New Farm to Fiber Festival planned in Ivanhoe

Event to teach about wool processing, fiber arts

IVANHOE -- Fiber arts can bring a lot of people together, from the farmers who raise animals like sheep, to the people who process the wool, and turn it into clothing and other items. This weekend, organizers of a new free event hope to build more of those connections.

"Whether they're in the agricultural world, the livestock world or the fiber arts world, we want folks sharing those conversations," said Jenny Parkhurst, one of the organizers of the Farm to Fiber Fest, which will be held Sunday in Ivanhoe.

The first Farm to Fiber Festival will be at Gilson Field in Ivanhoe. The event will include demonstrations, as well as chances to learn about different kinds of arts and crafts that use wool yarn and fibers.

"There will be shearing through the day, and we'll have hands-on stuff," said Kaia Nowatzki, one of the festival organizers.

In addition to the educational and hands-on events, the festival will also have a silent auction.

The idea for the Farm to Fiber Festival grew out of area fiber arts meetups. Nowatzki and Parkhurst both work at the Marshall-Lyon County Library, and share an interest in fiber arts. They started the "Fellowship of the StRings," a fiber arts group that meets at the library. The group is open to anyone with an interest in fiber arts, whether it's spinning, weaving, knitting, embroidery, felting, or quilting. Last year, the Fellowship of the StRings held "farm to fiber" sessions, where area residents could learn about processing wool into yarn in a hands-on way.

This year, Nowatzki and Parkhurst worked together with sponsors like the Minnesota Farmers Union to try and bring that hands-on learning to more people.

"This event reflects the kind of community-driven innovation that Minnesota Farmers Union is proud to support," said Elizabeth Hines, southwest membership coordinator for Minnesota Farmers Union. "By bringing together local fiber producers, artists, educators, and community leaders, the Farm to Fiber Fest helps people better understand where natural fiber products come from while creating new opportunities for cooperation and local economic development. It’s an exciting example of rural communities building connections that benefit both farmers and consumers."

Nowatzki said she hoped the festival will be able to link up farmers with people interested in fiber arts. Even if a producer raises sheep mainly for meat, there are still uses for the wool, she said. There are also different kinds of animals that also produce usable fibers, like alpacas and llamas.

The festival could also be a chance to help pass on an interest in fiber arts to new generations, Nowatzki and Parkhurst said. They hope that the Farm to Fiber Festival can continue to grow in the future.

The Farm to Fiber Festival will be from 1-5 p.m. Sunday, at Gilson Field. The event is free to the public.