The holidays have a way of pulling us back to the basics: what we use, what we value, and who made the things we reach for every day. Within Fibershed […]
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Sheep, Soil, and Stewardship: The Mahoney Family’s Living Legacy
Written by Stephany Wilkes. Photography by Paige Green. Ryan Mahoney’s family arrived in Rio Vista, California in the 1870s, not long after the Great Flood of 1862 dumped ten feet […]
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From First Fleece to Future Fiber Systems: Training the Next Generation of Shearers
Written by Stephany Wilkes. Photography by Paige Green. In April 2025, two dozen students attended one of two sheep shearing schools offered through the University of California Extension and supported […]
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Soft, Renewable, and Climate Beneficial™: Why U.S. Wool Deserves a Comeback
By Rachel Witte For decades, American wool has been overlooked in the world of performance textiles— reliable, renewable, and respected by those who know it, yet largely sidelined in an […]
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From Fleece to Fabric: Allison Reilly’s Personal Journey with Local Fiber
Designer and shepherd Allison Reilly transforms raw wool into woven fabric, blending artistry with holistic design. From tending sheep to crafting textiles, her work honors the land and the slow, intentional process behind every thread.
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Kaos Blanket Project
Written by Stephany Wilkes Photos by Paige Green Kaos Sheep Outfit is turning necessity to invention, turning trade wars and low commodity-wool prices into the inspiration for a mutually beneficial […]
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Fibershed Shearing Schools
Written by Stephany Wilkes Photos by Paige Green Photography, and shearing school participants In April 2024, 45 students completed shearing schools offered by the University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE) […]
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Community Husbandry at Rancho Las Palmas
Recently, dozens of community members – the stewards of Rancho Las Palmas, employees of the Santa Cruz County Resource Conservation District (RCDSCC), and Fibershed-affiliated contract graziers and sheep shearers – came together to care for the 100 or so sheep of Rancho Las Palmas.
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Two Women and Two Generations of Stewardship at Blackberry Farm
Written by Stephany Wilkes. Photographed by Paige Green. At Blackberry Farm in Bolinas, two generations of women have stewarded the land for 50 years and counting. In 1972, 29-year-old Aggie […]
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JG SWITZER Shares the Magic and Magnificence of Wool
For Jessica, the journey started when she moved to Sebastopol and acquired six sheep (three Wensleydales and three Romneys). Jessica adored the animals’ beauty and tranquility, yet each spring, she found herself utterly perplexed with an abundance of wool she did not know what to do with. She would disperse it on her land for compost and mulch, but since knitting or weaving was outside her wheelhouse, Jessica desired to find a better way to process her small-batch wool. She wanted to find a solution not only for herself, but for many small farms in her community. Jessica’s inspiration led her to finding Fibershed, which eventually brought her to discover Luna.
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