Saturday, October 24, 2009

NYS Sheep & Wool Festival @ Rhinebeck


Ginger was fortunate to attend the New York State wool festival in Rhinebeck last weekend and was blown away by the hundreds of vendors and thousands of attendees. Her husband, Bob, simply couldn't believe the passion and enthusiasm of the fiber people.



The featured breed this year is the Leicester Longwool sheep. This breed was favored by George Washington and Thomas Jefferson in colonial times due to the sheen and brilliance of the wool. In the 1800's, it lost favor to the Merino and practically became extinct in North America. Thanks to the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, the Longwool was re-established the breed and its popularity and numbers are increasing in the United States. Did you know that?









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