Sheep Industry News February 2022

Shave 'Em to Save 'Em Continues Successful Run

T hree years ago, the Manton Foundation generously supported a wildly creative idea to save endangered sheep when The Livestock Conservancy asked, “What if we connected people who love fiber arts with our shepherds and encouraged them to buy rare breed wool?” The concept was based on a strategy The Livestock Conservancy has found successful in more than 44 years of saving heritage breeds. When you give these animals a job, you increase their contribution to a small farm’s bottom line. That encourages the farmer, rancher or shepherd to expand their flocks and herds, increasing popula tion numbers and genetic diversity within breeds. The domino effect saves breeds from extinction. As of the end of 2021, there were 2,670 Fiber Artists in the Shave ‘Em to Save ‘Em Initiative, and The Livestock Conservancy continues to ship new passports and pins weekly. The original goal was 1,000

"It’s no secret that a major shift took place this past year in con ducting our work and educating people about rare breeds. Corona virus restrictions pushed us to learn new technologies and improve our abilities in the virtual world," read a report fromThe Livestock Conservancy. "As a result, our online content has grown by leaps and bounds. Our visibility has improved, but more importantly the valuable information is helping shepherds who are raising heritage breeds." The Livestock Conservancy manages Shave ‘Em to Save ‘Em Face book and Ravelry Groups as an important outreach effort supporting this fiber challenge. The SE2SE Facebook Group has grown to more than 6,500 members, and the Ravelry group has more than 1,700 active followers. The Livestock Conservancy quickly launched Facebook Lives, Species Chats, Marketing Mondays, Wooly Wednesdays and Farm

participants by the end of the initial three year, grant-funded project. That goal was eclipsed in the first three months. Due to the overwhelming popularity Shave ‘Em to Save ‘Em still enjoys, The Livestock Conservancy extended the Dec. 31, 2021, deadline indefinitely. The program also ac complished a key funding milestone in 2021 and was fully funded with new dollars beyond the original grant support for the first time. As of Dec. 1, 2021, 604 fiber providers are also enrolled in Shave ‘Em to Save ‘Em. Unlike fiber artists who pay a one-time fee of $15, providers are asked to renew their enrollment fee of $10 annually. Most are also finding it is a good investment. An additional important benchmark is the

Tour Fridays in the past year. These initiatives reached new audiences – such as the fiber artists who support rare breed conservation – with educational workshops focused on socks, mittens, shawls and felting. These initiatives also provided a new revenue source through modest enrollment fees. Many new fiber artists come to the Conservancy for these challenges and then enroll in Shave ‘Em to Save ‘Em. Thanks to a generous charitable gift, fiber artist, author and former Livestock Conser vancy board member Deb Robson created 23 fiber profiles to correspond with the 23 en dangered sheep breeds included in the Shave ‘Em to Save ‘Em passport. The fiber profiles provide much-needed information to educate fiber enthusiasts on the unique qualities and

number of fiber artists completing breed project goals as follows: • 277 fiber artists completed projects with five SE2SE breeds; • 139 fiber artists completed projects with 10 SE2SE breeds; • 69 fiber artists completed projects with 15 SE2SE breeds; • Four fiber artists completed projects with 20 SE2SE breeds; • And three fiber artists completed projects with 23 SE2SE breeds. Because of the rarity of these breeds, some wool is often especially challenging for fiber artists to locate and purchase. But reaching out to build relationships with these shepherds and fiber providers is a key component of the program. These relationships lead to repeat purchases and long-term economic sustainability for fiber providers.

possible uses for each heritage breed’s fiber. These fiber profiles are now available for free download from the RareWool.org webpage. These profiles are also a new tool helping heritage breed shepherds market their rare wool to the fiber arts community. The 23 full-color fiber profiles will also be included in the upcoming Shave ‘Em to Save ‘Em Project Book, which will be available for purchase by individual participants and fiber guilds later this year. The Livestock Conservancy offers 23 fiber profiles like the one at right for endangered sheep breeds included in the popular Shave 'Em to Save 'Em Initiative.

16 • Sheep Industry News • sheepusa.org