Come Showcase Fibers at Farm Technology Days!

Please pass this information along to anyone you know who might be interested!!

Wisconsin Farm Technology Days is the largest agriculture exposition in the state!  This year’s show will be held July 20-22, 2010 at the Peterson farm in River Falls.  An estimated 60-80,000 people will visit the event over the three days.  How’s THAT for some exposure!   Check out the website for this year’s show at http://www.piercefarmtech.com/.  You will note a link to an article on the “diversified agriculture” tent.  Give it a read and, ahem….this is where WE come in!!

The education committee is highly interested in showcasing fibers as an agriculture product in the tent.  Interested??  There are LOTS of ways for you to get involved for part of the event or for all three days.  Here are some ideas…feel free to offer others:

• We need fiber producing ANIMALS to attract attention and teach people about fiber animals as a REAL agriculture product of Wisconsin (we must provide the pens), including:
  • wool breed sheep
  • fiber goats
  • llamas and alpacas
  • buffalo
  • angora rabbits
  • anything that produces hair for spinning!
• Samples to be displayed (tables will be provided)
  • fiber samples from animals and fiber producing plants
  • fibers prepared for handspinning
  • yarns, hand or mill spun of fibers from your animals
  • finished fiber products
• Displays highlighting various fibers, their characteristics and uses (I’m willing to provide a lot of fibers if others are willing to put together a display)
• How about a ”guess the fiber” game/display?
• Equipment used in fiber arts to display
• Volunteers to staff the exhibit and talk to visitors
• Volunteers to demonstrate most anything fiber related…spinning, carding, weaving, inkle weaving, wet felting, combing, needle felting, combing, locker hooking, rug hooking, machine or hand knitting, etc, etc.
• Get a group together to do a “sheep to shawl” demonstration
• Brochures and publications about fiber-related Wisconsin businesses for visitors to take for futher information
• Photos of Wisconsin fiber businesses ”in action” that can be used in displays
• Historical information to add a bit of extra interest

There is apparently up to 60′ of tent space available to us.  (I believe I was told there was even some outdoor space if we need it.) 

If you are interested in getting involved, let’s get a discussion going here on the blog so we can follow the planning progress.  Time is short…but I know how fiber people can pull together!  Let us know what you’d be interested in contributing and, if you can attend in person, when you’d be available to participate.  You will find a map to the Peterson farm in River Falls on the FTD website.  In addition, you will be able to see the location of the diversified agriculture tent in “tent city” on the exposition grounds.  It appears to me that there will be easy access in and out to load and unload animals and equipment.

I’m happy to help coordinate.  Because Farm Tech Days is part of my “work” with UW-Extension, I will be unable to be an official participant in the fiber exhibit during the actual event as I cannot combine my work as a state employee with anything private.  However, I am happy to provide equipment, supplies, etc…and will definitely make appearances throughout the three days.

Interested??  Let’s talk to each other!!  Be sure and leave comments.  I’ll also keep my Twitter page updated with our progress. I am available via e-mail at deb@fibergarden.com

While you’re here, be sure and subscribe to my blog via e-mail by clicking on the “sign me up” button in the upper right hand column.  There’s lots happening at the Fiber Garden and I’ve love to share it with you!

Here’s to a grand showcase of our love of fibers!!
Deb

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