Join NJ Fibershed for a weekend of fiber immersion located at farms throughout New Jersey on April 27 & 28 from 10AM – 4PM each day! This year 2 South & 2 North NJ Host Farms are participating.
Come to meet the livestock, buy some home grown fiber and locally made products! Meet farmers, ranchers, designers, sewers, weavers, knitters, felters, spinners, and natural dyers living and working within New Jersey and neighboring regions. And if that wasn’t enough, there will be a drawing at each farm for NJ Fibershed swag at the end of the Barn Crawl event! Share your finds with #NJBarnCrawl24.
We’ll be doing a NJ Fibershed Fiber-Along again this year. Fiber-Along 2024 is a free, open community of makers using items purchased at the Barn Crawl. Anyone who attends this year’s Barn Crawl can participate. It’s a chance to share what you’re making due to attending the Barn Crawl with fellow “Crawlers” as well as the makers who produced or influenced what you’re using/ making. There will be monthly Zoom meetings to share progress on projects, with a final in person meet up at the October Fleece and Fall Fiber Sale. Signup info will be provided at each Barn Crawl host farm. Please share your project on Social Media using #njfal2024.
Entry Donation is $5 per person, good for both days. As an entirely volunteer run non-profit organization, we must raise the funds to cover the expenses of everything we do: events, workshops, and training sessions. Your Barn Crawl entrance donations will be used to cover expenses for biosecurity materials for our animals and portable restrooms for farm guests.
Donations in advance are preferred so farms don’t have to handle cash, but each farm will provide a QR Code/ url to make a donation via our website for drop-in visitors.
If you are interested in carpooling/ ride sharing, fill out our Google form.
Barn Crawl FAQ – don’t worry you won’t have to crawl on a barn!
Join the Fiber Quest! Entry donations after 5 PM April 26 will receive the Fiber Quest Guide as a download link in their donation receipt. Donations for Barn Crawl 2024 can be made now!
Meet our Host Farms:
- Jenny Jump Farm – Belvidere, Warren County
- Smiling Dog Farm – Lumberton, Burlington County
- Windswept Acres Farm – Pittstown, Hunterdon County
- Windy Farm Alpacas – Chesterfield, Burlington County
Info is up to date as of April 25, 2024 and subject to change.
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What is a barn crawl?
A barn crawl, in this case, is simply a self guided tour of fiber farms throughout New Jersey. With the goal of showcasing our member producers and artisans who use locally sourced items, we hope that makers and anyone who is curious can come and learn more about the New Jersey Fibershed network. There will be opportunities to learn about fiber producers work, spinning demonstrations, goods for sale, tour the farm, and meet the sheep!
Who can attend?
Anyone can attend! We welcome makers, knitters, crocheters, foragers, weavers, fellow fiber producers, and the generally curious.
What should I wear?
Wear clothing items you wouldn’t mind getting dirty. Conditions might be muddy. Wear boots or sneakers for the same reason. There are could also be hazards like sheep stomping your foot or stepping into something you wouldn’t want on your toes. In addition to this, all participants will be required to wear plastic booties over their shoes, and this could get slippery with sandals or flip flops.
Will there be things to buy?
Yes! Each host farm will be selling fiber products from their own farm, and will be hosting at least one vendor. Expect to see products such as roving, yarn, hides, dye plants, honey, and more.
Will I need to bring cash or can I pay via PayPal or credit/ debit card?
Most vendors will accept cards although they lose on average 3.5% of the sale to the card service (MC, Visa, PayPal, etc.). To be sure you can buy all you would like, try to bring cash and especially include small bills to make exact change.
What is the cost of attending and when do I need to buy a ticket?
We are asking that participants register as far in advance as possible so that we can have an idea of attendance. Tickets will only be available online, there will be no tickets available at the host farms. Tickets are $5 per person. This allows us to pay for the basic costs of running the event including signage, biosecurity supplies, and drawing prizes.
Will there be alcohol?
Though it sounds like ‘bar crawl’, this event will have no alcohol. There also will be no drinks or food. Please bring your own snacks and hydration!
Will there be climbing or crawling?
All attendees will be required to walk, and sometimes sit. Please do not climb onto the barns, tables, or livestock.
Can I bring my pet?
No! Dogs might scare sheep and other farm animals. They also pose a biosecurity risk as they cannot wear the little plastic booties needed to visit each farm.
Bonus Info….
In the Barn Crawl announcement that went to all our subscribers we said “And if you do find out what an alpaca sounds like? Please let us know!”
Thanks to Jackie Armiger of Windy Farm Alpacas for the following info….
Many different sounds. Popular description is that they “hum.” Sometimes they sound like cattle “lowing.” Also, they have a danger sound like a siren. And, sometimes they just yell at each other, usually the males fighting. Males orgle while they breed. The dams (females) make a clicking sound when talking to their crias (babies).