Southeast Ohio Fibershed

08/13/2026

Two years old madder, a dye plant, with so much seed setting it's hard to keep up! The metal structure is 3ft tall, just to give you an idea about how sprawling this plant can be. It's a type of bedstraw, with the prickly sticky stems and leaves that help them climb. The root is the prize, though, and we are getting close to harvesting this bed.



Here you see the berries that form from very tiny yellow flowers pollinated mostly by flies, hover flies, and wasps. Only the black berries are mature enough to save. I could wait to get them when I pull the vines, but I think it'll be easier picking them than searching for the dark berries in soil. The plants can also be propagated by rooted stems.



These berries will go into a sieve in water, where I will mash them to remove the little bit of pulp, juice, and skins surrounding the seeds. Then they'll be allowed to dry for a couple weeks before bagging for storage.

Seed packs will be available Sunday Ohio Pawpaw Festival for a donation to the Southeast Ohio Fibershed! ~L

07/29/2026

On Saturday August 1, head over to the The Dairy Barn Arts Center for their Spin-in event, 10am to 3pm!

Have a wheel or spindle? Take it with you! We'll be there showing off a custom finished Kromski Minstrel, a gorgeous example of a castle style wheel. Check out this event and y take some time to visit the Fibers of Appalachia exhibit where we have some fiber samples hanging for you to gently explore. It'll be a busy weekend!

07/09/2026

The Southeast Ohio Fibershed story has made it to NPR's national desk! Have a listen.

The farm-to-table movement has been around for decades. An Ohio entrepreneur wants to replicate its success with clothing by building a regional textile economy.

06/17/2026

Cotton plants are attacked by over 500 species of insects, the most destructive being bollworms, boll weevils, spider mites, whiteflies, and others. These insects cause widespread damage at all stages of the cotton's life, including significant yield loss, reduced fiber quality, and stunted growth. But have no fear -- there are ways to manage cotton pests!

Common management strategies include field scouting, biological control, cultural practices, such as early planting or management of irrigation and fertilizer, and chemical control, one that avoids killing beneficial insects like lady beetles, lacewings, and assassin bugs.

06/09/2026

Cotton requires a warm, well-drained, and nutrient-rich soil, as well as a full sun in order to grow. It takes roughly four to five months of a frost-free season -- warm days and nights -- for cotton to be ready for harvest. Seeds are generally planted in late April to early May, when the soil will continue to be warm throughout the night. If you live in a cooler climate, you can start your cotton-growing journey indoors, then transfer your plant outside once it warms up. After months of care and growth, when the protective boll opens up to expose the fluffy fibers of cotton, it is time to harvest!

06/07/2026

We want to express our sincerest gratitude to everyone who came out and helped to support last Saturday's Fibershed Meetup at the Hocking Hills Garment Center.
Whether as a visitor, speaker, vendor, or sponsor, what a fantastic time we had!

It was so beautiful seeing the community support behind relocalizing our fiber and dye ecosystem. Our estimate is that nearly 80 people -- and 5 sheep! -- were in attendance.

Thank you all for your time, fiber arts talents, financial support and interest in creating a vibrant and thriving textile community and economy in our area.

Did you leave the event feeling inspired? This meetup is only the beginning of what we can create together. As a non-profit, we have started the process of building the ecosystem here in Southeast Ohio that will connect makers and farmers to consumers through building the infrastructure, systems, and community needed to create a sustainable textile economy.

If this vision is something you'd like to see come to fruition, please consider becoming a member of the Southeast Ohio Fibershed. A membership at any level helps our work continue and grow.

Find our membership levels here or in our Linktree in bio!
https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/southeast-ohio-fibershed-membership-campaign--2026

06/03/2026

Cotton, the most widely used fiber in textiles, is a fluffy and soft natural fiber known for its absorbency, comfort, and versatility. The fiber is spun into breathable and durable yarn, which is then woven or knit into fabric. Its use ranges from clothing to homewares to industrial products -- even to astronauts' cabin clothes! Cotton use has been dated as far back as 450 BC in Peru, evidencing over 7,000 years of utilizing cotton. What an important plant!

05/28/2026

DEMONSTRATIONS

Moose Knuckle Productions - Acid mine runoff pigment dyeing; visitors are encouraged to upcycle an old cotton t-shirt or other fabric to dye at the booth

Louise Goebel of Renaissance Farms: Botanical Dyeing Q&A — presentation at booth

Southeast Ohio Fiberworks, Lisa Heinz seohiofiberworks - Spinning wool (Ongoing at booth throughout afternoon)

Austin Cannon of Woody Acres: How to Make Homemade Tree Bark Rope — presentation at booth

Janice Bailey-Magill of Small Potatoes Farm in New Marshfield, Ohio will bring a few of her sheep that love to be pet. Talk with Janice about meat production and why shearing is important for her.

The team at Akron-based Altitude Shearing are planning to visit for at least a meet and greet (maybe shearing?). If you know someone who might consider shearing as a vocation, this is a fantastic opportunity to bring them and ask questions about the important work shearer's do and the industry in general.

05/28/2026

We have an incredible lineup of speakers that you won't want to miss!

2:00 pm Welcome! Betsy Franjola, Founder of HHGC

2:15 pm Southeast Ohio Fibershed Update: Lisa Heinz, Founder

2:30 pm Guest Speaker: Rustbeltfibershed Founder, Sarah Pottle

3:00 pm Guest speaker Kelly Powers, Powers Acres Fiber Mill

4:00 pm HHGC tour (15-20 minutes)