Farm to Market- Running a Profitable Fiber Business

Jan DeShera, Robin Lynde and Maureen Macedo will be speaking to the Guild about their business experience running a fiber business from raising animals for meat production to wool for roving, fleece and yarn or finished woven articles of clothing and home furnishings.

Jan and her husband own Wild Fire Ranch in Coulterville, where they raise registered Shetland sheep in a hand spinners flock. They also have two cross breeds (Shetland and Rambouillet) in the flock. Jan is a hand spinner and weaver, using fiber from her own flock as well as cotton, bamboo, silk, and tencel. She specializes in wearables-scarves, shawls, ruanas, and jackets, and has won numerous awards at the Mother Lode Fair and Mariposa Fair for her work. Jan sells sells her wearables through her Etsy store- WildFireWool.Etsy.com and at several art events in Mariposa and Tuolumne Counties

Robin owns the Meridian Jacobs Farm near Vacaville. In addition to breeding and managing a flock of about 60 Jacob Sheep (and 80+ lambs every spring) she sells lambs and adult sheep for breeding stock and fiber producing pets and lambs for the freezer. Robin sells Jacob wool products in the form of fleeces, roving, yarn and handwoven items through the farm shop, online, and at local events. She carries Schacht and Ashford equipment at the farm shop and teaches weaving and spinning. Robin is the creator of the unique Farm Club. Website: www.meridianjacobs.com.

Maureen raises Alpacas for wool production and sells raw fleeces, rovings and batts, woven/knit/felted clothing and other fiber products through her farm store. The farm operates Belfast mill equipment, and specializes in 100% alpaca dryer balls, and llama or alpaca (suri and huacaya) core spun rug yarn. They also offer yoga, birthday parties and even have hosted a wedding on the ranch.

Website: https://macedosminiacres.com

Their combined business experience owning and operating a fiber business from the farm to market will be shared with our Guild members. It promises to be a lively and interesting presentation.