About Us

Shepherd’s Harvest Festival is an opportunity for rural and urban people to meet and share information about sheep and sheep products and other fiber-producing animals. The Festival was started in order to provide a venue where wool producers, wool consumers and wool artisans could come together and share the excitement of working with sheep and their fantastic product – wool. Gradually, the Festival has grown to include other fiber animals such as angora rabbits, alpacas, and goats. The Festival strives to be a family oriented event that is not only fun but educational. Numerous classes are offered in the fiber arts — geared for all levels of experience — from the beginner to the expert. Each year, we offer some classes in the less well known fiber arts so students can expand their crafts expertise Many vendors of fiber and fiber animal related products show their wares at the Festival through a juried selection of vendors of unique products. If it’s fiber related, you probably will find a vendor with just what you have been looking for.

To add to the fun of the Festival, there is live entertainment each day. Demonstrations are ongoing for sheep shearing, herding dogs, spinning and knitting. Activities are planned to spark the interest of youngsters. Judging, showing and selling of fiber from sheep, angora rabbits and alpacas give you the opportunity to view some of the finest fleeces in the Upper Midwest and to compare your skills at selecting fleece with highly regarded fleece judges. There are many activities at the Festival. Feel free to peruse the activities listed in the right hand column of events at the Shepherd’s Harvest Festival. Then come and join in the fun at this year’s Festival! Thank you to the entire fiber community for making this event such a success!!

Shepherds Harvest Sheep and Wool Festival is a 501(c)(5) tax-exempt organization.

SHEPHERD’S HARVEST  EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE 2013

• Marianne Torntore
• Sandy Danielson
• Julie Mackenzie
• Deborah Peterson
• Dean Steines

SHEPHERD’S HARVEST  PLANNING COMMITTEE 2013

• Education Chair – Marianne Torntore
• Vendor Chair – Dean Steines
• Finance Chair – Deborah Peterson
• Event Chair -Marianne Torntore
• Animal Barns Chair – Sandy Danielson
• Marketing Chair – Julie Mackenzie
• Fairground Chair – Julie Mackenzie
• Secretary – Rotating

SHEPHERD’S HARVEST ACTIVITY COORDINATORS 2013

• Alpaca Fleece Show – Kit Almich
• Barn Demonstrations – Patrick Haley
• Camping and Fairgrounds – Jerry Pederson
• Dog Herding – Janis Reuter
• Fiber Competitions – Christie Lasch
• Fiber Demonstrations -Sarah Ryan
• Fiber Sandwich – Rorah Van Dyke, Northern Lights Spinning Guild
• Fleece Show -Deb Peterson/Carolyn Barsness
• Mailing List – Russ Johnson
• Photography Contest – Sarah Ryan
• Publicity – Julie Mackenzie
• Rabbit Activities – Caroline Waskow
• Shepherd Education – Stacey York
• Social Media – Deborah Peterson, Marianne Torntore, Julie Mackenzie, Sarah Ryan
• Vendor Advertising – Leah Brunner
• Vendor Outreach – Loretta Pederson

SHEPHERD’S HARVEST JUDGES 2013

• Fleece Competition – Letty Klein
• Skein Competition – Lexi Boeger and Shelly Hermanson
• Felt Competition – Becky Utecht
• Photography Competition -Robert Murphy

AT FESTIVAL VOLUNTEERS 2013

• Cynthia Ericksmoen
• Sarah Ryan
• Dawn Hulmer
• Colleen Lindell
• Christie Lasch
• Sarah Lyon
• Nicole Leung
• Cindy Snyder
• Renada Goldberg