Steward Spotlight #3: Autumn Larch Farm LLC

Name

Jane Hansen

Farm Name

Autumn Larch Farm LLC

Website

autumnlarchfarm.wordpress.com

How did you get into farming and what age did you decide you wanted to live on a farm?

When my then fiancé, now husband, Chris moved to Chicago to be with me, he made me promise that our time there was temporary. As an aside, he enjoyed that time much more than he expected :), but we set a time-frame of three years and started looking for a location to move to in Northern WI. We found a 40 acre site in Ogema, WI with a small home and I began to think about how we should make the best use of our new property. I started by growing a market garden. Then I got egg layers and meat chickens. In 2009, I started to keep feeder lambs (born elsewhere and raised here for meat). In 2012 I got my breeding stock and began to lamb here on the farm. I was 36 when I moved to the farm and 45 when I got sheep. I hadn't always thought about being a farmer. But, it was funny that when I was going through some papers a number of years ago, I found an aptitude test that I had taken when I was working in Chicago and I scored really highly on agriculture. Who knows, maybe that stayed in my subconscious and helped to steer me towards this lifestyle.

What made you want to have fiber animals?

My grandma taught me to knit when I was really, really little - like 4 or 5 years old and I learned early on that I loved to work with my hands. Getting fiber animals was just working closer and closer to the source of fiber for my love of fiber arts.

What surprised you the most about raising fiber animals?

How smart and observant farmers/livestock producers have to be to care for their animals well and make a living off their vocation.

Tell us something unique about your breed of fiber animal.

Coopworth sheep are a relatively new breed, having been developed in New Zealand in the 1950's by crossing Border Leicester and Romney sheep. Romeldale CVM are one of the few, or maybe the only breed of sheep that actually get finer fiber as they get older rather than coarser fiber as is the norm.

From a farming/shepherding perspective, what are you most proud of?

That I have figured out ways to successfully tackle the challenges that the climate, the unique characteristics of my piece of land and the animals themselves have dished out.

What does a typical day on the farm look like for you?

I get up and do a quick meditation, have a little breakfast, feed the dogs and cat and then head out to feed the sheep and ducks. In the winter that means sliding the haysled out to the sheep loaded with hay and water and in the summer that means hauling water and setting up fence to give the sheep a new patch of pasture to work on for the day. Each day is different, which I love, but a typical pattern develops that involves answering e-mails, weeding in the garden, deciding what to harvest, whether to start something in the dye-vat or skirt a fleece or card some wool for dryer balls or make a batch of soap. The weather plays into every decision and can short circuit a plan in an instant. I usually have something fermenting - kombucha all the time, and yogurt, sauerkraut, indigo (not with success, yet), suint, etc. If I'm fortunate, I have a package or packages to send out from online orders. There is usually some updating to do on my online store or blog and I try to update my Instagram feed regularly. I coordinate a fiber guild and a knitting group that each meet monthly and I like to continually learn more through webinars, reading and conferences. A little break for teatime in the afternoon is important to us. It is a rewarding lifestyle with lots of time outside and flexibility to change direction when an opportunity presents itself. Life on a farm definitely doesn't allow time to be bored!

What made you want to be a part of the Three Rivers Fibershed?

I was searching for ways to market my wool and came across an opportunity to attend a producer workshop being hosted by the Three Rivers Fibershed. I was thrilled with the opportunity to learn alongside other producers facing similar challenges and opportunities. I love the constraints of local fiber, local labor and local dye and the sustainability/regenerative agriculture ethic of Fibershed. I'm grateful for the education and co-promotion that Three Rivers Fibershed can provide to benefit all the member producers.

Where can we find your product?

Here on the farm, at various fiber festivals and online here.

Favorite fiber arts activity?

I love to spin, but knitting is definitely my all-time favorite!

Favorite color?

Midnight Blue

Introvert, extrovert or somewhere in the middle?

I guess I'm a gregarious introvert.

Anything else you want us to know?

I hope to meet all of you face to face one of these days! In the meantime, I'm really looking forward to visiting with you all on Instagram, etc.

All photos courtesy of Autumn Larch Farm LLC

Steward Spotlight #2: Wool & Feather Farm

Name

Melissa Todd

Farm Name

Wool & Feather Farm

Website

woolnfeatherfarm.etsy.com

How did you get into farming and what age did you decide you wanted to live on a farm?

Our farm story started in 2002. My husband and I had just purchased our first home with acreage. I wanted to raise ducks for eggs and maybe get a few goats, but instead we were given two sheep as a house warming gift. Sheep and fiber animals were never on my radar but now I wound't give it up.

What made you want to have fiber animals?

I first fell in love with the gentleness of our sheep, their wool was just an added bonus. The more I learned about sheep and wool the more my fascination with fiber grew. When it was time to add to our flock, one of the reasons I choose Shetlands was for their wide variety of colors and patterns.

What surprised you the most about raising fiber animals?

How fleeces can vary from year to year. How diet, stress and over all health impact the fiber they process. There is nothing better than getting those beautiful fleeces on shearing day knowing you did your part by keeping your animals healthy and happy.

Tell us something unique about your breed of fiber animal.

We raise Shetlands. If not sheared, they will naturally shed or roo their fleeces. We like to shear early March to make sure we beat the rooing process. If left unsheared they will rub and scratch on fences to rid themselves of their wool.

From a farming/shepherding perspective, what are you most proud of?

I am most proud of the relationships and connections I have made in my community. It took some time but I was able to grow my fiber business into what I had hoped it would be. Our focus is on the health of our sheep, in return they provide the quality fiber used in our products.

What does spring on the farm look like?

In the spring the sheep are sheared and have had their first nice rinse of rain water. Time is spent watching and evaluating their conditions after winter. In late spring pasture management is important. Also, the sheep are just getting back to eating green so easing them into their new diet takes some planning. This time of year also brings lots of repairs. Winter is hard on fences and gates!

What made you want to be a part of the Three Rivers Fibershed?

For me Three Rivers Fibershed is a way to connect to other producers and makers around me. To share knowledge, experiences and resources.

Where can we find your product?

Wool & Feather fiber and finished goods can be found on our Etsy page and in local stores in and around the Eau Claire, WI area.

Favorite fiber arts activity?

Weaving. I love to create woven pieces with our natural colored yarns.

Favorite color?

Changes all the time, right now yellow.

Introvert, extrovert or somewhere in the middle?

Introvert.

Anything else you want us to know?

We often do local farmer markets and art shows in Wisconsin and Minnesota. Check our social media pages for more details.

All photos courtesy of Wool & Feather Farm

Steward Spotlight #1: Namekagon Valley Farm & Studio

Name

Kelly Nechuta

Farm Name

Namekagon Valley Farm & Studio

Website

http://www.namekagonvalleyfarm.com/

How did you get into farming and what age did you decide you wanted to live on a farm?

I have always had a love for animals and the outdoors, loved visiting my grandparents dairy farm and hanging out in the barn with the cows & kitties, going on fall hay rides with my cousins, and I've always had a thing for horses. I think the moment that stands out to me knowing I wanted to live on a farm was an early morning hay pickup with a friend in high school, loading the bales in the early morning while the rooster crowed and all the animals were waking up. Our farm has built up slowly, we started with vacant land and have been adding more every year.

What made you want to have fiber animals?

I didn't come to sheep from a fiber background, but rather as a biocontrol measure for spotted knapweed. We started with a group of Icelandic and Gotland sheep, both breeds known for browsing as well as grazing. We transitioned to all Gotland sheep when we fell in love with their gorgeous fiber and friendly personalities.

What surprised you the most about raising fiber animals?

The different voices of the sheep, and how from a distance I can identify individuals by their baaaa.

Tell us something unique about your breed of fiber animal.

Gotland sheep are not only a beautiful pasture ornament (which, they are!) they are also multi-purpose in every aspect of their life. They produce gorgeous grey curls twice a year through shearing, and because we are up-breeding to the Gotland standard, any market lambs for gourmet meat also provide the finest sheepskin pelts, just like their traditional Swedish ancestors. We believe in honoring the whole animal and Gotland sheep allow us to treasure them for years to come.

From a farming/shepherding perspective, what are you most proud of?

I am most proud of building our farm from scratch - taking a field of spotted knapweed and increasing the biodiversity on our land through rotational grazing.

What does a typical day on the farm look like for you?

Daily farm life changes with the seasons, which is my favorite part. There is no typical day, but part of every day is flock checks, fence checks, water and feeding, and observing. During the spring there is shearing and lambing, in the summer we are moving fences every other day for grazing, in the fall we shear again, and in the winter we make sure everyone is cozy. Right now is spring, and we are in the middle of lambing season. So we are checking them every 2-3 hours for signs of labor, monitoring the lambs and mommas, and watching our pastures grow in eager anticipation of their first days on grass. We have many projects that happen in the spring like hooking up waterline, moving fence-lines, checking electric, replacing gates, and general repair. Watching the lamb races in the evening is a staple of daily life right now! I've been posting videos in our Instagram stories if you've never seen a group of lambs race as fast as their little legs can possibly carry them!

What made you want to be a part of the Three Rivers Fibershed?

The mission of Three Rivers Fibershed aligns with my vision for our farm. It is exciting to connect with other shepherds around the area who share the same values and produce outstanding products right here in the midwest. Connecting with fiber artists and seeing what they create from our wool has been amazing.

Where can we find your product?

www.namekagonvalleyfarm.com - we are now shipping some stunning raw fleeces, sheepskin pelts, and other farm products!

Favorite fiber arts activity?

Needlefelting, especially with Gotland curls

Favorite color?

Green - the color of life!

Introvert, extrovert or somewhere in the middle?

Mostly an introvert, but I do love talking about sheep and flowers!

Anything else you want us to know?

We also grow specialty cut flowers, market produce, and raise pastured poultry.

All photos courtesy of Namekagon Valley Farm & Studio

Pop Up Natural Dye Seedling and Seed Sale!

When: Sunday May 19th from 1 p.m. - 4 p.m.

Where: Weavers Guild of Minnesota

3000 University Ave SE #110, Minneapolis, MN 55414

Join the Three Rivers Fibershed on Sunday, May 19th for a natural dye seedling and seed sale at the Weavers Guild of Minnesota! Drop by this free event anytime from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. to purchase seedlings and seeds to get your dye garden started. Marigold, Coreopsis, Calendula, Rudbeckia, Cosmos, and Hollyhocks seedlings will be for sale in addition to Marigold and Coreopsis seeds. Marigold, Calendula, and Cosmos come in 4 packs and cost $4.00 (tax included) and Coreopsis, Rudbeckia, and Hollyhocks are sold as single plants for $4.00 each (tax included). The Three Rivers Fibershed will also be bringing some natural dye seeds for a seed swap, so bring anything from your stash you’d like to contribute. Come early, as the event is first come first serve!

If you have any questions, please contact the Three Rivers Fibershed at (920) 277-8100 or threeriversfibershed@gmail.com.

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One Year One Outfit Update

Join us for the next three events in the One Year One Outfit series to dive into locally woven fabric, planning your own dye garden, and a hands on natural dye class with locally foraged materials. And in case you missed the kickoff or simply want to review the slides from the presentation on what One Year One Outfit is, they can be found here.

Note about the location and carpooling: If you’d like to attend any of the events below but need a ride, check out our One Year One Outfit Loomio group to find someone to carpool with!  A link to the Loomio group can be found here.

All One Year One Outfit events are held in the event room at Vernon Oaks Apartments located at 5400 Vernon Ave S, Edina, MN 55436. The entrance to Vernon Oaks is located directly off of Vernon Ave S. and comes after Villa Way. There will be a large wood and brick sign with the building name and address. There is parking throughout and around the driveway. The entrance to the building will be on the right side of the roundabout driveway. Signs will be posted to assist with way finding. Once inside, the event room is located up the stairs and to the left, on the second floor. If you need to get ahold of someone on the day of the event, please call (920) 277-8100 for assistance. 

We hope to see you at one of the upcoming events! 

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Tea, Cakes, and Weaving Potluck
Sunday April 28th
10 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Featuring Special Guest Marian Dahlberg of Small Dog Weaving Mill with a Producer Spotlight on Jane Hansen of Autumn Larch Farm

This month’s meeting will take a special focus on weaving, highlighting two ways to create local cloth while building our fiber community. For folks who are looking to learn more about their options for creating local cloth for your outfit, this meeting will get you on the right track! The event will feature multiple presentations to provide awareness of resources, instructors, and producers available locally. To make things cozier and encourage community-building, the event will feature a tea and cake potluck. Bring a box of tea or a sweet treat to share! All sweets welcome: cakes, cookies, muffins, etc.
 
Presentations will begin around 11:30 a.m. and include:

Information on classes led by local fiber artist and instructor, Kala Exworthy, whose classes include “Weaving to Sew” for both floor loom and rigid heddle weavers.
 
Marian Dahlberg of Small Dog Weaving Mill will present information about her services as a weaving mill that turns local yarn into local yardage!
 
And the Producer Spotlight will feature local producer Jane Hansen of Autumn Larch Farm. Jane is committed to living sustainably on her Northern Wisconsin farm where she raises Coopworth sheep. This is a wonderful opportunity to learn about Jane’s experience as a shepherdess and about the unique qualities of the Coopworth sheep breed. 

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Wool Bar & Wine Tasting
Sunday June 2nd
5 p.m. - 7 p.m. 

Join the Three Rivers Fibershed and A Woolen Forest for a Wool Bar & Wine Tasting!

The Wool Bar will feature raw wool and yarn samples from the various sheep breeds grown by local producers as well as samples from rare and heritage breed sheep. Learn about and experience the unique qualities, strengths, and characteristics of each different breed. Guests will see firsthand how each sheep breed differs in staple length, crimp, and texture. To further awaken the senses, relevant wine pairings with a selection of the breeds featured will be provided.
 
While you sip, there will be a lively discussion on the environmental impact and importance of preserving these breeds and of supporting breed specific yarn and your local fibershed.
 
The cost of the event is $30/person.

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Natural Bundle Dye Workshop with Northern Dyer
Saturday June 29th 
10 a.m. - 1 p.m.

Libby London of Northern Dyer will be leading a natural dye workshop exploring the art of bundle dyeing with locally foraged plants. In this workshop, Libby will walk you through how to create beautiful hues on a silk scarf through bundle dyeing. By the end of class you’ll have learned the basic techniques of bundle dyeing and leave with a beautiful, naturally dyed scarf.
 
The cost of the workshop is $20/person with more information about registration to come. In the meantime, please RSVP if you plan to attend! 

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Save the Date!

What: Three Rivers Fibershed Marketplace 

Where: Salem Glen Winery 

When: June 8th-9th, 2019

Join us for a weekend of local fiber, local dyes, local labor, and local wine in Rochester, MN! On Saturday June 8th and Sunday June 9th the Three Rivers Fibershed will have a Marketplace at the Salem Glen Winery. The Marketplace will feature local producers/mills from within the Three Rivers Fibershed strategic geography. It will be a great opportunity to meet your local producers and purchase yarn, roving, pelts, fleeces and finished goods, all raised and made within 175 miles of Minneapolis, Minnesota.

For individuals interested in participating, a link to the vendor application for this juried show can be found here.

Hope to see you there and please spread the news!

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One Year One Outfit Kickoff

Are you interested in being part of a group of individuals who take on the "one year one outfit" challenge? One year one outfit is a maker challenge where participants aim to make a locally sourced outfit in one year using the Fibershed principles of Local Fiber, Local Labor, and Local Dyes. The Three Rivers Fibershed is facilitating the formation of a group to support each other in working to create local outfits starting with the first of four events to help support folks interested in giving it a try!

Join us Saturday January 12, 2019 from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. for our kickoff event which will feature Three Rivers Fibershed producers selling their locally grown and processed fiber for purchase to help you get the materials needed to start your outfits, in addition to a brief discussion around one year one outfit with a Q&A time, which will happen around 12:30. The event is free and open to any who are interested in learning more about this challenge to explore our regional fiber system and tell its stories. Producers present include:

• Whetstone Farm

• Dresow Family Farm

• Sunrise River Alpacas

• Harvest Hills Acres

• Autumn Larch Farm LLC

Note about the location: The event will be held at Vernon Oaks Apartments in the event room. The entrance to Vernon Oaks is located directly off of Vernon Ave S. and comes after Villa Way. There will be a large wood and brick sign with the building name and address. There is parking throughout and around the driveway. The entrance to the building will be on the right side of the roundabout driveway. We will have signs posted. Once inside, the event room is located up the stairs and to the left, on the second floor. If you need to get ahold of someone day of the event please call (920) 277-8100 for assistance.

Vernon Oaks Apartments is located at 5400 Vernon Avenue South, Edina, MN, 55436.

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Calling all fiber producers within the Three Rivers Fibershed!

In August 2017, the Three Rivers Fibershed was awarded a micro-grant from the Northern California Fibershed. The focus of the grant centers on local producers who are isolated from resources and sustainable fiber production communities. By beginning to facilitate a network of producers who can find support within the Three Rivers Fibershed region, we hope to see the fiber aspect of their farm not only sustain them, but flourish. Producers will have support to work together to build fiber community that is making a profit off of their fiber products with ample access to avenues for markets. There will be a system of active, engaged local fiber producers working together to support the collective fiber community within our Fibershed, with some fiber producers willing to step into leadership roles to facilitate ongoing producer education around any of the challenges producers within our Fibershed are facing. This local producer support system will be built on a foundation where it is self-sustaining and self-regulating: what can local producers do for local producers? Empowering local producers to rely on each other for insight, guidance, and community building.

So what will the project look like and when is it happening?

Three Rivers Fibershed will host and moderate two, in-person local producer workshops, offered at no cost to producers, with presentations by members of our fiber community. The first workshop on October 21, 2017, from 10am-5pm, will place a focus on our Fibershed’s collective strengths and challenges, marketing, branding, product presentation, telling the story of your farm and its fiber, and connecting with consumers and appropriate markets for optimal financial value. This workshop will be held at the farm of Lydia’s Flock in Harris, MN, lunch and workshop materials will be provided.

The second workshop, slated for January 2018, will focus on basic regenerative grazing practices to improve pasture health and sequester carbon, fleece health and shearing for high value fleeces, raising sheep for high value fiber, funding opportunities to grow your fiber operation, tracking fiber sales and expenses, and utilizing the MN State Colleges Farm Business Management program.

These workshops will be paired with one-on-one farm visits by our Producer Outreach Coordinator, who will, using a basis analysis for each producer’s fiber operations, assist producers in identifying internal and external successes and challenges of their individual operation. Information collected on farm visits will be used to determine the top five needs of producers in our area. By determining the top needs of our producers and providing free resources through our workshops, we believe a network of producers will be created. Within this network our producers can find support from their fellow producers and access to consumers within our Fibershed to sustain the fiber aspect of their farm.

Why focus on local producers?

Our project is designed to address the needs of aspiring and established local fiber producers within the Three Rivers Fibershed. Many of our producers are looking for a support system in order to sell value-added products while connecting with consumers who will pay a premium for locally grown and produced fiber as well as share information around small-scale sustainable shepherding–including but not limited to optimal grazing practices, finding a shearer, parasite management, insight as to which fiber animals flourish in our climate, and locating a mentor.

The need for this project is great. Within our Fibershed, the availability of in-person venues for sales and education around local fiber is significantly limited or unavailable, highly inconsistent or inappropriate for our producers. The second challenge comes through the lack of proper branding and packaging of local fiber to pique consumer interest, resulting in missed opportunities for producers to share the story of each local producer’s farm and fiber.

Producers have shared that local fiber is not seen as value-added and believe many consumers are unwilling to pay a premium for local fiber. There is a feeling that local producers are up against the commercial sheep industry in our radius who see wool as a by-product, resulting in some producers throwing away or burning raw fiber directly after shearing. Additionally, rural fiber producers often feel isolated and out on their own, without a support network in which to connect with fellow fiber producers in their area and establish markets that fit with or is fair to their price point.

What are the desired outcomes of this project?

There are four outcomes of this project. First, we will encourage and empower producers within our Fibershed to work together as a community in collaboration, supporting each other in the marketing and growing of the market for local fiber in ways and terms that best fit the needs of each individual farm as well as the overall community. Second, we will help local producers establish foundational avenues to venues that are appropriate for fiber being sold at the optimal price point. Third, we will assist producers in determining what farming practices are adding value and how to maximize it; by offering resources to connect to a local producer support system, producers can realistically adjust goals. And finally, our project will catalyze our long-term outcome of building a local fiber community that is making a profit off of their fiber products while simultaneously building nutrient dense soils on their farms through sustainable and regenerative grazing practices.

How can I sign up?

If you are interested in participating in these workshops as well as the one-on-one farm visit with our Producer Outreach Coordinator, sign-up for the first workshop can be found here. After registering for the workshop, we ask that you fill out the basic demographic survey, found here. If you have any other questions, feel free to contact us at threeriversfibershed@gmail.com.

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Cultivating a Fibershed

Icelandic and Shetland sheep provide local fiber and environmental benefits. Photo by Jared Strand.

What is a "fibershed" and why does it matter? First, we can look at what we know about our current clothing system, and then what we can do differently right here at home.

The plentiful availability of cheap clothing has come at an inordinate cost to humanity and our environment.  Increasingly, clothing manufacturers prey on societies with poor, challenged, or unstable economies, where garment work often means placing ones life at risk each day in dangerous and potentially deadly working environments, working long hours, earning the most meager of wages in order to keep their family from starvation. Disposable clothing is the order of the day with styles quickly changing with the seasons and lack of quality in materials used to make what we wear each day.  Cheap clothing wears out quickly and isn’t easily repairable. Supply chains are difficult or impossible to identify and chemicals and dyes used in garment production and construction pollute soil and waterways, destroying food and drinking water sources of communities nearby.

A "fibershed" is a strategic geography, like a foodshed or watershed, a way to engage our community and local resources. The Fibershed model allows small farms to produce fiber while maintaining a diverse and healthy ecosystem in small pockets. The Three Rivers Fibershed focuses on a radius of 175 miles from the Textile Center in Minneapolis, and includes portions of Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, and South Dakota.  

Fibershed places the responsibility of where our clothing comes from- its production and construction- in our hands and within our community. It offers transparency, traceability, and accountability to each individual involved from the provider to processor to consumer. Fibershed champions the use of sustainable, locally sourced raw animal and vegetable fiber which has been ethically grown and raised, purchased at a fair price from environmentally responsible producers, and finally processed in a safe environment where all workers are treated and paid fairly. Consumers are deliberate and intentional in their clothing purchases, buying less clothing, but that is made to last a lifetime, whose story and background forms a direct and personal connection between producer and consumer while supporting a local industry with familiar faces and direct contact.

By supporting local farmers we can encourage climate beneficial fiber production: decreasing greenhouse gases through managed grazing, which sequesters carbon in the soil by locking it to nitrogen in animal wastes. In addition to reducing climate-warming gases, these practices minimize methane and ammonia production rather than creating excess waste through feed lots.  Garments made of this long-wearing fiber represent carbon that is going to remain inert and out of circulation for a longer period of time. 

Lastly, a Fibershed encourages community building and connections between consumers and producers, fostering personal satisfaction by knowing we are making a difference on a small scale, as part of a larger movement.

Thus far the Three Rivers Fibershed is spearheaded by a small steering committee, and we hope you'll join in and contribute in any capacity, as we post events, resources, and more ways to connect to one another.