Michigan Wool Handling School

The American Sheep Industry Association (ASI) will be holding a wool handling school at the John Oswalt farm in Michigan on May 1-2. The school is being held in conjunction with the completion of the shearing season at the Oswalt farm.

This unique opportunity offers students a full range of wool handling, from live sheep sorting prior to shearing to wool packaging, following ASI's wool quality program guidelines. Other topics of discussion include wool price factors, which determine wool value, an introduction to wool classing systems, reducing contamination and packing and labeling of wool bags and packs. Wool samples from a variety of grades will be available for handling, as well as finished fabrics and garments, including new military fabrics.

The wide range of information represented in this class will be of interest to growers, shearers, hand spinners and processors interested in learning more about the diverse wool industry.

To register, contact Zahrah at ASI by calling 303-771-3500, ext. 54 or by email at zahrah@sheepusa.org. Additional information is available from Ron Cole, ASI Wool Education Consultant, at ihrcole@comcast.net or by calling 970-302-4117.

The school will start at 9 a.m. on Monday, May 2, and will run through 5 p.m. on Tuesday, May 3. The first 20 students to apply and pay the $25 registration fee will be accepted into the course. A Wool 101 Manual and DVD will be provided to each attendee for future reference. The Oswalt farm is located at 10144 E. XY Ave, Vicksburg, Mich.