Throughout my travels I’ve been able to learn about Wisconsin’s sheep and wool industry from the farm to the mill. In order to learn more about the final product I traveled to Columbus, Wis. to visit Susan McFarland at Susan’s Fiber Shop. When you walk through the doors you will find an incredible selection of fiber-related products. From raw Tesswater sheep wool, yarn in every color, tools and equipment to even a cute dog named Max, you will definitely find what you’re looki

Just miles down the road from my family’s farm you’ll find Hidden Valley Farm & Woolen Mill in Valders, WI. Carol Wagner wanted to own a sheep, wash its wool, spin its wool and knit the yarn into a sweater. So in 1985, Carol and her husband, Paul, got Bucky. Fast forward more than 30 years, and today the Wagners have a flock of around 400 sheep. Prior to delving into sheep full-time, Carol was a German teacher at Notre Dame Academy in Green Bay. After reading an article in a

As I travel the state on my Wisconsin Wool campaign, I’ve been so fortunate to visit many incredible places that exemplify Wisconsin’s sheep industry. My first stop was at Huber Sheep Shearing in Wisconsin Dells. Shearing is generally carried out in the spring, so sheep don't become overheated in the summer. A long fleece is likely to become dirty and drag along the ground, increasing the possibility of flies. Shearing sheep is incredibly important as sheep are extremely susc

While many people recognize Alice’s car and mink coat for their connection to Wisconsin and agriculture, several often question the connection of the tiara to the Alice program. In addition to agriculture, Wisconsin has a strong heritage in mining. In fact, Wisconsin’s lead and zinc mines, now largely abandoned, initially spurred much of our state’s settlement. The importance of this industry and our mining heritage is not only acknowledged with a miner on our flag, but also