Maryland 2018 - Days 3 & 4 MSWF
/This is the third post for MSWF. Go backwards in the blog if you want to read the others. I missed the shearing part of the Sheep to Shawl competition on Saturday morning and, by the time I made it to the tent where the competition was being held, one team had just cut their shawl off the loom.
That was Spin City. They had a Scout theme, complete with cookies and merit badges.
I realize that unless you have a large screen you're not going to be able to read the Merit Badge descriptions. Most have to do with becoming competent in skills of spinning, knitting, shearing, etc. However I particularly liked the one that shows a credit card and is awarded for: "Enabler (silver or gold). The requirements for earning this badge are: Teaching someone to knit, crochet, spin, felt, weave, or dye. You also must have 'encouraged' another to buy a braid of roving, skein of yarn, or spindle. Silver: If you have ever persuaded someone to buy a wheel or loom then you have earned the silver enabler award. Gold: To earn the gold enabler award you must have influenced someone's decision to buy a farm, fiber mill, or yarn store." 
The Fiber Friends' sign said that they were "Celebrating the Royal Wedding with a Royal Shawl".
Definitely a royal purple theme.
The third team was called Friends Thru Fiber and had a butterfly theme.
I was showing sheep Saturday afternoon and didn't make it back to this area to find out who won the competition.
I mentioned in the last post about the opportunity to spend time with people who I rarely see.
These are two of the JSBA inspectors that I communicate with via email a lot. Royal on the left, is the person who bought the sheep I brought. 
Here is a photo of showing Serrano that Royal just sent me.
As things were winding down on Sunday afternoon I helped Royal load the sheep for his drive to Pennsylvania. That's my two with their new friends.
Serrano in the trailer.
As I left the fairgrounds I took a few photos of the gorgeous countryside.
I love seeing the farms and these old barns.
Back at the hotel...
...I laid out my winnings.
Stay tuned for one more day of Maryland adventures!
Scottish Blackface.
Lincoln Longwool.
Kerry Hill.
Leicester Longwool.
Tunis.
Herdwick.
Hog Island.
Clun Forest.
Shropshire.
Border Leicester.
And of course, Jacob. This is not my ram. This one had never been shorn.
My sheep were shorn in February which put them at a disadvantage at this show.
This is Jolene and Saffron waiting for the show.
Andy, who drove the sheep filled trailer out here, offered to show one of the ewes.
He is an experienced showman, but I'll bet this is the first Jacob he has shown.
My sheep place in the middle. The ram, Serrano, placed 4th out of 7 or 8. Jolene was 3rd and Saffron was 7th in a class of about 10.
I hung around the Fine Natural Colored Wool show in case Andy needed help. This is one of Terri M's fleeces. Color like a Jacob, but much finer.
Look who was also on display. Making their debut, these are 50% Valais Black Nose sheep, the first generation in a breed-up program with the goal of producing almost 100% purebred sheep.
Elegant and cute at the same time!
Seen in the parking lot!