Farm to Fiber Field Day at Rolling Oak Alpaca Ranch
June 6 @ 2:00 pm - 5:30 pm
An afternoon of hands-on learning, fiber arts, and fun on the farm! The Farm to Fiber Field Day is a chance to experience the full journey from animal to finished fiber. You’ll meet the animals, learn how fiber is produced and processed, and explore natural dyeing with plants.
Participants will tour Rolling Oak Alpaca Ranch in Makanda, Illinois, 1335 Hall Church Road, Makanda, Illinois 62958. The Livestock Production tour begins at 2pm, the natural dye workshop starts at 4pm.
Established in 2011, Rolling Oak Alpaca Ranch began when Morgan Stevenson welcomed her first 3 alpacas to make softer yarn for her crochet projects. Today, the ranch is run by Morgan and her mother, Judy Hoepker, a dynamic mother-daughter duo dedicated to every aspect of alpaca care and fiber artistry.
From breeding and shearing, to sorting, spinning, knitting, weaving, felting, and crocheting, they transform the finest alpaca fiber into luxurious, one-of-a-kind goods. The ranch is now home to over 20 alpacas and a couple of Pygora goats, who contribute their own unique fiber to the collection.
After the farm tour, attendees have the option to stay for an add-on natural dye workshop ($10). Learn about the cultivation, processing, and use of plant-based dyes and fibers with Erin Luna of Black Rat Farms! Erin is a natural dye craftsperson who has worked in the medium for the past seven years, farming an acre in Hillsboro, MO, and teaching on the subject at a variety of institutions in St. Louis, where she resides. Participants will have the opportunity to naturally dye a bandana and chat all things fiber farming with Erin.
Participants will tour Rolling Oak Alpaca Ranch in Makanda, Illinois, 1335 Hall Church Road, Makanda, Illinois 62958. The Livestock Production tour begins at 2pm, the natural dye workshop starts at 4pm.
Established in 2011, Rolling Oak Alpaca Ranch began when Morgan Stevenson welcomed her first 3 alpacas to make softer yarn for her crochet projects. Today, the ranch is run by Morgan and her mother, Judy Hoepker, a dynamic mother-daughter duo dedicated to every aspect of alpaca care and fiber artistry.
From breeding and shearing, to sorting, spinning, knitting, weaving, felting, and crocheting, they transform the finest alpaca fiber into luxurious, one-of-a-kind goods. The ranch is now home to over 20 alpacas and a couple of Pygora goats, who contribute their own unique fiber to the collection.
After the farm tour, attendees have the option to stay for an add-on natural dye workshop ($10). Learn about the cultivation, processing, and use of plant-based dyes and fibers with Erin Luna of Black Rat Farms! Erin is a natural dye craftsperson who has worked in the medium for the past seven years, farming an acre in Hillsboro, MO, and teaching on the subject at a variety of institutions in St. Louis, where she resides. Participants will have the opportunity to naturally dye a bandana and chat all things fiber farming with Erin.
This field day is free and open to the public, but you must register at the Food Works website.
The natural dye workshop is in addition to the field day, and costs $10 to participate, all supplies are included.
Location: 1335 Hall Church Road, Makanda, IL 62958