Report on the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival

The 43rd annual Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival took place May 7-8, 2016, at the Howard County Fairgrounds in West Friendship, MD. It is the largest and longestrunning showcase of domestic sheep and wool in the United States. This year, more than 40,000 attendees came over the course of the weekend to enjoy upwards of 40 sheep breeds on display and over 300 vendors, along with food, music, demonstrations, and contests. The Jacob Sheep Conservancy once again staffed a booth in Barn 4, selling t-shirts, fleeces, yarn, roving, shawls, shawl pins and even some non-Jacob farm products. The educational Jacob Breed Display booth, which was designed and staffed by the Deppa family, won a Grand Champion ribbon this year among the displays for minor breeds. 6 Next year’s festival will be held May 6-7, 2017. There is no charge for admission, but voluntary donations are welcome. Please consider attending and stopping by the JSC booth! For more information about the festival, visit http://sheepandwool.org/. If you are interested in providing items to sell at the JSC booth next year (proceeds of the sale of your items goes to you, minus a 10% contribution to the JSC), contact Treasurer Joan Schnieber at jacobsheepconservancy@gmail.com. JSC Secretary Karen Deppa at the award-winning Jacob Breed Display, Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival, May 2016