New York State Fiber Conference
Event Details
Date
June 11, 2023
Time
9am-4pm
Location
Butternut Hill Campground
6893 US Route 20
Bouckville, NY 13310
Host
Tove Ford
email Tove Ford
This one day conference is for new and beginning animal fiber producers who are looking for additional information to better make educated decisions regarding what species and breed of animal to raise and their efforts to produce, use or market their animal's fiber. Producers and potential producers from New York State and throughout the Northeast US are welcome to attend. Participants will leave with a better understanding of what they can do with their animal fiber or its value-added products to increase its market value; whether marketed through direct-to-consumer channels, commodity markets or wholesale.
Conference sessions and panels will cover the following topics:
- Selecting an animal species/breed and understanding their fiber quality
- Fiber types and uses
- Fleece quality with examples of poor, good, and excellent fleeces
- Fiber mills, supply chain, and finished products
- Market channels for the small producer
- Success stories from 4 small fiber producers/businesses
For conference agenda and registration
Opens April 1, 2023. Fee: $30 per person. Advance registration required by May 27, 2023.
Conference is limited to the first 50 participants.
Registration questions contact Tove Ford tff24@cornell.edu
Registration includes free admission to the Central New York Fiber Festival (see below) on Sunday with opportunities to explore almost 100 fantastic fiber booths during our 1 hr. 20 min. lunchbreak. Food venders will be on site for you to purchase food, but you can bring your own, if you so choose. Overnight accommodations
The Central New York Fiber Arts Festival is on June 10 & 11, 2023 at the same location. This festival is a family-friendly festival celebrating the fiber arts: spinning, knitting, weaving, felting, dyeing, and crochet. Demonstrations, lectures, and workshops and activities for children. Wheel corral: visitors can experiment with spinning. Story loom: visitors can contribute to a weaving project. Over 100 booths under cover with yarn, roving, and handmade finished products made with natural fibers. Fiber animals, weaving competition, and fleece sale.
Additional information regarding the Fiber Arts Festival
Upcoming Events
Shop Talk: Integrated Weed Management

March 19, 2025
Andover, NY
Mike Hunter, Field Crop IPM Coordinator, will share his knowledge on managing weeds. The discussion will cover various management practices in both conventional and organic settings, including herbicide-resistant weeds.
NY Beef Producers Association (NYBPA) Region 2 Meeting
March 21, 2025
Lakewood, NY
Join is for a roundtable discussion with Jeff Hostetter of Select Sires, Phil Trowbridge of Trowbridge Farms, Dr. Shannon Carpenter DVM NYSCHAP Coordinator for NYSAGM, division of Animal Industry, Dr. Katie Card-Allen, DVM Regional Field Veterinarian on Best Practices for Cow-Calf producers. A proactive approach to animal health for mama and baby.
All are welcome. Membership in these beef producer groups is not required.
Following the buffet dinner, a short business meeting will kick off the evening. We will then move to the roundtable discussion.
Class A CDL Training Course
January 18, 2025
February 22, 2025
March 22, 2025
NYS Certified Instructor: Todd Swimelar, "The CDL Guy"
Training required by NYS to take Class A CDL exam and driving test.
Permit not required for classroom time, but is required for driving time.
Announcements
Transition Heifer Calf Program
Join us for this hand-on program and demos! We will be offering this program in English and in Spanish.Calf and heifer managers, dairy herdspersons, farm owners, and heifer raisers interested in learning more about how to better house and manage animals as they transition from the calf phase to the weaned heifer phase.
Topics covered:
Nutrition
Health
Housing Management
Inventory Management
Biosecurity: All attendees must wear clean clothes and boots. You will be required to scrub and disinfect footwear upon arrival to the program and before leaving.
Registration: $25 per person (includes lunch)