Sheep Industry News August 2024

Black Sheep Celebrates 50 Years A s a fiber enthusiast, Heather Brummer had a plan of attack heading into the 50th Black Sheep Gather ing in late June in Albany, Ore. But that plan fell by however, that she purchased during her time in Albany. The appeal of a drop spindle is its portability, which would allow her to take projects along as she journeys the Pacific North west on her mountain bike.

the wayside when she stopped by the sheep barn on Saturday morning to get a look at the animals who grow the world’s most amazing natural fiber. Brummer drove more than five hours from her home near Everett, Wash., to attend the Black Sheep Gathering for the first time, and the sheep stole the show. Merinos, Rambouil lets, Romneys, Shetlands, Valais Blacknose and more paraded through the show ring that day offering white, black and every imaginable color in between for those who were able to

A quick tour of the Linn County Expo Center on Saturday during the show found a huge number of fiber enthusiasts – including Brummer – camped out at picnic tables and shady spots all around the grounds working on knitting and spin ning projects while taking in the cool, sunny summer day as they waited for the potluck dinner celebration that goes back to the very roots of the original Black Sheep Gathering in 1974. For approximately 20 of those 50 years,

pull themselves away from the fleece show, the fiber market and the array of workshops. “This year, I’ve been getting more into learning about fiber processing,” Brummer said. “I’ve been a knitter for 30 years and I got into spinning about 10 years ago. When you get into spinning, you quickly get into fiber prep, which makes you a better spinner and a better knitter. It’s been a lot of fun to see all of the colors here.” While she was reg istered for workshops on Friday (spinning) and Sunday (knitting

Oregon sheep producer Dan Wilson of SuDan Farm has cooked the lamb that is served at the potluck. Like many of those years, he was cooking his own lamb – ribs, this year – to serve to the masses. The show and the potluck are both free and open to the public. “The gathering started as a humble pot luck for natural-colored sheep producers and handspinners, but it has since grown into an epic celebration of gorgeous fiber animals and fiber arts, still with

techniques) during the three-day gathering, she left Saturday open so that she could take in the fleece show judging. But she never even made it into the building where the fleece show was taking place. “I wanted to watch the fleece judging and the sheep judging to learn as much as I could,” Brummer said. “But I got sucked into the sheep judging and missed the fleece show judging. I wanted to learn what the judge was looking for in the fleeces, but I didn’t go to the fleece sale on purpose. I’m not ready to process fleeces, so I wanted to avoid that temptation.” Brummer headed home with a variety of fiber and spindles,

a unique emphasis on natural-colored,” wrote Black Sheep Gathering Director Laura Todd in the Black Sheep Newsletter . “The Black Sheep Gathering has woven itself into the hearts of many, becoming a cherished tradition.” Among those traditions is a fairly predictable battle be tween Montana’s Steitzhof Merinos and Oregon’s Apple Creek Merinos for the top awards in the fleece show. It came as little surprise when the two small-scale operations split the top awards. John and Carol Steitz took the top spot for an individual fleece, while Laurel Stone’s Apple Creek earned the Black

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