UW Extension to Lead Programming at Wyoming Sheep and Wool Festival

University of Wyoming Extension and the Wyoming Wool Initiative have partnered with the Wyoming Wool Growers Association to provide programming on the science, art and practice of Wyoming sheep and wool production. UW Extension programs will be held in Kemmerer Friday, June 30, and Saturday, July 1, at the inaugural Wyoming Sheep and Wool Festival.

Programs will take place at the South Lincoln Training and Events Center and the Kemmerer Downtown Triangle.

“There is truly something for everyone at the Wyoming Sheep and Wool Festival. Collaboration among UW Extension, the Wyoming Wool Initiative and the Wyoming Wool Growers Association will provide high-quality, interactive educational programming on Wyoming's storied sheep industry,” says Whit Stewart, UW Extension sheep specialist.

Friday at 4 p.m., extension educator Barton Stam will discuss sheep grazing and its benefits in promoting ecological diversity and providing ecosystem services.

Saturday at 10:30 a.m., UW meat scientists Warrie Means and Cody Gifford will present various lamb cuts and preparation options. Participants will enjoy some savory samples.

This program is a must for those interested in direct marketing of lamb and those wanting to expand their menus.

In the afternoon, Stewart and John Kane, a third-generation livestock dealer from Madison, Wis., will provide insights on nontraditional market channels. The session will conclude with a question-and-answer panel discussion with Stewart, Kane and other regional experts.

Stewart and UW sheep program students also will host a wool learning kiosk and hand-spinning fleece auction at the Kemmerer Triangle. Interactive displays will allow festival attendees to learn more about the unique, ecofriendly qualities of wool fiber.

Participants also will have the opportunity to bid on high-quality fleeces in a silent auction. For information on buying or consigning fleeces to the auction, email Lindsay Conley-Stewart at lstewar9@uwyo.edu.

UW Extension programing will conclude with the Sheepherders Come Bye, an annual celebration of Wyoming’s sheep industry sponsored by the Wyoming Wool Initiative. A lamb dinner and awards ceremony for Wyoming wool growers and sheep producers begins at 6 p.m., followed by live music and dancing.

Tickets for the lamb dinner can be purchased at https://bit.ly/come-by-2023. All other extension programming is free and open to the public.

More information about the festival can be found at www.wyomingsheepandwoolfestival.com.

About UW Extension

Since 1914, UW Extension has provided lifelong learning opportunities to Wyoming citizens across the state. With roots in agricultural education, UW Extension supports rural communities facing contemporary challenges and changes. UW Extension brings the university’s resources to each of the state’s 23 counties and the Wind River Indian Reservation. To learn more about UW Extension, visit www.uwyo.edu/uwe or call (307) 766-5124.