go through this for me. In Kindred, ND, there is a mill that can do this as well.
8. Do you sell your sheep wool and if not, do you have plans to start implementing that as part of a diverse marketing program?
I’ve sold a small amount to fiber people and would like to do more of that.
9. Is it difficult to get started in elk and what would be your answer to someone asking “Why get elk”?
It’s not difficult to find animals to purchase, there is a education part on the regulations that you’d want to familiarize yourself with so you know. Go through that with several elk producers so you know what all is involved in fencing and transportation and all of that. It’s not hard to purchase or find them to purchase. You have to be aware of the regulations, as far as transportation, especially across state lines.
We raise them as a farm-raised animal under the Department of Agriculture, the regulations have to do with controlling the spread of CWD (chronic wasting disease). Just like regulations on other livestock, what states and what regulations you have to follow change. Moving them from state to state, each state is different with what paperwork you have to have to get them into the state. There are diseases like mad cow, TB and brucellosis that are regulated. Some state regulations are minor and some have more paperwork involved. There is a fair amount of record keeping as far as keeping individuals identified and tagged for annual inventory.
12. Is there anything else you’d like people to know about the Engebretson Elk Farm? Where can people find out more information about you?
I’m always open for a farm visit and very willing to show the animals. Look under Minnesota Elk Breeders website or the North American Elk Producers site for detailed information. People are more than welcome to come for a farm visit. There are several thousand elk raised in Minnesota and most producers are more than open to a farm visit. I’m also listed on the Sustainable Sheep and Fiber Community of Northern Minnesota Website sheepcommunity.com where I am also a board member.
Thank you for taking the time to talk with me and to educate people about your century farm and unique outlook on farming diversity.
Jackie, my wife, and I have been married since 1979. Jackie grew up in Cavalier/Grasston area, ND in her younger years but moved to Bagley area in her teen years. We met at church, married in 1979, been married close to 40 years. We have a daughter Maria who is 38, Philip, our son just turned 36. Maria is home with us and Philip is doing carpentry work and part time employment on a farm in North Dakota in spring and fall for planting and harvesting. He’s been doing the carpentry this past year full time.
We’ve been very involved in church activities over the years, youth group activities, Sunday school. Jackie plays the violin at church regularly. I have a sister Judy who teaches at Clearbrook-Gonvick School Community Ed program summer rec. My brother Gordie and his wife, Roxanne and 4 children served in Gambia, Africa for 26 years. They are now home farming, Roxanne is an RN.
2. How long have you been farming and how long has your farm been in your family?
Farming all our lives. The farm was homesteaded in 1903.
3. What livestock were originally raised on your farm?
Beef cattle, dairy, small dairy operation, sheep, chickens, pigs. Those were the early ones. And then kind of the same now only the elk have been added in 1995.
Back then, almost all people had the dairy. When I was young, pre-teen there were six to seven milking cows, using milking machines then, but early on I’m sure they milked by hand.
We’d put the milk in cream cans, then hauled it to Clearbrook to the Creamery. Later we started using a separator to separate milk from cream and hauled cream to Creamery. That’s when we started getting back into feeder pigs, fed the skim milk to the feeder pigs and sold the cream.
Bagley had a creamery, Clearbrook, Leonard. Leonard’s is Reichert Saddlery now, Gonvick had a creamery. Within eight miles of us there was three creameries. Macintosh had a creamery, Fosston had one.
Used to make butter at the creameries, my Grandpa was on the creamery board there in Clearbrook. Grandpa, back when he was raised, they started the farm, he was into sheep. Had couple hundred sheep back then, had sheep tours on the farm. Pictures show crowds [at these events], county agent or state official had tours. We have a picture of Grandpa down in south St. Paul with a trucker, David Nordlund, and Bob Moore, sales manager. That was in 1953, selling sheep at the sales barn in St. Paul.
4. How did you first get interested in elk?
They had these events around the state on diversified farming options. Different people talked about what they’d started, raising sheep for wool, or raising trout or some kind of craft thing they were getting into and making things. I went to several of those, there were some on raising different kinds of puppies. I was looking for another option for income for the farm and so looked at several. I had looked at elk but I had ostriches for four years before I got into elk. When I went into it [ostriches], a lot of people were excited about ostriches and I was looking for something to diversify but also something that provide more diversified income from the animal. After three years, I realized it was a fad. They were not as diversified at that time with products that could be marketed. After that I started thinking about the elk. Elk are much more adapted to our weather. I’ve raised a variety of animals over the years and visited three to four different elk farms. I bought my first bred cows in 1995 from a man near Sauk Centre. From there I have been adding to the numbers, doing artificial breeding, selling some breeding stock, mainly trophy bulls, meat, velvet antler.
5. What were your original goals for your farm and how has that changed (or not)?
My father, I remember him talking about keeping somewhat diversified with several income options on the same farm. He, when I graduated from high school, recommended I seek a trade so I took two years of carpentry which would work along with farming as an option for extra income. So that was the longer term goal, diversifying income on the farm. One way to do that was by taking carpentry schooling after high school, which worked out in the late 1980s and 1990s to 2000s, doing some carpentry work along with farming. Now that I’m gotten into the elk numbers and my age, I’ve been sticking with farming the last few years.
Birdsfoot trefoil was a big part of the farm and is part of the diversification. That was a major part of our farming for years in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s.
6. What products do you get from your livestock?
Beef cattle are mainly raised for cow/calf operation and selling feeder calves. With the sheep, I sell feeder lambs and a smaller amount of butcher lambs. Now I’m considering wool off my sheep as well, since being in contact with what was Northern Woolen Mills in Fosston. Raising the wool and one of the reasons for doing that is trying to develop interest in other producers, including 4H kids, that there are other products besides just meat lamb. The wool has good value to it. That’s been one of my goals the last five to six years.
Don’t have poultry anymore, when I was 8 years old to 30 yrs old, I raised laying hens. Worked up to 200 hens, started out small and then sold meat birds and sold eggs for about 20 years. That was a training period in my life to take on a task, a project as a young kid, teenager and up through my 20s, selling eggs and butcher chickens.
The elk provide velvet antler that is harvested off the bulls in late May/June and it’s harvested and frozen and then marketed to the Oriental market, mainly China. That’s processed into a velvet product for humans. In North America, velvet is made into products for pets, dogs and horses. For human consumption it goes to China and is used as a natural safe, effective pain relief. It also promotes energy and stamina. It has been used for arthritis, pain relief, nutritional supplement, for athletes and an ingredient in Traditional Chinese Medicine for over 2000 years, second only to ginseng.
There are several grades of elk velvet and even use the hard antler in some oriental teas. It is a high calcium product for anti-inflammatory agents. The hard antler is also cut into four to six inch pieces, splitting the antler down the middle to make dog chews. This is one of the bigger sales, sold by the pound in the U.S.
Trophy bulls are raised to an age of four to five years or older and sold to hunting preserves for the trophy market. AI [artificial insemination] semen is purchased from other elk producers for use in my breeding program. The breeding is very similar to breeding beef cows.
“Trophy hard antler sheds” are antlers that are naturally shed or cut off after the velvet is off. Naturally shed antlers are higher in value. These are used in the craft industry for table legs, chandeliers and things like that.
Elk meat is a big part of the industry but this is a more common use and more well-known.
Elk hides and capes are sold for mounting purposes on trophy bulls and are tanned for display and for craft use. Elk undercoat is now being explored for use in wool blend yarns.
Elk ivory tooth is harvested from skulls for jewelry purposes. One tooth on each side of the upper jaw is ivory. They don’t know what those teeth are used for but elk is one of the only North American animals that have ivory.
7. What led you to try harvesting elk fiber for yarns?
Probably Stephanie Anderson at Northern Woolen Mills in Fosston, looking at fibers, she mentioned bison. I thought “I’ve got down [fiber] laying around all over the ground at home”. I went home, picked it up and took it back to her. She made some skeins for me, blended with wool and that’s how it got started. Stephanie put it out on her fiber site and it could have been sold within minutes but we only had a few skeins. People from Montana and Wisconsin would have bought it all. That spurred me on another year to gather more. If I had ten pounds, what she got from that, what I got back, did some numbers and it seemed to be worth my time to pick it up. Not that it’s been progressing very fast but I have twenty pounds laying in my grain bin I could put together. The problem is separating the hair from the down.
For dehairing, I heard a thing on the radio for a mill in Texas that was dehairing bison. Apparently that down is stronger than elk down and some hair is mixed in. You lose a fair amount of the down when you run it through the machines and I’d like to minimize that. In some of the mills, like Old Creamery in Randall, MN, they’d take the time to go through this for me. In Kindred, ND, there is a mill that can do this as well.
8. Do you sell your sheep wool and if not, do you have plans to start implementing that as part of a diverse marketing program?
I’ve sold a small amount to fiber people and would like to do more of that.
9. Is it difficult to get started in elk and what would be your answer to someone asking “Why get elk”?
It’s not difficult to find animals to purchase, there is a education part on the regulations that you’d want to familiarize yourself with so you know. Go through that with several elk producers so you know what all is involved in fencing and transportation and all of that. It’s not hard to purchase or find them to purchase. You have to be aware of the regulations, as far as transportation, especially across state lines.
We raise them as a farm-raised animal under the Department of Agriculture, the regulations have to do with controlling the spread of CWD (chronic wasting disease). Just like regulations on other livestock, what states and what regulations you have to follow change. Moving them from state to state, each state is different with what paperwork you have to have to get them into the state. There are diseases like mad cow, TB and brucellosis that are regulated. Some state regulations are minor and some have more paperwork involved. There is a fair amount of record keeping as far as keeping individuals identified and tagged for annual inventory.
12. Is there anything else you’d like people to know about the Engebretson Elk Farm? Where can people find out more information about you?
I’m always open for a farm visit and very willing to show the animals. Look under Minnesota Elk Breeders website or the North American Elk Producers site for detailed information. People are more than welcome to come for a farm visit. There are several thousand elk raised in Minnesota and most producers are more than open to a farm visit. I’m also listed on the Sustainable Sheep and Fiber Community of Northern Minnesota Website sheepcommunity.com where I am also a board member.
Thank you for taking the time to talk with me and to educate people about your century farm and unique outlook on farming diversity.
Carrie Jessen
1. How long have you lived in the northern Minnesota area?
Except for a brief summer job as a college student, I've lived in the Bemidji area since the fall of 1980. My husband and I have lived in our Solway home for 32 years.
2. Can you tell me a little bit about your hobbies and interests?
Weaving blankets and household linens with wool and linen has changed from a hobby to "serious fun"! I also enjoy fingerweaving (a type of weaving used by native Americans to make sashes and straps related to Fur Trade historical reenacting), knitting, embroidery, and sewing. I also enjoy perennial gardening and reading.
3. How long have you been weaving and what other fiber art techniques do you use?
I started weaving about 24 years ago on a table loom. Some of the techniques I use could also be described as different patterns in weaving, such as huck-a-back for towels and different twill patterns for blankets. I like making stripe patterns and plaid patterns. Another technique I often use is heavy fulling, which is similar to felting.
4. What got you interested in fiber arts and weaving?
Hmmm. I had a phenomenal "home-ec" teacher when I was in the 7th grade, in Medina, ND. Yup, the class "home-ec" was where we were taught sewing, cooking, and some other fun things like knitting and crocheting , and even how to apply make-up! I wasn't exposed to weaving for many years after that, but I was given free rein to learn all sorts of needlework techniques. I was totally hooked on fiber and rarely went anywhere without a project to work on, including band bus trips and biology class. I became interested in weaving when I saw an exhibit at the old Carnegie library in Bemidji and 10 years later It was incredible providence that I met a weaver with looms and generous patience to teach me how to weave!
5. What weaving techniques have you used and what are you focusing on now?
I have used 4 and 8 harness looms but I weave almost entirely on 4 harnesses now. I have done colonial overshot, different types of twills and huck-a-back patterns. I focus on twills and huck-a-back presently, for blankets and home linens. These patterns were also commonly used in our colonial era. Most of the blankets I've made are woven in two panels that are joined down the center. This was common in the colonial era as well, since looms in homes were not wide enough to weave a blanket in only one panel. I heavily full most of my blankets as well, to make them heavier, and warmer.
6. Have you used other fibers besides wool for your weaving?
I also weave with linen and cotton.
7. What can you tell me about wool that makes it useful for weaving blankets?
Wool is warm, sustainable, and takes dyes beautifully. It fulls well to become lofty and even more warm and beautiful. It's fibers have enough stretch to be easy to weave with. It is strong enough to be used for both weft and warp. It can be used for blankets as either worsted or woolen spun. Depending on the particular wool being used, it may be soft enough to lay against skin, or over a bed sheet. Wool combines beautifully with linen and/or cotton for lighter weight blankets as well. Wool keeps us warm even when wet, which makes it wonderful for outerwear.
8. Is there something you’d like to learn that you aren’t currently doing?
I would love to learn to weave more patterns or types of weaving that I haven't tried yet, such as Scandinavian weaving. I would like to do research on domestic colonial weaving because there really are so few remaining intact examples to study. And, I would like to study weaving throughout the world since weaving began because world history and textile history go hand in hand. I am also interested in learning to do rug hooking! So much wool, so little time.
9. Is there anything else you’d like to share?
Thank you for the opportunity to speak at your event! And thank you for producing the beautiful fiber, wool!
Thank you for your time and I look forward to your presentation “What To Do With All This Wool!” where you will be discussing attributes of wool and how those are applied to handwoven articles. You’ll also be sharing some of you experiences of fulling different types of wool and giving a brief early American history of wool and weaving.
More examples of Carrie’s hand woven wool blankets and linen towels can be found on her Face Book page, Bear Den Handwovens. She also participates in the Pine to Prairie Midwest Fiber Art Trail. She welcomes questions and inquiries by FB messenger or e-mail [email protected].
Except for a brief summer job as a college student, I've lived in the Bemidji area since the fall of 1980. My husband and I have lived in our Solway home for 32 years.
2. Can you tell me a little bit about your hobbies and interests?
Weaving blankets and household linens with wool and linen has changed from a hobby to "serious fun"! I also enjoy fingerweaving (a type of weaving used by native Americans to make sashes and straps related to Fur Trade historical reenacting), knitting, embroidery, and sewing. I also enjoy perennial gardening and reading.
3. How long have you been weaving and what other fiber art techniques do you use?
I started weaving about 24 years ago on a table loom. Some of the techniques I use could also be described as different patterns in weaving, such as huck-a-back for towels and different twill patterns for blankets. I like making stripe patterns and plaid patterns. Another technique I often use is heavy fulling, which is similar to felting.
4. What got you interested in fiber arts and weaving?
Hmmm. I had a phenomenal "home-ec" teacher when I was in the 7th grade, in Medina, ND. Yup, the class "home-ec" was where we were taught sewing, cooking, and some other fun things like knitting and crocheting , and even how to apply make-up! I wasn't exposed to weaving for many years after that, but I was given free rein to learn all sorts of needlework techniques. I was totally hooked on fiber and rarely went anywhere without a project to work on, including band bus trips and biology class. I became interested in weaving when I saw an exhibit at the old Carnegie library in Bemidji and 10 years later It was incredible providence that I met a weaver with looms and generous patience to teach me how to weave!
5. What weaving techniques have you used and what are you focusing on now?
I have used 4 and 8 harness looms but I weave almost entirely on 4 harnesses now. I have done colonial overshot, different types of twills and huck-a-back patterns. I focus on twills and huck-a-back presently, for blankets and home linens. These patterns were also commonly used in our colonial era. Most of the blankets I've made are woven in two panels that are joined down the center. This was common in the colonial era as well, since looms in homes were not wide enough to weave a blanket in only one panel. I heavily full most of my blankets as well, to make them heavier, and warmer.
6. Have you used other fibers besides wool for your weaving?
I also weave with linen and cotton.
7. What can you tell me about wool that makes it useful for weaving blankets?
Wool is warm, sustainable, and takes dyes beautifully. It fulls well to become lofty and even more warm and beautiful. It's fibers have enough stretch to be easy to weave with. It is strong enough to be used for both weft and warp. It can be used for blankets as either worsted or woolen spun. Depending on the particular wool being used, it may be soft enough to lay against skin, or over a bed sheet. Wool combines beautifully with linen and/or cotton for lighter weight blankets as well. Wool keeps us warm even when wet, which makes it wonderful for outerwear.
8. Is there something you’d like to learn that you aren’t currently doing?
I would love to learn to weave more patterns or types of weaving that I haven't tried yet, such as Scandinavian weaving. I would like to do research on domestic colonial weaving because there really are so few remaining intact examples to study. And, I would like to study weaving throughout the world since weaving began because world history and textile history go hand in hand. I am also interested in learning to do rug hooking! So much wool, so little time.
9. Is there anything else you’d like to share?
Thank you for the opportunity to speak at your event! And thank you for producing the beautiful fiber, wool!
Thank you for your time and I look forward to your presentation “What To Do With All This Wool!” where you will be discussing attributes of wool and how those are applied to handwoven articles. You’ll also be sharing some of you experiences of fulling different types of wool and giving a brief early American history of wool and weaving.
More examples of Carrie’s hand woven wool blankets and linen towels can be found on her Face Book page, Bear Den Handwovens. She also participates in the Pine to Prairie Midwest Fiber Art Trail. She welcomes questions and inquiries by FB messenger or e-mail [email protected].
Nicolette Slagle
Thank you for taking the time to introduce yourself and to help shed light on how hemp can be a part of a sustainable future for Minnesota and beyond..
1. Would you tell me a bit about yourself and what got you interested in working with Winona LaDuke at her farm on White Earth Land Recovery Project? What is your job at Winona’s Hemp and Heritage Farm?
I've been following Winona's work since my undergrad days. Her writing informed a lot of my thinking on land rights, economic development, and what it means to be an environmentalist. While I was pursuing my master's in environmental engineering science, I had the opportunity to work with Winona at Honor the Earth. I've always had an interest in hemp and when she started her hemp farm, I offered to help work on that also. I don't really have an official title, but my main focus is research related to hemp markets, processing, and end uses.
2. What is the Hemp Project?
We are really excited by the potential for economic development through hemp. At Winona's Hemp, we are working to adapt varieties to the Northlands and connect the various pieces of the infrastructure required to process and sell hemp-based products. We are working closely with a number of local, regional, and national groups and individuals interested in hemp. We also have a partnership with Anishinaabe Agriculture Institute to develop hemp curriculum for Tribes and Tribal Colleges.
3. Sustainability means many things to many people, sustainable environmentally, sustainable community, sustainable production. How can hemp be a part of sustainability and what does that mean to you?
Sustainability to me has also meant a fundamental shift of how we define "economy" and "economics". People act like there are only two choices for an economic system, capitalism or communism. To me, sustainability means looking at the quality of life for humans and our non-human relatives. Sustainability is also about adaptability because even in a healthy ecosystem things are always changing and shifting. Hemp can be part of this in a number of ways. Firstly, the changing regulations around hemp (finally re-legalized after decades of suppression!!) re-opens our ability to have a relationship with a "helper plant". Whatever your opinions on marijuana are, it is undeniable that hemp and humans have had a long relationship and we are now free to explore that relationship again. Second, hemp was criminalized in the first place by a collusion between big industry and racist senators. Various parts of the plant can be used to make paper, fuel, building materials, fabric, etc. Hemp can help wean us off fossil fuels and can reduce the need for logging. Another way hemp can play a part in a sustainable future is in the re-localization of our fiber (and other!) systems. Before hemp was criminalized in 1937 hemp was a vital part of farmsteads in Minnesota and across the country. With our new technologies, hemp can be part of a sustainable farmstead once again.
4. Hemp isn’t a new crop but it is a newly-rediscovered crop. Why hemp?
As I mentioned before, many of us "hempsters" see hemp as a "helper plant". It's uses are almost endless and the cannabidiol (CBD) and cannabinoid (CBN) found in the hemp plant have shown great promise in addressing chronic pain, anxiety, and even cancer.
5. Northern Minnesota can be a challenging place to farm. Many crops don’t do well here. What about hemp? How can this work and has there been a tradition of hemp here or is this something newly-introduced?
Hemp is extremely adaptable. It's not an accident that its psychoactive cousin, marijuana, is nicknamed weed. Some of the oldest examples of hemp usage are in colder climates, including Sibera. When hemp was criminalized in the US, it was still grown and utilized in many places, including eastern and northern Europe. The grandmother of most hemp seed varieties come from a strain developed in Finland. Our research has also shown that at one point, there were 11 hemp fiber mills in Minnesota. We've also been told there are wild hemp plants in various places around the state.
6. Where do you see hemp as part of agriculture locally and nationwide and where would you like to see this project going?
In addition to all the many, many products that can be made with hemp, it also can be a vital part of regenerative agriculture. It’s a bioaccumaltor and can help clean contaminated soil, it's been used in land restoration projects in Poland and Colorado, and the potential market for hemp products can help farmers break out of corn/soybeans/beets cycle. Our big project for the next few years will be our own pilot project utilizing hemp for a prairie restoration project.
7. How can hemp benefit local Tribes?
A lot of people are excited about hemp and the sheer number of uses of the plant means we need lots of people growing and processing hemp. Tribal investment in either of these aspects can provide revenue and opportunities for Tribal members. We have a lot of interest from local Tribes and are exploring options of establishing a local processing plant that would buy hemp from other local Tribes. We are also working with Tribes with fishery opporations to develop fish-based fertilizers that could also be part of this new hemp economy. Finally, our vision of a new hemp economy is based in sustainable methods and would benefit Tribes by helping to clean the environment (through reduction of chemical inputs and carbon sequestration).
8. How do consumers benefit from hemp?
Consumers benefit in a number of ways. Focusing on fiber; hemp has been shown to be more durable and long-lasting then cotton. Processed correctly, it also has anti-microbial and UV blocking properties. It doesn't produce micro-fibers that contaminate our waterways, and it can be blended with wool and other natural fibers to increase its thermal properties. Consumers that are concerned about their ecological footprint can also be assured that their hemp clothing uses less chemicals than cotton or cotton/polyblends. Buying locally made hemp clothing can also help consumers local economies.
9. What remains to be done before hemp is brought back as a viable crop?
Now that the new farm bill explicitly legalizes hemp our next biggest step is re-establishing the infrastructure for hemp processing. Hand-in-hand with that process is also getting more farmers growing and harvesting hemp. The next few years may be a bit slow in development as we also need to establish local seed producers.
10. Is there anything else you’d like to add?
I, like all the other hempsters, are super excited about the new farm bill and being part of the renaissance of hemp. I look forward to talking with interested folks at the 5th Annual Small Scale Sustainable Sheep Farming event.
11. Where can people find out more about you, Winona’s Hemp and Heritage Farm, the hemp project and the White Earth Land Recovery Project?
Our website is https://winonashemp.com. You can also join us at our second annual Hemp Conference February 28th at the Maplelag Resort in Callaway, MN.
Thank you again for taking the time to elaborate on this project and your work.
1. Would you tell me a bit about yourself and what got you interested in working with Winona LaDuke at her farm on White Earth Land Recovery Project? What is your job at Winona’s Hemp and Heritage Farm?
I've been following Winona's work since my undergrad days. Her writing informed a lot of my thinking on land rights, economic development, and what it means to be an environmentalist. While I was pursuing my master's in environmental engineering science, I had the opportunity to work with Winona at Honor the Earth. I've always had an interest in hemp and when she started her hemp farm, I offered to help work on that also. I don't really have an official title, but my main focus is research related to hemp markets, processing, and end uses.
2. What is the Hemp Project?
We are really excited by the potential for economic development through hemp. At Winona's Hemp, we are working to adapt varieties to the Northlands and connect the various pieces of the infrastructure required to process and sell hemp-based products. We are working closely with a number of local, regional, and national groups and individuals interested in hemp. We also have a partnership with Anishinaabe Agriculture Institute to develop hemp curriculum for Tribes and Tribal Colleges.
3. Sustainability means many things to many people, sustainable environmentally, sustainable community, sustainable production. How can hemp be a part of sustainability and what does that mean to you?
Sustainability to me has also meant a fundamental shift of how we define "economy" and "economics". People act like there are only two choices for an economic system, capitalism or communism. To me, sustainability means looking at the quality of life for humans and our non-human relatives. Sustainability is also about adaptability because even in a healthy ecosystem things are always changing and shifting. Hemp can be part of this in a number of ways. Firstly, the changing regulations around hemp (finally re-legalized after decades of suppression!!) re-opens our ability to have a relationship with a "helper plant". Whatever your opinions on marijuana are, it is undeniable that hemp and humans have had a long relationship and we are now free to explore that relationship again. Second, hemp was criminalized in the first place by a collusion between big industry and racist senators. Various parts of the plant can be used to make paper, fuel, building materials, fabric, etc. Hemp can help wean us off fossil fuels and can reduce the need for logging. Another way hemp can play a part in a sustainable future is in the re-localization of our fiber (and other!) systems. Before hemp was criminalized in 1937 hemp was a vital part of farmsteads in Minnesota and across the country. With our new technologies, hemp can be part of a sustainable farmstead once again.
4. Hemp isn’t a new crop but it is a newly-rediscovered crop. Why hemp?
As I mentioned before, many of us "hempsters" see hemp as a "helper plant". It's uses are almost endless and the cannabidiol (CBD) and cannabinoid (CBN) found in the hemp plant have shown great promise in addressing chronic pain, anxiety, and even cancer.
5. Northern Minnesota can be a challenging place to farm. Many crops don’t do well here. What about hemp? How can this work and has there been a tradition of hemp here or is this something newly-introduced?
Hemp is extremely adaptable. It's not an accident that its psychoactive cousin, marijuana, is nicknamed weed. Some of the oldest examples of hemp usage are in colder climates, including Sibera. When hemp was criminalized in the US, it was still grown and utilized in many places, including eastern and northern Europe. The grandmother of most hemp seed varieties come from a strain developed in Finland. Our research has also shown that at one point, there were 11 hemp fiber mills in Minnesota. We've also been told there are wild hemp plants in various places around the state.
6. Where do you see hemp as part of agriculture locally and nationwide and where would you like to see this project going?
In addition to all the many, many products that can be made with hemp, it also can be a vital part of regenerative agriculture. It’s a bioaccumaltor and can help clean contaminated soil, it's been used in land restoration projects in Poland and Colorado, and the potential market for hemp products can help farmers break out of corn/soybeans/beets cycle. Our big project for the next few years will be our own pilot project utilizing hemp for a prairie restoration project.
7. How can hemp benefit local Tribes?
A lot of people are excited about hemp and the sheer number of uses of the plant means we need lots of people growing and processing hemp. Tribal investment in either of these aspects can provide revenue and opportunities for Tribal members. We have a lot of interest from local Tribes and are exploring options of establishing a local processing plant that would buy hemp from other local Tribes. We are also working with Tribes with fishery opporations to develop fish-based fertilizers that could also be part of this new hemp economy. Finally, our vision of a new hemp economy is based in sustainable methods and would benefit Tribes by helping to clean the environment (through reduction of chemical inputs and carbon sequestration).
8. How do consumers benefit from hemp?
Consumers benefit in a number of ways. Focusing on fiber; hemp has been shown to be more durable and long-lasting then cotton. Processed correctly, it also has anti-microbial and UV blocking properties. It doesn't produce micro-fibers that contaminate our waterways, and it can be blended with wool and other natural fibers to increase its thermal properties. Consumers that are concerned about their ecological footprint can also be assured that their hemp clothing uses less chemicals than cotton or cotton/polyblends. Buying locally made hemp clothing can also help consumers local economies.
9. What remains to be done before hemp is brought back as a viable crop?
Now that the new farm bill explicitly legalizes hemp our next biggest step is re-establishing the infrastructure for hemp processing. Hand-in-hand with that process is also getting more farmers growing and harvesting hemp. The next few years may be a bit slow in development as we also need to establish local seed producers.
10. Is there anything else you’d like to add?
I, like all the other hempsters, are super excited about the new farm bill and being part of the renaissance of hemp. I look forward to talking with interested folks at the 5th Annual Small Scale Sustainable Sheep Farming event.
11. Where can people find out more about you, Winona’s Hemp and Heritage Farm, the hemp project and the White Earth Land Recovery Project?
Our website is https://winonashemp.com. You can also join us at our second annual Hemp Conference February 28th at the Maplelag Resort in Callaway, MN.
Thank you again for taking the time to elaborate on this project and your work.
Rebecca Thingvold
1. What is involved in being a spinning operator at a woolen mill?
Learning how to operate and maintain all of the equipment is of course, first and foremost in a mill operation. Along the way, we (the team) have to always evaluate and adjust to each and every type of fleece with relation to the effect of one type of machine processing going to the next. For example, the final step before spinning is pin drafting. There are very specific parameters required for the spinning machine that is accomplished at the pin drafting stage and each fiber/fleece is so different in how it behaves and what has to be done to get it to that level. I might be blending fibers at the pin drafter too which is another level of evaluation and adjustment.
2. You hand spin, has that been advantageous in your work at the mill?
I feel it is definitely advantageous being a hand spinner and applying techniques to the machine operations for good outcomes at the woolen mill. Having an understanding of wraps per inch, setts, balanced yarns, soft twists and hard twists are all adjustments that can be made on the machine and at the spinning wheel. Knowing what a certain wool can or might do, along with pushing a wool to its limits is also fun to explore so there are no set rules!
3. Before working at the mill, you’d spent a lot of time and energy taking workshops about various fiber arts. What are some of the techniques you focus on?
As a weaver and knitter, I have really focused on spinning for projects; such as twists per inch and/or wraps per inch in order to obtain the correct sett in weaving and gauge in knitting. Plying singles for the correct look has also been a focus. For example, if you are going to knit a cable pattern, 3 plies, singles twisted together, gives a more structured look and won't soften out of pattern. In weaving, softer or tighter spun yarns will give a more fulled or more rigid finish. So preparing for the finished look has been a strong focus along with obtaining the look with the correct finish.
4. You’ve served in the military in several capacities, thank you for your service. While you were serving, did you continue to pursue fiber art and if so, in what capacity?
You're very welcome! It was my pleasure to serve. I did continue my fiber art although time was limited. I found that continuing with it brought a calm and sense of self through some hard times. While deployed or down range while I was in full battle gear, I always kept a little pouch on my vest with a pair of socks going. So any down time we might have, while everyone else would break out their phones or what have you, I would knit! I really mastered short rounds for heels. It was funny that the guys were the ones that always asked questions and where fascinated by it. On drill weekends in the cities, I would bring my spinning wheel to spin in the evenings. So when it had a squeek one time and I didn't have my oil with me, I went into Steven B's store in Roseville (in uniform) the following day and asked if they had any spinning wheel oil. Steven B was there, looked me up and down, and said, "No, we don't, but you know you can use gun oil; it'll work great!". Never thought of that and have used it ever since.
5. In your biography for the Sheep Event, you say you’ve always been interested in art. From that interest, what got you interested in fiber art specifically?
Many years ago, my sister and her husband had a hobby shop and at the time, macrame and funky weaving were in style. Dates me a little, but they are both back! As I worked for them for a while, I would make different displays and go to the some of the product distributor classes so I got quite a taste for different arts including fiber. I found that's what I really liked. As a child, I had received a small loom from Santa and still use it to this day. It took me a while to come back to fiber arts and I think that was the weaving at St. Cloud State after which I bought my first floor loom.
6. Although you don’t raise sheep, you have extensive experience working with wool. Do you work with other fibers?
I do like to work with silk and linen, both in spinning and weaving and I do weave with many other fibers such as cotton, tencel, and rayons like bamboo.
7. You have researched fiber art techniques and wool qualities extensively and now you teach workshops. What are some of the workshops you teach and do you have anything available currently for those interested in learning more?
I offer spinning and weaving classes both privately and as workshops. My focus in teaching spinning is to evaluate the wool and spin it for it's best purpose such as woolen for outerwear or worsted for fine knits that might be next to the skin. Then knowing the correct techniques to get the effect you want. Right now classes are on demand through the Old Creamery Quilt Shop website/classes as taking on working at the mill has limited some of my time. I will be offering some workshops this spring and we have open studio at the Old Creamery Studio (upstairs at the Quilt Shop) where one can weave, spin, knit or just visit and get inspired! We are also looking at some workshops at the mill for various stages of wool prep and may include some dyeing.
8. Are there fiber art techniques you’d like to learn or teach in the future?
As we hope to offer wool dyeing in the future, I am going to be studying color and dyeing in the fleece. I have done quite a bit of skein dyeing so that might be some of the first classes we offer at the mill.
9. You will be talking about what sheep producers can get from their wool and what they can expect. Can you give any advice to people interested in taking their fleeces to a woolen mill?
Knowing what type of wool/sheep you have and what it's characteristics are good for is first and foremost in expectations. "Oh so soft!" is often not the best to spin; at least on machinery. The machinery has it's parameters of at least a 3" staple, or length, in order to spin. The max is 8-10". Crimp is another factor on whether or not you will get a good yarn that has good spring. We always do our best to give the customer the product they want, but it is not always possible and not guaranteed. We will make contact to suggest any alternatives. Calling or stopping in can be helpful to evaluate the wool and see what we might be able to do.
Cleanliness is always good. A lot of shepherds coat their sheep in order to keep chaff and other vegetable matter (VM) to a minimum. We require a good skirting. Finding a good shearer to avoid second cuts and who can help discern unusable parts of the fleece is a plus. Blowing out alpacas before shearing helps us out a lot.
10. Are all fleeces worth taking to the mill to be made into yarns or are there other ways wool can be used that would be appropriate for those fleeces that aren’t right for yarns?
Wool that is shorter than 3" have many other good uses. As wool is such a natural wicking material it can be used in a variety of other ways. For example, we can make needle felted batts or sheeting that can range from 1/8 inch to 3/4 inch thick for shoe inserts, quilt batts, and other sewing crafts. We can also just make "cloud" to be used for stuffing; pet beds, pillows, etc.
11. Is there anything else you’d like to add?
As we are a custom processing mill, we work with each fleece independently and separate from all others throughout the process. We love to know the kind of sheep/animal that it is and we love to know their name (even if it's just a number) and refer to it by name as we work with it! We'll give it the best care and attention we can and do our best to give you the best product we can.
12. Where can people find more information about you?
Periodically on the Old Creamery Quilt Shop Studio I post things like classes and upcoming events and we have been trying to post more on the Old Creamery Woolen Mill Facebook page.
Thank you for taking the time to share a little about your life and passion for wool. The mill can be reached at oldcreamerywoolenmill.com or (320) 749-2602.
Learning how to operate and maintain all of the equipment is of course, first and foremost in a mill operation. Along the way, we (the team) have to always evaluate and adjust to each and every type of fleece with relation to the effect of one type of machine processing going to the next. For example, the final step before spinning is pin drafting. There are very specific parameters required for the spinning machine that is accomplished at the pin drafting stage and each fiber/fleece is so different in how it behaves and what has to be done to get it to that level. I might be blending fibers at the pin drafter too which is another level of evaluation and adjustment.
2. You hand spin, has that been advantageous in your work at the mill?
I feel it is definitely advantageous being a hand spinner and applying techniques to the machine operations for good outcomes at the woolen mill. Having an understanding of wraps per inch, setts, balanced yarns, soft twists and hard twists are all adjustments that can be made on the machine and at the spinning wheel. Knowing what a certain wool can or might do, along with pushing a wool to its limits is also fun to explore so there are no set rules!
3. Before working at the mill, you’d spent a lot of time and energy taking workshops about various fiber arts. What are some of the techniques you focus on?
As a weaver and knitter, I have really focused on spinning for projects; such as twists per inch and/or wraps per inch in order to obtain the correct sett in weaving and gauge in knitting. Plying singles for the correct look has also been a focus. For example, if you are going to knit a cable pattern, 3 plies, singles twisted together, gives a more structured look and won't soften out of pattern. In weaving, softer or tighter spun yarns will give a more fulled or more rigid finish. So preparing for the finished look has been a strong focus along with obtaining the look with the correct finish.
4. You’ve served in the military in several capacities, thank you for your service. While you were serving, did you continue to pursue fiber art and if so, in what capacity?
You're very welcome! It was my pleasure to serve. I did continue my fiber art although time was limited. I found that continuing with it brought a calm and sense of self through some hard times. While deployed or down range while I was in full battle gear, I always kept a little pouch on my vest with a pair of socks going. So any down time we might have, while everyone else would break out their phones or what have you, I would knit! I really mastered short rounds for heels. It was funny that the guys were the ones that always asked questions and where fascinated by it. On drill weekends in the cities, I would bring my spinning wheel to spin in the evenings. So when it had a squeek one time and I didn't have my oil with me, I went into Steven B's store in Roseville (in uniform) the following day and asked if they had any spinning wheel oil. Steven B was there, looked me up and down, and said, "No, we don't, but you know you can use gun oil; it'll work great!". Never thought of that and have used it ever since.
5. In your biography for the Sheep Event, you say you’ve always been interested in art. From that interest, what got you interested in fiber art specifically?
Many years ago, my sister and her husband had a hobby shop and at the time, macrame and funky weaving were in style. Dates me a little, but they are both back! As I worked for them for a while, I would make different displays and go to the some of the product distributor classes so I got quite a taste for different arts including fiber. I found that's what I really liked. As a child, I had received a small loom from Santa and still use it to this day. It took me a while to come back to fiber arts and I think that was the weaving at St. Cloud State after which I bought my first floor loom.
6. Although you don’t raise sheep, you have extensive experience working with wool. Do you work with other fibers?
I do like to work with silk and linen, both in spinning and weaving and I do weave with many other fibers such as cotton, tencel, and rayons like bamboo.
7. You have researched fiber art techniques and wool qualities extensively and now you teach workshops. What are some of the workshops you teach and do you have anything available currently for those interested in learning more?
I offer spinning and weaving classes both privately and as workshops. My focus in teaching spinning is to evaluate the wool and spin it for it's best purpose such as woolen for outerwear or worsted for fine knits that might be next to the skin. Then knowing the correct techniques to get the effect you want. Right now classes are on demand through the Old Creamery Quilt Shop website/classes as taking on working at the mill has limited some of my time. I will be offering some workshops this spring and we have open studio at the Old Creamery Studio (upstairs at the Quilt Shop) where one can weave, spin, knit or just visit and get inspired! We are also looking at some workshops at the mill for various stages of wool prep and may include some dyeing.
8. Are there fiber art techniques you’d like to learn or teach in the future?
As we hope to offer wool dyeing in the future, I am going to be studying color and dyeing in the fleece. I have done quite a bit of skein dyeing so that might be some of the first classes we offer at the mill.
9. You will be talking about what sheep producers can get from their wool and what they can expect. Can you give any advice to people interested in taking their fleeces to a woolen mill?
Knowing what type of wool/sheep you have and what it's characteristics are good for is first and foremost in expectations. "Oh so soft!" is often not the best to spin; at least on machinery. The machinery has it's parameters of at least a 3" staple, or length, in order to spin. The max is 8-10". Crimp is another factor on whether or not you will get a good yarn that has good spring. We always do our best to give the customer the product they want, but it is not always possible and not guaranteed. We will make contact to suggest any alternatives. Calling or stopping in can be helpful to evaluate the wool and see what we might be able to do.
Cleanliness is always good. A lot of shepherds coat their sheep in order to keep chaff and other vegetable matter (VM) to a minimum. We require a good skirting. Finding a good shearer to avoid second cuts and who can help discern unusable parts of the fleece is a plus. Blowing out alpacas before shearing helps us out a lot.
10. Are all fleeces worth taking to the mill to be made into yarns or are there other ways wool can be used that would be appropriate for those fleeces that aren’t right for yarns?
Wool that is shorter than 3" have many other good uses. As wool is such a natural wicking material it can be used in a variety of other ways. For example, we can make needle felted batts or sheeting that can range from 1/8 inch to 3/4 inch thick for shoe inserts, quilt batts, and other sewing crafts. We can also just make "cloud" to be used for stuffing; pet beds, pillows, etc.
11. Is there anything else you’d like to add?
As we are a custom processing mill, we work with each fleece independently and separate from all others throughout the process. We love to know the kind of sheep/animal that it is and we love to know their name (even if it's just a number) and refer to it by name as we work with it! We'll give it the best care and attention we can and do our best to give you the best product we can.
12. Where can people find more information about you?
Periodically on the Old Creamery Quilt Shop Studio I post things like classes and upcoming events and we have been trying to post more on the Old Creamery Woolen Mill Facebook page.
Thank you for taking the time to share a little about your life and passion for wool. The mill can be reached at oldcreamerywoolenmill.com or (320) 749-2602.