Rhinebeck Re-Cap
Sennie (green sweater), Jimmy Powers (man wearing hat), with their sheep CVM in front, Leicester Longwool in rear)
Another year has come and gone of one of the most soul-filling weekends (and most exhausting!) in the calendar year: Rhinebeck weekend. So much preparation is involved: dyeing wool, ordering needles, making more lavender sachets, finishing samples, ordering vet checks for the sheep, constructing the sheep transport crate in the back of the truck…, and the list goes on and on. We pack all day Wednesday, travel Thursday, and set up the barn for the Sheep Breed Display (drop off our sheep, too!). All day Friday, Jeri and Jess check in shepherds at the Sheep Breed Display for the approximately 20 farms who participate in the sheep breed display barn while Mikel and I work to set up our vendor booth down the row in Building 36.
What about this chaotic weekend makes it soul-filling? Is it the cider donuts? The sweaters? The scenery? Yes and no. Mostly, it is the camaraderie, the education we can provide, and the love of wool.
At Flying Fibers, our goal has always been “Preservation through education of rare breed sheep and wool,” since 2001, Jeri (and then me) have been working to bring the best of longwool and rare breed British wool yarn to the public. Over the years, we have been fortunate to build a group of amazing friends who step up and make it happen with us this weekend. The laughter, the support, and the friendships make the tiring weekend feel lighter. During the weekend, Mikel and I work to sell yarn and chat to crafters about the importance of leaning into rare breeds and what each breed is perfect for in the knitting and crafting world. Jeri and Jess work with the sheep and educate the public on the importance of our sheep breeds in Barn 28. This year, we brought two breeds we love to talk about: Wensleydale and Leicester Longwool. In prior years, we have just brought a Wensleydale, or Shetlands and Wensleydales, but after a last-minute retirement-driven shepherd change, we needed to find an LL breeder fast. It just so happens that we have raised them since 2013 - it was the perfect solution for us to add our sweet Elvira to the display and bring her along with Timi, our breed-up Wensleydale foundation ewe.
We met fantastic new friends this weekend and reconnected with familiar faces who made us feel at home. The weekend was complete, bright, and such a filling experience for the importance of sheep and wool. Thank you to the committee members who worked tirelessly to make it happen throughout the year, the volunteers who came out in droves for the weekend, and all of the shepherds and other vendors who made the fairgrounds complete, for the love of sheep and wool.
If you feel like you had Rhinebeck FOMO, our friends at Backyard Green Films had a tremendous livestream going all weekend; check it out here.
Day 1: https://www.youtube.com/live/lAEKNC4_pag?si=sfibpKzndeVq7MA6
Day 2: https://www.youtube.com/live/DfGWJ7TqY4E?si=g5OqPlWY8bPo3O96
First row photos (L to R): Jeri, Irina & Sennie ready for Day 1. Sennie with Elvira at the sheep selfie zone. Mikel and a glimpse of Irina in a packed booth. The breed talk tent where many gather to hear about the various breeds and beginning shepherds talk.
Second row photos (L to R): N.A Wensleydale display. Irina & Mikel after teardown. Leicester Longwool display. 2024 Rhinebeck booth.