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NC Sheep Producers
Something for everyone! Education - Marketing Meat - Wool - Shows |
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NCSPA Field Day at Western Piedmont Community 1001 Burkemont Ave, Morganton, NC 28655 on June 28, 2014. CLICK HERE to register (by June 24, 2014) and Download the Flyer for more info. |
Agenda
Location - Western Piedmont Community College – Morganton, NC
Co-Hosts – NC Sheep Producers and Western Piedmont Community College Sustainable Ag. Program
9:00am- 9:30am – Registration & Refreshments
9:30 – 9:40 – Welcome
9:40- 10:40 Increasing Farm Income with local wool and fiber opportunities
Local Cloth –Asheville, NC – A Farm, Fiber and Fashion Network that supports and sustains the regional fiber and textile arts economy and professions in the Blue Ridge Mountains through collaboration, education and innovation.
Echo View Farm & Fiber Mill - Weaverville
10:40 – 10:50 – Break
10:50 – 11:10 - Proper Handling and Marketing Wool – Charles Young
(Including shearing, storing and contamination issues)
11:10 – 12:00 – Developing a grazing System for sheep – John Brasfield , Brasfield Club Lambs, King NC
(making the most of your acreage, intensive grazing, fencing, flock management grazing issues , etc.)
12:00 noon – 1:00pm Lunch (with Local NC Lamb)
1:00 – 1:30 – NC Sheep Producer Business Meeting
Move across campus to farm
1:30 – 2:00 – Overview of Sustainable Ag. Program at WPCC – Meagan Roberts
2:00 – 2:30 – Tour of WPCC Sustainable Ag. Farm and Demonstrations – Meagan Roberts
2:30 – 3:00 –What’s in Your Sheep Tool Box??? Smart ideas and suggestions for New (and Old) Growers
(Sharing by several producers and 4-H youth)
3:00 -3:15 – Health papers for showing and transporting. What you need to know.
3:15 - Adjourn
Location - Western Piedmont Community College – Morganton, NC
Co-Hosts – NC Sheep Producers and Western Piedmont Community College Sustainable Ag. Program
9:00am- 9:30am – Registration & Refreshments
9:30 – 9:40 – Welcome
9:40- 10:40 Increasing Farm Income with local wool and fiber opportunities
Local Cloth –Asheville, NC – A Farm, Fiber and Fashion Network that supports and sustains the regional fiber and textile arts economy and professions in the Blue Ridge Mountains through collaboration, education and innovation.
Echo View Farm & Fiber Mill - Weaverville
10:40 – 10:50 – Break
10:50 – 11:10 - Proper Handling and Marketing Wool – Charles Young
(Including shearing, storing and contamination issues)
11:10 – 12:00 – Developing a grazing System for sheep – John Brasfield , Brasfield Club Lambs, King NC
(making the most of your acreage, intensive grazing, fencing, flock management grazing issues , etc.)
12:00 noon – 1:00pm Lunch (with Local NC Lamb)
1:00 – 1:30 – NC Sheep Producer Business Meeting
Move across campus to farm
1:30 – 2:00 – Overview of Sustainable Ag. Program at WPCC – Meagan Roberts
2:00 – 2:30 – Tour of WPCC Sustainable Ag. Farm and Demonstrations – Meagan Roberts
2:30 – 3:00 –What’s in Your Sheep Tool Box??? Smart ideas and suggestions for New (and Old) Growers
(Sharing by several producers and 4-H youth)
3:00 -3:15 – Health papers for showing and transporting. What you need to know.
3:15 - Adjourn
Wool Pool |
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Historically, NC wool producers have pooled their wool to put together quantities large enough to be able to sell on the national market. Due to the shrinkage of the wool market, there is currently only one buyer able to work with sheep producers in the eastern US. Mid States wool Coop out of Ohio has purchased NC wool for the last several years and has agreed to continue to work with our current wool pools. Below are the dates/approximate times of the 4 pools
Williamston: July 10 Wednesday 8 AM-11 AM
Farmers Market in Williamston. The address is 4001 West Main Street Extension. It is located close to the Martin Community College. Our contact number is 252-789-4370.
Al Cochran al_cochran@ncsu.edu
Albemarle: July 10 Wednesday 2 PM-4PM
Agri-Civic Center at 26032 Newt Rd, Albemarle, NC 28001
Contact Steve Lemons steve_lemons@ncsu.edu
704-983-3987
Asheville West Regional Livestock Market, Canton: July 11, Thursday 8 AM-11 AM
Ethan Henderson (ethan_henderson@ncsu.edu)
(828) 545-2202
Sparta July 11, Thursday Alleghany Fairgrounds 8 AM-11 AM
Contact Charles Young Charles_Young@ncsu.edu
336-877-6811
Prices for 2013
Fine Staple…………………..$1.30
Fine Defect………………….$0.70
Medium 58's……………….$0.85
Med. Staple………………..$0.70
Off Color…………………….$0.58
Reject…………………………$0.48
Short………………………….$0.40
Black…………………………..$0.06
Wet & Kempy…………….$0.00
How we handle and pack wool does play a big role in the final prices we receive. Wool needs to be full staple length, needs to be packed dry in the proper bags, and well labeled. The current standard for bags are large clear plastic wool bags, available through Mid-States and often available at some county Extension offices. You can pick up bags at the wool pools. We can handle small quantities in different containers, sheets, boxes, burlap bags, plastic garbage bags. These should only be used if you only have one or two fleeces. DO NOT use plastic feed sacks or the poly tarps. These have plastic fibers that contaminate wool and will result in rejection of the entire lot.
The primary commercial market for wool is for white wool, so it really pays to keep colored wool separate from clear wool. If you have sheep with black fibers such as Suffolk, keep that wool separate from the all white breeds such as Dorset.
Most of the wool in NC is the medium staple wool, so do not expect fine staple prices unless you have Rambouillet or one of the other fine wool breeds. If you think you have fine wool, make sure you label it.
ASCS still has wool programs, but you must sign up before the end of June. Contact your local ASCS Farm Service Agency.
Wool can still be a part of a positive cash flow in a sheep operation, but we must pay attention to the details to make it pay.
Charles Young
Charles_young@ncsu.edu
336-877-6811
Williamston: July 10 Wednesday 8 AM-11 AM
Farmers Market in Williamston. The address is 4001 West Main Street Extension. It is located close to the Martin Community College. Our contact number is 252-789-4370.
Al Cochran al_cochran@ncsu.edu
Albemarle: July 10 Wednesday 2 PM-4PM
Agri-Civic Center at 26032 Newt Rd, Albemarle, NC 28001
Contact Steve Lemons steve_lemons@ncsu.edu
704-983-3987
Asheville West Regional Livestock Market, Canton: July 11, Thursday 8 AM-11 AM
Ethan Henderson (ethan_henderson@ncsu.edu)
(828) 545-2202
Sparta July 11, Thursday Alleghany Fairgrounds 8 AM-11 AM
Contact Charles Young Charles_Young@ncsu.edu
336-877-6811
Prices for 2013
Fine Staple…………………..$1.30
Fine Defect………………….$0.70
Medium 58's……………….$0.85
Med. Staple………………..$0.70
Off Color…………………….$0.58
Reject…………………………$0.48
Short………………………….$0.40
Black…………………………..$0.06
Wet & Kempy…………….$0.00
How we handle and pack wool does play a big role in the final prices we receive. Wool needs to be full staple length, needs to be packed dry in the proper bags, and well labeled. The current standard for bags are large clear plastic wool bags, available through Mid-States and often available at some county Extension offices. You can pick up bags at the wool pools. We can handle small quantities in different containers, sheets, boxes, burlap bags, plastic garbage bags. These should only be used if you only have one or two fleeces. DO NOT use plastic feed sacks or the poly tarps. These have plastic fibers that contaminate wool and will result in rejection of the entire lot.
The primary commercial market for wool is for white wool, so it really pays to keep colored wool separate from clear wool. If you have sheep with black fibers such as Suffolk, keep that wool separate from the all white breeds such as Dorset.
Most of the wool in NC is the medium staple wool, so do not expect fine staple prices unless you have Rambouillet or one of the other fine wool breeds. If you think you have fine wool, make sure you label it.
ASCS still has wool programs, but you must sign up before the end of June. Contact your local ASCS Farm Service Agency.
Wool can still be a part of a positive cash flow in a sheep operation, but we must pay attention to the details to make it pay.
Charles Young
Charles_young@ncsu.edu
336-877-6811
