Woollyboogers Icelandic Sheep

03/10/2026

https://www.facebook.com/MarylandSheepandWoolFestival

More sheep and wool than you can imagine, always the first full weekend in May -- May 2 & 3, 2026

01/06/2026

01/04/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/r/14SZUhScAfx/

12/24/2025

Join us January 7 (7–8 p.m. EST) for an engaging webinar:

Shave ’Em to Save ’Em – Connecting Shepherds with New Markets
Hear from two successful shepherds who are building strong markets for rare breed wool:

• Gabriella Nanci, Belle Fourche Farm (Teeswater, Leicester Longwool, Dorset Horn)

• Diana Dougherty, Hestia’s Homestead (Navajo Churro sheep)

They’ll be joined by marketing specialist Brittany Sweeney, who will share practical tips on promoting wool and fiber products through social media and other outlets.
If you’re interested in conservation, wool marketing, or connecting with new customers, this webinar is for you.

Register here: https://bit.ly/SE2webinar

12/23/2025

In Iceland, Christmas does not begin with noise or excess. It begins quietly, with books. Long before gifts are unwrapped or meals are finished, families exchange books on Christmas Eve in a tradition called Jólabókaflóð, which translates to Christmas Book Flood. Once the books are opened, the evening slows down. People settle in, turn the lights low, and read.

The tradition took shape during World War II. Imported goods were scarce, but paper was still available, and books were affordable. Publishers leaned into it, releasing most new titles just before Christmas. Over time, giving books became expected, then cherished. It was not about luxury. It was about time, silence, and stories shared under one roof.

Today, the tradition is still going strong. Iceland has one of the highest literacy rates in the world, and this custom plays a role in that. On Christmas Eve, homes grow quiet as pages turn, often with a cup of hot chocolate nearby. No rush, no spectacle. Just a country agreeing that the best way to spend the night is with a good book.

12/18/2025

WINTERFEST 2026 IS COMING!
January 24-25, 2026
Join us online for our 5th annual virtual festival of classes and seminars for fiber artists and shepherds featuring fabulous instructors and presenters. Felting, spinning, fiber prep, weaving, crochet, visible mending, knitting and shepherds seminars as well.
Free Keynote Lecture: A Year in the Life of an Independent Fiber Artist and Dyer
Mark your calendars!
REGISTRATION OPENS Sunday, November 9th at 2pmEST at
https://sheepandwool.org/winterfest-2026/

10/24/2025

The Fiber Arts Seminar Committee invites instructors from every heritage, culture, belief system, and lifestyle to submit a teaching proposal for the 2026 Festival.

If you are interested in offering a seminar, class, or lecture in 2026, please use our online proposal form, available at https://sheepandwool.org/participate/teach-a-class/.

The deadline for submissions is July 15, 2025.

03/21/2025

Dr. Temple Grandin discusses the importance of protecting genetic diversity in animal agriculture through heritage breed livestock conservation.

07/30/2023

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=749060437229581&set=a.611773757624917

07/06/2023

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=653051453523748&set=a.447677670727795

Details on the new bear sighting. Was not by Li's buffet apparently, but by highland avenue