Connecticut Sheep Breeders Association, Inc.
Sheep, Wool and Fiber Festival

Saturday, April 26, 2008
Rain or Shine
9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Tolland Agricultural Center
Route 30, Vernon/Rockville, CT

Please join us for our 99th annual festival. What began in 1909, as a program ìto promote the keeping of sheep in Connecticutî, has become a unique event providing exhibits, demonstrations and vendors from the sheep, wool and fiber arena and includes producers from throughout New England. This event is a delightful agricultural and learning experience for the general public as well as shepherds and fiber enthusiasts.

Festival contacts:

Contact the appropriate person below for entry forms, rules, or information or go to Info@CTsheep.org

Event Co-chairs

Randy Knight (860) 486-2035 (Let ring 8 times, leave message)
Dennie Burak (860) 526-3883

Vendors

Sherri Weyel (860)377-2040 sherriweyel@yahoo.com

Sheep Dog Trial: Behind Green Barn

Sylvia Murray (860) 303-7940 aldrbkfarm@aol.com

Fleece Sale: Red Barn: All Day

No entry fees or commissions for CSBA members!!

$5.00 entry fee/fleece for non members, (Membership $10.00)

Drop-off, Friday 2-4 PM; Saturday after 8:00 AM

Anne McIntyre-Lahner (203) 458-3070 Anne.McIntyre-Lahner@ctsheep.org

Fleece to Shawl Contest: Red Barn 10 A.M.-2 P.M.

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

Deadline for entry form April 15, 2008

Contact: Regina Malsbury (860) 742-5483

Spinning Bee: White Barn: 12:30 PM

Bring your wheel and join in with the Ewe and I 4-H Club

Shopping All buildings: Vendors will be selling fiber & yarn, crafts, livestock supplies, 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 vegetarian fare to delicious Connecticut Grown Lamb.

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: Music and Entertainment

Kids Korner: sponsored by Twist of Fate Spinnery

A place for children to explore many fiber activities and just have fun playing games.

Lamb on the Grill: Outside Gold Building: 11:00 - 1:00

Demonstrations on how to butterfly filet a leg of lamb and other useful tips for cooking lamb on the grill.

Free Seminars

White Barn

• 9:30-Knitting class-Learn knit, purl patterns with Grace Alexander former pattern designer for Coats & Clark
• 9:30-Learn the Basics of Crocheting- with the Happily Hooked on Crocheting Guild
• 10:30-Spinning short fibers- bring your wheel and learn how to spin short fibers with Pam Blasco from Dream Come True Farm.
• 11:00-Tunisian Knit & Pearl Demo with Happily Hooked on Crocheting Guild
• 11:30-Care and Maintenance of your Spinning Wheel -with Jessie & John Hoadley
• 12:00- Learn the Basics of Crocheting- with the Happily Hooked on Crocheting Guild
• 12:30-Spinning bee, bring your wheel and participate in this contest for Cash prizes run by Ewe & I 4-H Club
• 1:30-Intro to Alpaca care- with Melissa Farara from New England Alpacas
• 1:30- Crocheting with unspun roving- with Happily Hooked on Crocheting Guild.
• 2:30-3-D Needle Felting- with accomplished needle felter Heather Birdsie
• 2:30- Learn the Basics of Crocheting- with the Happily Hooked on Crocheting Guild

Elliot Building

• 9:00-A guide to preparing and selling meat- Joyce Meader- UCONN extension livestock specialist and educator
• 10:00-Connecticut Dept of Ag - farm to chef program. Linda Piotrowicz.
• 11:00-Ask the state vet- a review of the federal scrapie eradication program and open forum with state vet Dr. Mary Jane Lis
• 12:00-Biosecurity on the farm. A look at ways to keep your animals safe and healthy. Dr. Lech Skudlarek from APHIS.
• 1:00-Understanding color- Victoria Tchetchet, nationally recognized artist and instructor.
• 2:00-American Sheep Industryís Make it With Wool program-Tom and AndrÈa Colyer..
• 3:00-Connecticut Blanket project- learn how you can become part of the CT blanket project and generate revenue from your wool clip. Bill Cournoyer

Red Barn

• Sheep Shearing ñLara Sullivan and friends will be shearing sheep from the UCONN flock.
• Skirting Demonstration -Skirting is ìthe practice of separating all inferior portions from the bulk of the fleece at shearing.î Come and join in for ìhands-onî learning
• .9:30- Preparing for show/show ring ethics- Donna Woolam, Director of Agriculture, Eastern States Exposition
• 10:30-Judging seminarñ Learn how to evaluate sheep. Bonnie Kegler, Agricultural educator.
• 11:30-Judging contest- Apply what you have just learned in the judging seminar while judging for prizes. Bonnie Kegler
• 12:30-Angora Rabbit care- presented by long time breeder Chris Morgan
• 1:30-Sheep 102ñ basic sheep husbandry. Randy Knight, UCONN shepherd
• 2:30-Preparing a fleece for show- learn how to present your fleeces for show or sale to maximize your return. Cathy Andresen

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.

E-mail: Extension@UCONN.edu

http://www.extension.UCONN.edu

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