In this episode we’re taking a look at what it means to cultivate and work within a ‘fibershed.’
Join us in conversation with three people who are doing some amazing things in their strategic geography, the Southeastern New England Fibershed: Amy DuFault, a sustainable fashion writer, consultant, and activist who has worked in this space for over a decade; Karen Schwalbe who is the Executive Director of the Southeastern Massachusetts Agricultural Partnership (SEMAP) and whose work is rooted in ecological restoration and local agriculture; and Sarah Kelley, who is the Senior Program Officer at Island Foundation, and has a background in both textile history and local agriculture and environmental conservation.
Sarah, Karen, and Amy share how and why they joined together to develop a Fibershed Affiliate within and for their community. They talk about getting to know the people, places, and processes of their regional fiber system, and how they have gotten started with specific projects like working with a small cohort of alpaca farmers to support carbon farming practices and education. We chat about how a fibershed can be a way to understand the textile history of a place, and provide a way to envision a soil to soil economy for the future of one’s community.
Show notes:
- Visit the Southeastern New England Fibershed site to explore their supply chain directory, read their blog, track events and projects, and follow them on Instagram @SENewEnglandFibershed
- Check out the Alpaca carbon farming cohort that the SENE Fibershed started
- Find your nearest Fibershed Affiliate by visiting our Directory
- Learn more about the Fibershed Affiliate Program including how to join the Network
- Connect with the New England Alpaca Fiber Pool
- Learn more about carbon farming
- Hear more on carbon farming practices from a producer perspective by listening to ep. 2 of the Soil to Soil podcast with Jim Jensen
Thanks for listening to the sixth episode of Soil to Soil, a podcast connecting the dots in the lifecycle of clothing and material culture, brought to you by Fibershed, which is a non-profit organization based in Northern California. Each episode offers a look at how, and why, our community is working to cultivate fiber and dye systems that build soil & protect the health of our biosphere.
This episode is hosted by Jess Daniels, with production support from Whetstone Media and music by Arann Harris. Photo credits: by Amy DuFault courtesy of the Southeastern New England Fibershed.