Delighted our next Open Day will become a two day event that welcomes you all to join us at Fernhill Farm to watch the sheep being shorn in our lively shearing shed at our wonderful verified regenerative eco-farm on the Mendip Hills.
The reason we have extended this over the weekend is due to the launch of an exciting new show FIBRE QUEST - bringing our industry back to the farm.
Fibre Quest is in collaboration with the already well established Stitch Fest South West - Devon’s biggest yarn festival held in November since 2016.
Fibre Quest, held at Fernhill Farm will showcase the use of many different natural fibres alongside our wool harvesting system, with a key focus on holistic agriculture - as well as talks and workshops focussed on natural fibres, we will be discussing how to rehabilitate the land with animals grazing in rotation, conserving soils and enhancing biodiversity whilst harvesting replenishing resources that can benefit water, plant and mineral cycles.
Welcoming exhibitors with natural, low-impact plant & animal fibres, natural dyes and earthy crafts, there will be a programme of traditional textile skills and workshops held over the weekend and a series of talks to inspire and educate.
Our Farm Open Day will still enable you to observe some of the top blade shearers in the Northern Hemisphere do their master craft and see sheepdog handling close at hand.
Blade Shearing workshops will be available on Sunday where expert tutors will guide you through shearing a sheep using traditional hand shears we call blades - please register your interest here
The Fernhill Fleece Sale will be running on both days where you see how we throw each fleece from the boards and onto our grading tables for hand picking and sorting before sale - this happens in the shearing shed and workshops in Adding Value to Fleece will soon become available in our programme of events - please register your interest here so we can gauge how best to deliver this new offering.
The Fernhill Fibre shop will be selling fleeces, craft items, yarns, felts and finished products made from our verified regenerative wool fibres - this sits nicely alongside the Fibre Quest event as we welcome several of our fibre clients here to showcase how they can truly make our natural fibres shine !
This event has been partially funded by the Mendip Hills AONB under their new initiative Farming in Protected Landscapes (FiPL) project and its a huge help to get us started - Thank You Mendip AONB
We have always maintained a free entry event here as it's a relaxed family day out - to ensure Fibre Quest can offer the same, please help our FREE ENTRY to the show by supporting our Go Fund Me page before visiting us thanks
There will be a Fibre Quest shuttle bus from and to Bristol Temple Meads and Bristol Bus Station, plus a special order bus which can come via the airport where requested... please do send a contact form if you would like to book a bus and we will send details when booking is open.
Please do get in contact if you wish to get involved I'm interested
If you wish to read more about the history behind Blade Shearer - here is an interview with Andy: fernhillfibre.co.uk/blog/2020/2/12/leading-blade-shearer-highlights-wool-potential
Accommodation is available for shearers, wool handlers and exhibitors, campers welcome too www.fernhill-farm.co.uk
Please note - this is a No Dogs site as we have a working pack of hounds here and sheepdogs demonstrating their skills too - thanks for your understanding