Textiles and Bicycles

Yarn!

I apologize for the obvious insult in there…but I’m a city, anti-sprawl, sustainable transportation advocate. I believe in personal responsibility and choice that should reflect more than wanting an enormous, cheap house on what could otherwise be productive agricultural land…which for non-Washingtonians, is what is largely happening in Loudoun County.

Thankfully, some of the farms of Loudoun County persist and provide local fibre, meat and produce alternatives for the DC area. I found this fantastic website for the The Loudoun Valley Sheep Producers Association, which:

exists to promote and support the Northern Virginia area’s farm flocks, providing education on all sheep issues including health, management and marketing; promoting lamb and wool; encouraging and mentoring youth and promoting fellowship and comaraderie among the members.

You can look for farms that specifically sell yarn here, which lists the farms in the Loudoun Valley and attaches nice little picture symbols for different products they offer, from fibre to meat. There aren’t many websites listed–most have email contacts, which requires a lot more effort and inquiry than most, including myself, are often willing to do. So I did find a few that provide useful websites:

Solitude (They’re having an open house on Saturday April 12th at Redgate Farm in Round Hill, VA)

Wooly Booly Cormos (More for spinners)

Willow Hawk Farm (This one may be my personal favorite. They offer handspun yarns, but also all sorts of services adhering to a love for 18th century living and techniques–like fibre arts instruction)

It seems local may be more possible for me than I thought…looks like I can’t be so lazy anymore.