Connecticut Sheep Breeders Association, Inc.

2009 T-shirts were a hit and an instant sell out. Contact us if you would like to special order one!

You can win $150 by designing the winning 2010 shirt! 

Entries accepted until January 18, 2010

101st Annual Sheep, Wool & Fiber Festival 

Saturday, April 24, 2010
Rain or Shine
9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Tolland Agricultural Center
Route 30, Vernon/Rockville, CT

2009 info left for reference - check back often the 2010 details!

The Connecticut Sheep, Wool and Fiber Festival will be celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2009.  The festival,  started in 1909 by the CT Sheep Breeders Association, as a program “to promote the keeping of sheep in Connecticut”, has evolved and expanded into a premier sheep and fiber festival by providing exhibits, demonstrations and vendors from the sheep, wool and fiber arena.  This event is a delightful agricultural and learning experience for the general public as well as shepherds and fiber enthusiasts.  Exhibits and activities include: sheep exhibits, shearing demonstrations; vendors, fleece sale, educational lectures; ox cart rides, wool skirting, a sheep dog trial, fleece to shawl contests, kids corner, knitting instruction, ask the veterinarian, food, vendors, ox cart rides, festival logo shirts,  music, vendors and fun.

 Contact us if you would like to volunteer to assist with our festival

Be part of creating the World's Longest Scarf!

Knit/crochet an inch or more $10 an inch - all proceeds go to Heifer International. (Located in the Red Barn Fleece Sale Area) Festival visitors can: knit or crochet an inch or more, sponsor a volunteer or another festival visitor to knit or crochet, bring donations of already knitted scarf (and dollars raised), bring yarn from their "stashes" or purchase yarn from one of the festival vendors.

For more information and scarf directions, email Anne McIntyre-Lahner

Printable 2009 Flyer ~ Page 1 JPEG ~ Page 2 JPEG ~ Publisher File

Festival contacts

Contact the appropriate person below for entry forms, rules, or information.

Event Co-chairs

Randy Knight (860) 486-2035 (Let ring 8 times, leave message)    email

Dennie Burak (860) 526-3883    email

Vendors

Tracy Zulick, DVM   email     View List of 2009 Vendors

Sheep Dog Trial: Behind Green Barn

Sylvia Murray (860) 303-7940   email         Dog Trial Entry Info

Fleece Sale: Red Barn: All Day

No entry fees or commissions for CSBA members!!

$5.00 entry fee/fleece for non members (Membership $20.00)

Drop-off Friday by appointment only or  Saturday 8 - 9 AM

Anne McIntyre-Lahner (203) 458-3070  email

Fleece Sale Registration Form     Fleece Sale Card       Fleece Sale Instructions

Fleece to Shawl Contest: Red Barn 10 AM -2 PM

1st Place-$200.00, 2nd-$160, 3rd-$120, 4th-$100

Deadline for entry form April 15, 2009

Contact: Regina Malsbury (860) 742-5483

Shopping All buildings: Vendors will be selling fiber & yarn, crafts, livestock supplies, soap, jewelery, spinning and weaving supplies and a variety of other items.

Gold Building-All Day

Shepherds' Cafe - Enjoy hot drinks, orange juice, bagels & donuts in the AM. Lunch items range from burger and hotdogs to delicious lamb stew!

Festival T Shirts - While Supplies Last - proceeds benefit our association ($15)

CSBA Lapel Pins  - New! - Logo lapel pins, perfect for your hat or lapel ($3)

The Connecticut Blanket & Door Prize - Beautiful, cozy blankets, custom woven with wool from Connecticut Farms, will be for sale . Entry forms for the blanket door prize available at the CSBA table. One per family. Drawing 3 PM

Outdoors

Ox Cart Rides: Starting by Green Barn: The CT Whiplash Teamsters and 4-H Club will offer rides in an ox drawn cart, weather permitting.

Pavilion: Lost Acres String Band performs 11AM - 2PM.

Kids Korner: sponsored by Twist of Fate Spinnery - A place for children to explore many fiber activities and just have fun playing games.

Free Seminars in the White Barn

All Day - Learn various crocheting skills with members of the Happily Hooked On Crocheting Guild

9:00 - Knitting Class - Introduction to knitting with Dennie Burak

10:00 - Two Color Knitting - with Second Sunday Spinners

11:00 - Navajo and Cable Ply Spinning Demo  - with Cathy Andreson

12:00 - Spinning Bee - bring your wheel and participate in this contest for cah prizes! Run by Ewe & I 4-H Club

1:00 - Locker Hooking Demo - with Pam Blasco

Free Seminars in the Elliot Building

9:00 - New England Fiber Festival - Planning Meeting

10:00 - National Animal Identification System (NAIS) - with Dr. Mary Jane Lis, DVM, State Veterinarian

11:00 - CT Blanket Program - Quality control seminar with Jo judd and friends (part one)

12:00 - History of Sheep and Dog Trials at UCONN - a historical look with Norman Stevens

1:00 - Ask the Vet open forum - with Dr. Mary Jane Lis, DVM, State Veterinarian

2:00 - The FAMACHA System - with Joyce Meader, UCONN Extension

Free Seminars in the Red Barn

Sheep Shearing - Sarar Murray will be shearing sheep from the UCONN flock

Skirting Demonstrations - Skirting is "the practice of separating all inferior portions from the bulk of the fleece at shearing time". Come and join the fun of 'handson' learning

9:00 - Blocking Contest - run by the Ewe & I 4-H Club

11:00 - Angora Rabbit Care - presented by long time breeder Chris Morgan from Wooly Buns

12:00 - CT Blanket Program - Quality control seminar with Jo Judd and friends (part 2)

1:00 - Sheep Judging contest

2:00 - Sheep 101 - Basic sheep husbandry with Randy Knight, UCONN Shepherd

UCONN Cooperative System

The Connecticut Cooperative Extension System is a statewide, informal education system within the University of Connecticut College of Agriculture and Natural Resources. Cooperative Extension educational programs and problem-solving assistance are based on the research of land-grant universities such as the University of Connecticut.

Cooperative Extension programs are delivered throughout Connecticut in one-on-one sessions, workshops, short courses, and demonstrations, and via satellite teleconference, print publications, videotapes, radio, newspaper, periodicals and the Internet. Educational programs and materials cover a wide range of subjects, with emphasis on animal health and agriculture, family, community, 4-H Youth development, food, nutrition, food safety, natural resources, land use, environment, plant agriculture, horticulture, and gardening.

Connecticut Cooperative Extension employees are located at the main campus in Storrs and in eight county Extension Centers. These eight centers are located in Fairfield County, Hartford County, Litchfield County, Middlesex County, New Haven County, New London County, Tolland County, and Windham County.

Extension Email           Extension Website

DIRECTIONS

The Tolland Agricultural Center is only a few minutes off of I-84 on Route 30 in Vernon/Rockville, CT.

FROM HARTFORD: Take I-84 East to Exit 67. At the bottom of the ramp turn left on to Rte. 31. Go a short distance to the junction with Rte 30. Turn right on to Rte 30 East and TAC will be 1/8 mile on your right.

FROM BOSTON: Take I-84 West to Exit 67. At the bottom of the ramp turn right on to Rte. 31. Go a short distance to the junction with Rte. 30. Turn right on to Rte 30 East and TAC will be 1/8 mile on your right.

On site parking fee of $5.00 per car.

No Dogs Allowed On Grounds except permitted service dogs for the disabled & Trial Dogs in designated area only.