In our fibershed there are some twenty varieties of sunflower growing wild–some are native and some have traveled from pocket or packet to become a part of our wilder and cultivated landscapes. The fresh flowers of many species can be used to create vibrant yellow dyes. Beyond our region and throughout the US there are […]
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Fibershed & Regenerative Agriculture by Lauren Lovejoy
Regenerative Agriculture is a term that you have probably heard but what does it mean and how is it good for you and our fibershed? Regenerative agriculture is about focusing on soil health. Improvement in soil health can be achieved with a variety of practices including: Rotational grazing Use of cover crops No tilling Integration […]
Read MoreSending your Fiber to the Mill – Are you asking the right questions?
Patty Sanville of Budding Creek Farm and Bridget Brown of Head Spring Fiber Mill spoke at the July Chesapeake Fibershed Meet-up about things you can do to make sure you get a good product from your raw fleece when you send it to a mill for processing. You can check out the recording on YouTube. It’s […]
Read MoreOur Fibershed Stories – Kathy Reed of Briesbrook Farm
Briesbrook Farm is a Chesapeake Fibershed Producer Program Member Becoming a fiber producer takes many skills. Most are multi-talented individuals that are competent at many things, capable at many more, lifelong learners who believe in connection between people and the planet, with a willingness to be helpful and a can-do attitude. When I met Kathy […]
Read MoreMake do and Mend
Upcycling and recycling clothing is a trend these days but it’s not a new concept. Before fast fashion became the norm, mending and repurposing clothing and home textiles were common practices for most people. The “Make Do and Mend” campaign initiated by the British government during World War II urged people to get the last […]
Read MoreOur Fibershed Stories – Karen Schlossberg of Avalon Springs Farm
Karen Schlossberg is a member of the Chesapeake Fibershed Producer Program. I had the pleasure of visiting with her earlier this month. Karen Schlossberg may have grown up in the city, but she always knew she wasn’t a city person. It seemed natural to her to move to the country despite never having lived […]
Read MoreLocal wool – Where does it go? By Martha Polkey and Gretchen Frederick
There isn’t one answer. Some small-scale fiber producers harvest their wool clip for sale to fiber enthusiasts; a few have a soup-to-nuts operation, transforming their farms’ fiber into finished products that they then market. One or two have launched into a farm-branded fabric with designers producing high-end goods for the luxury market. But the majority […]
Read MoreHoliday shopping in the Chesapeake Fibershed
Thanksgiving has passed, the weather has turned colder, and the holiday gift-giving season is just around the corner. I’m already behind on my holiday shopping. How about you? My inbox keeps filling with ads and offers from major retailers and for every email I delete, it seems that two pop up in its place. It’s […]
Read MoreReflections on Goldenrod by Kerstin Zurbrigg
At the footsteps of my home and small distances from my yard a profusion of weeds grows with elasticity and energy that quietly demands our attention. My entrance into the dialogue with these plants began long ago, as I cannot remember a time when I was not aware of my unspoken relationship to plants. I […]
Read MoreAn Invitation to Explore by Kerstin Zurbrigg
The Chesapeake Fibershed is looking to explore in community an earth centered practice of finding colors for our textiles from within in our landscape. Our intent is to open our dialog and the beginning of a series of invitations and forays into the colors of our local landscape. Our journeys will take a seasonal tone […]
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