Fibre Quest is the quest to find local, organic, regenerative, real, natural and native fibres and is being held at Fernhill Farm - our regenerative eco-farm
In its second year, we welcome up to 25 exhibitors with natural, low-impact plant & animal fibres, natural dyes and earthy craft items to sell within a large marquee here onsite.
We aim to showcase the use of many different natural fibres alongside our wool harvesting system, with a key focus on holistic agriculture.
We have collated a Hive Hall Programme that includes talks from specialist speakers and a Saturday “farm” panel discussing regenerative fashion, and a Sunday “yarn” panel having a conversation with industry experts about establishing local links to improve the use of British Wool. These panels are at 11.30am in the Horseshoe barn and will be followed by a Q&A session with time for lunch, meet the speakers and enjoy a few short, informative films. Full programme will be published on the Fibre Quest website www.fibrequest.co.uk soon and more details are below*
There are plenty of craft workshops focussed on natural fibres, with free sit-in sessions and a children’s area in the Fibre Quest Marquee, and the FHF team will offer craft competitions in the sheep shearing shed in the afternoons.
The Fibre Quest café will be within the cosy Horseshoe Barns, serving up homegrown farm meals, lots of teas, coffee and cakes and when your ready, the Fernhill Far BAA bar will open from midday, with sheep shearers tunes for a light hearted easy way to spend these Spring days.
Our Blade Shearing Tournament will enable you to observe some of the top blade shearers in the Northern Hemisphere exhibit their master craft in the sheep shearing shed - 10am - 5pm Saturday 18th March, with prizes for the winners of the Novice, Intermediate and Open finalists. This money is collated from the raffle drawn at 5pm, along with all proceeds from Andy’s and Jen workshops throughout the weekend, the BAA Bar, and new for 2023, the Mutton Club Shearers Banquet so please do come along and support the sheep shearing profession.
Blade Shearing Workshops will be available all day Sunday 19th where expert tutors will guide you through shearing a sheep using traditional hand shears we call blades - FULLY BOOKED
In the field, we will be showcasing the use of sheepdog handling close at hand, plus Land Discovery Farm Walks with Christopher Cooke from the Savory Institute and 3LM - here 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.
Christopher will also guide you through the World View carousel in the Stone Circle - discussing how the holistic thinking differs from before. These will be available Saturday and Sunday and please gather for these sessions in the Shearing Shed.
The Fernhill Fleece Sale will be running on both days from the Sheep Shearing Shed, where you see how we throw each fleece from the boards and onto our grading tables for hand picking and sorting before sale - we begin our annual wool harvesting from February so there will be plenty of prepared fleeces with all the colours and curls from our pure Organic Romneys, and Romney X Shetlands, along side our speciality flock of lustre breeds that include Teeswaters, Blue-Faced Leicester's, Leicester Long wools and Wensleydales
Jen is also offering workshops in Wool Handling and Adding Value to Fleece - please book your slot here
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 with colours and clothing styles. We will also have our own leather goods and meat boxes for sale from our mini farm shop here on site.
*Hive Hall Programme:
SATURDAY 18th March
In Hive Hall – Horseshoe Barn
10.00 A selection of short films curated by Tristan Sherfield
11.00 Talk: Starting a Dye Hobby with Caroline Bawn
11.30 Fibre Quest Panel: Regenerative Fashion Value Chains: What They Look Like & How to Grow Them
• Elizabeth Keach – Fashion Brand Atonement.Earth MA Regenerative Fashion (Chair)
• Sheila Cooke – 3LM
• Amelia Twine – Sustainable Fashion Week
• Jen Hunter – Fernhill Farm and Fernhill Fibre
• Bob Blandon – British Wool
Saturday’s expert panel will be discussing the following points:
1. What should be meant by the term: 'Regenerative Fashion'?
2. What are the main barriers preventing Brands and Farms from working together?
3. How can policymakers better support regenerative fashion?
4. What financial support or incentives should be in place for those practising or looking to transition, to regenerative fibre farming
5. What role should monitoring carbon and biodiversity play on regenerative farms?
12.30 LUNCH & a selection of short films curated by Tristan Sherfield
1.30 Film Premiere: Forgotten Fibre + Q&A - Tristan Sherfield & cohort
2.00 Talk: Traceable Wool - QR codes - Bob Blandon - British Wool
2.30 Talk: Holistic Management, Regen Verification -Sheila Cooke 3LM
3.00 Talk: Jake Locke of silvasheep.com
3.30 Talk: Regenerative Certification - Jason Gale - A Greener World
In the Shearing Shed
Saturday - Blade Shearing Tournament 10am - 5pm – Novice, Intermediate, Open competitions
Bar opens from 12 noon offering local ales, wines, ciders and cocktails from 4pm
Children’s Corner - all day - FREE activities and hands on tasks that demonstrate the process of working with wool
Fernhill Fibre Craft Competitions – from 2.30pm. Prizes for winners and runners up
· Under 15's 2D needle felting – create a picture using Fernhill Felt judged by Saj Collyer - £5 entry
· Over 15's Tuffet weaving – create the best design for the FHF tuffet judged by Central St Martins College students - £10 entry
RAFFLE - prize draw announced at 5pm with the winners of the Blade Shearing Tournament and Craft Competitions
Sheep Shearers Mutton Club Supper – 7pm – please pre-book here
In the Field
3.00 Land Discovery Tour: an introduction to Nature’s Fundamental Processes. Farm walk - One hour
4.15 World View Carousel – How the holistic worldview differs from anything else prior. Walk to Stone Circle – 45mins
All with Christopher Cooke from 3LM – Holistic Management Trainer for Savory Institute
Please meet in the Sheep Shearing Shed - Voluntary contributions accepted
Sheep dog demonstrations - Times confirmed on the day
SUNDAY 19th March
In Hive Hall – main room, Horseshoe Barn
10.00 A selection of short films curated by Tristan Sherfield
10.30 Talk: Fibreshed
11.00 Talk: Lucy Stockton – Mendip Hills AONB
11.30 Fibre Quest Panel: Why is wool only 1% of the global textile volumes - how can we create more awareness about the benefits of wool
• Andy Wear – Fernhill Farm (chair)
• Katie Allen - Loopy Ewes
• Sheila Cooke – 3LM
• David Wilkins – Rampishamhill Mill
• Anna Heaton – Textile Exchange, Devon
Sunday’s expert panel will be discussing the following points:
1. How can we improve local wool supplies, ensuring quality at every stage of processing
2. What can renewable energy offer regenerative textile industries –use of renewable resources – fibre, electricity, water and stopping pollution
3. How does wool compare to plant fibres and new emerging textile products made from Algae, casein milk proteins, Tencel (wood pulp) both in the natural environment and for human health
4. We are all consumers – what should, could and must we all do in our daily lives to support the re-emergence of local and regenerative textiles
12.30 LUNCH & a selection of short films curated by Tristan Sherfield
1.30 Film Premiere: Forgotten Fibre + Q&A - Tristan Sherfield & cohort
2.00 Talk: Textile Exchange - Anna Heaton
2.30 Talk: Preparing your fibre to send to a mill and choosing the right end product - David Wilkins - Rampishamhill Mill
3.00 Talk: What is Regenerative Fashion - Elizabeth Keach
3.30 Talk: The Power of Stinging Nettles for Personal & Environmental Health - Jane Gray
In the Shearing Shed
Blade Shearing workshops throughout the day (fully booked)
Bar opens from 12 noon offering local ales, wines, ciders and cocktails from 4pm
Children’s Corner - all day - FREE activities and hands on tasks that demonstrate the process of working with wool
Fernhill Fibre Craft Competitions – from 2.30pm. Prizes for winners and runners up
· Under 15's 2D needle felting – create a picture using Fernhill Felt judged by Saj Collyer - £5 entry
· Over 15's Tuffet weaving – create the best design for the FHF tuffet judged by Central St Martins College students - £10 entry
RAFFLE - prize draw announced at 5pm with the winners of the Blade Shearing Tournament and Craft Competitions
In the Field
1.30 Land Discovery Tour: an introduction to Nature’s Fundamental Processes. Farm walk - One hour
3.00 World View Carousel – How the holistic worldview differs from anything else prior. Walk to Stone Circle – 45mins
All with Christopher Cooke from 3LM – Holistic Management Trainer for Savory Institute
Please meet in the Sheep Shearing Shed - Voluntary contributions accepted
Information about Tickets and Accommodation:
This event was partially funded in 2022 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.
2023 will be a ticketed event - £5pp for Saturday or Sunday, £8 for both days
Accommodation is available for shearers and wool handlers - please contact Jen.
Accommodation is available for exhibitors - please contact Fibre Quest
Coming along to the event, you can also book campers pitches when you purchase your entrance tickets www.fibrequest.co.uk
Fibre Quest is in collaboration with the already well established Stitch Fest South West - Devon’s biggest yarn festival held in November since 2016. 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