Fiberfest 2011

When I first moved to Oklahoma I thought there was going to be tons of country festivals and farm markets. I love that kind of thing and unfortunately, they don't happen nearly as often as I like. I've been here ten years now and finally there seems to be more of a movement towards small markets and festivals. Not like the big state fair that is way too commercial - I like the "real thing" - the small town people showing and selling their stuff.
Today in Tulsa was Fiberfest in which there were a bunch of vendors selling handmade items along with lots of different "fibers" for knitting, crocheting and weaving. There were several free workshops but I didn't get there quite early enough to sign up for any. Fiberfest was held at this beautiful estate in South Tulsa that I never even knew was there! I would have liked to walk the entire grounds but I stayed pretty close to the area the festival was being held.

Some of the vendors were inside this cool barn. I didn't take pictures inside because the lighting wasn't that great. One lady had a table full of felted wool handbags that were beautiful. There were also vendors selling handmade soaps, jewelry, scarves, sweaters, and a vendor selling photographic art.

Lots of big trees and rolling hills. A beautiful location - serene and peaceful.

I purchased some wool and some alpaca fibers but the highlight of the day for me was seeing the two alpacas from JR Alpacas.

Janice Robinson is the owner of these two beautiful creatures and when I asked if I could take a few pictures she put them on a leash and brought them out of the pen so I could take some good shots. How awesome!
They made this cute little noise back and forth "talking" to each other and Janice said they are most definitely pack animals.

I loved hearing her speak about her farm, caring for the alpacas, feeding them, shearing them and the joy she gets from raising them. When she started her alpaca farm there were only about 13 other farms in Oklahoma doing the same thing. Now there are approximately 80 farms. They shear the alpacas once a year in the spring time and it takes one whole year for the coat to grow back in to the desired length for shearing again.

Did you know that alpacas don't have upper front teeth? Nope - just on the bottom and a hard palate on the top.

I'm not a farmer by any stretch of the imagination but I did find myself dreaming about having a little piece of land someday with some Alpacas on it.