The first Wool Conference will be held Friday, Oct. 7, at the University of Minnesota in St. Paul, in what organizers plan to be an annual event. The conference will be held at 306 Borlaug Hall, 1919 Upper Buford Circle, St. Paul. Conference registration is $40 per person.

The agenda is as follows:

10 a.m. Welcome. University of Minnesota and the Natural Fiber Alliance

10:15 a.m. Understanding Consumer Preferences for Origin-Specific Wool Products. Hikaru Peterson, professor of food marketing and consumer economics, U-M Department of Applied Economics.

WOOL CONFERENCE AND TOUR: Learn the basics and specifics of raising sheep for their wool, and what consumers seek in wool products, at a conference co-hosted by the University of Minnesota and the Natural Fiber Alliance.

11:15 a.m. Consumer-Driven Demand Analysis for Locally Produced, Natural, Sustainable and Organic Wool in the Upper Midwest. Zhiyou (Austin) Yang, U-M doctoral student in applied economics.

11:15 a.m. Questions and discussion.

Noon. Lunch on your own.

1:15 p.m. The Hat Project: Utilizing Minnesota wool with Minnesota companies. Bob Padula, sheep producer from west-central Minnesota and private wool consultant; Jean Mueller, sheep producer in southeast Minnesota, and founder of the Natural Fiber Alliance and Sheep and Fiber Farm Tour.

2 p.m. Herd expansion and Minnesota Lamb and Wool Producers organization. Melanie Pamp, MLWP president.

3 p.m. Sheep specialist (tentative). Travis Hoffman, North Dakota State University Extension Service’s new sheep specialist, who holds a joint appointment as sheep specialist for U-M Extension.

3:30 p.m. Resources and questions.

4 p.m. Conference ends.

In addition to the conference, the sixth annual Sheep and Fiber Farm Tour will be held around the metro area on Oct. 8 and Oct. 9.

Featured farms include:

Spruce Shadows Farm, 2901 E. Old Shakopee Road, Bloomington; 1:30 to 5 p.m. Saturday only, sheepimprovement.com.

Sutton Ridge Farm, West 200th Street, Jordan; 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, suttonridgefarm.com.

Windswept Hill Farm, 20828 and 20800 Ahern Blvd., Farmington; 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, 651-246-6332, [email protected].

Buscho Farm, 18775 Gates Ave., Faribault; 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, buschofarms.com.

Faribault Woolen Mill, 1500 NW 2nd Ave ., Faribault; Saturday-only tours from 9 to 10 a.m.,1 to 2 p.m. and 2 to 3 p.m. First-come, limited numbers on tours. Tour fee is $6 per person. Faribault store hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. www.faribaultmill.com.

For more information and to register online for the conference, visit naturalfiberalliance.com/1st_annual_wool_conference.

Or, register and mail your check to Natural Fiber Alliance, 32741 County Road 17, Houston, MN 55943 by Oct. 3.

For more information, contact Jean Mueller, [email protected], 507-254-1737.

Source: Natural Fiber Alliance