National CSA Directory

Woolly Weekend at Shepherd's Cross

farm@shepherdscross.com March 4, 2025 No Comments

Woolly Weekend at Shepherd’s Cross Thursday April 24, Friday April 25, & Saturday April 26, 2025 10:00 am – 7:00 p.m. Woolly Weekend is a “sheep to shawl” festival held at Shepherd’s Cross, an authentic working sheep farm, just north of Claremore OK on Scenic Route 66. Come to the farm and watch as the sheep are shorn (given a haircut). Sheep shearing occurs throughout the day. After the fiber is shorn from the sheep, visitors can watch the wool being processed on site. It will be combed, spun, woven, knit, crocheted, and felted into finished products. This is a true Sheep to Shawl Event. Over the three-day period at least three shawls will be created entirely from the wool shorn on the first morning of the event. It is rare to find a true Sheep to Shawl experience. Shearing and demonstrations take place inside the Amish built tour barn, which houses some of the animals as well as the wool processing, farm museum, and the gift shop. There are Short Course Fiber Classes available; learn drop spindling, hand carding, needle felting, or weaving during the event. Be sure to visit the Farm Animal Barn & pet the barnyard animals. Tour the educational interactive Farm Museum & Four-Story Observation Silo, as well as the Bible Garden. Bring the entire family. Children’s activities include weaving, games, wool project, and coloring contest. This is a free event. Donations are welcome – suggested donation of $5 per person. Groups of twenty or more, please pre-register. Volunteers are needed to demonstrate fiber arts. If

Spring & Summer Field Trips or Road Trips to Shepherd's Cross Farm

farm@shepherdscross.com February 21, 2025 No Comments

Beginning Mid-March 2025 Spring & Summer Field Trips or Road Trips to the Farm Sheep & Shepherd Tours begin when the lambs are born each spring here at Shepherd’s Cross, an authentic working sheep farm, just north of Claremore OK on Scenic Route 66. Come to the farm and watch as the sheep peacefully graze the pastures and rest by the still waters. The newborn lambs jump for joy and frolic in the pastures. Sheep & Shepherd Tours: Self-guided Tour – Donation-based (suggested $5 per person) Enjoy watching the sheep in the pastures as you stroll the grounds in the visitor areas. Sheep & Shepherding Guided Walking Tour – Donation-based (suggested $5 per person) Drop by or pre-schedule. Please Note: Walking Tour is not in the pasture with the sheep, but adjacent to the pasture per Animal Welfare guidelines. Sheep & Shepherding Guided Wagon Ride Tour – $7 per person Wagon Ride in pasture with the flock Must be pre-scheduled. Holds 20+ passengers per wagon load; ramp-loading. Springtime also brings blooms in time for Bible Garden Tours. Shepherd’s Cross is home to one of only a handful of Bible Gardens in the U.S.A. Over 100 plants in this garden have Biblical references. Bible Garden Tour Options: Self-Guided Tours – Donation-based (suggested $5 per person) Enjoy the English Country Garden, read the placards, pick up a brochure with map. Audio Tours Available online: https://shepherdscross.com/bible-garden.html All Tours also include the following: Visiting the sheep, lambs, and other farm animals at the petting barn area. Teaching Nomadic and Biblical shepherding practices. Wool Mill

Summer Internship Program

farm@shepherdscross.com February 14, 2025 No Comments

Heart of the Shepherd’s Intern / Apprentice Program at Shepherd’s Cross Summer Semester May – Mid-Aug or Early Sept. The internship program at the farm equips students with basic farming skills and with Biblical references to farming and shepherding. Students are taught historical agriculture, mixed with a healthy appreciation for industrialized agriculture and exposed to agricultural parables found in The Bible. Shepherd’s Cross is a working sheep farm. There are many other animals and activities on the farm. Other areas of the farm include a Farm Museum, a Farm Store, Wool Mill, and Bible Garden. The internship is under the direction of Dr. Diane Dickinson, an agriculturalist with a Bachelor’s in Agriculture, a Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine, and over five decades of farm and livestock experience. She serves as an on-site veterinarian and operates a veterinary care unit on the farm. The summer semester is the busiest Bible Garden season to intern, as this is harvest season. Educate visitors on growing, harvesting, and using seasonal produce as part of our outreach program. This is weaning season for the lambs, and summer grass range season for the ewes. There are a lot of hands-on activities with the sheep in the summer. More information is available online: https://shepherdscross.com/intern-residency.html Apply in-person or online. Experience is advantageous but not required. High school or college students as well as any age adult are welcome to apply. College credit may be received for students enrolled in college classes. Following successful completion of the Internship, the student may apply for the Apprentice/Residency Program. This program allows the

Winter Barn Sale (Garage Sale)

farm@shepherdscross.com January 17, 2025 No Comments

PRESS RELEASE — FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Winter Barn Sale (Garage Sale) February 6, 7, & 8, 2025 – Thursday, Friday, & Saturday 7:00 am – 5:30 pm Rain or shine Donated items graciously accepted. Please drop off your donations at the barn Tuesday through Saturday 8:30 am – 5:30 pm by end of day February 1, 2025. Huge, Multi-Family Garage Sale of donated articles including appliances, large selection of vintage & antiques, farm house, farming items, furniture, wall décor, housewares, DVDs, pallets, farm and garden items, children’s games and toys, home decorator items, bedding, office supplies, books, and collectibles, as well as clothing for the entire family. Photographs of sale items can be found on our Facebook page the week before the event at: https://www.facebook.com/ShepherdsCross Indoors and heated. Free cider, hot beverages, and pumpkin bread will be available. Sale benefits Farming Missions, Starter Flocks, and Wool Mills in remote locations around the world. Locally, the sale benefits local outreach and Baby Blessing Bags. 100% of funds from the barn sale will go directly towards these projects. Monetary Donations towards these missions are greatly appreciated. A tax-deductible receipt is provided upon request. In addition, the following activities are always available at the farm (on a donation basis): Touring the educational & interactive Farm Museum & Silo Touring the Bible Garden – guided or self-guided Spinning and Wool Mill demonstration Shepherd’s Cross is an accredited Agritourism facility, a Made in Oklahoma Company, and is Animal Welfare Approved. Website: https://shepherdscross.com/index.html Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/ShepherdsCross Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ShepherdsCross Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shepherds_cross/ Heart of the Shepherd is a public

Small Ruminant Animal Husbandry Training

farm@shepherdscross.com December 18, 2024 No Comments

Small Ruminant Animal Husbandry Training Friday, January 24, 2025 8:30 am- 4:30 pm For those interested in returning to the basics of farming, small ruminants present a great option for sustainable living. Our small ruminant class is a great place to start learning how to be more self-sufficient and for homesteading. Learn how to care for small ruminants such as sheep, goats, alpacas, and llamas. Class includes instruction, handouts, videos, tutorials, and hands on experience. The primary instructor for the class is Dr. Diane Dickinson, a licensed veterinarian and an agriculturalist, with over 40 years of livestock and farming experience. Her unique perspective of animal husbandry care includes that of a producer, a veterinarian, and a small flock & herd owner. She also shares her experiences in global agriculture, Biblical agriculture, sustainable living, natural production, agritourism and niche markets. The Dickinsons have owned and operated Shepherd’s Cross, a working sheep farm, for over 30 years. Their livestock include sheep, cattle, alpacas, llamas, donkeys, horses & poultry. Their farm is Animal Welfare Approved with their livestock pasture raised and pasture fed. Class Topics Include Vaccinations Feet Trimming Tail docking Bloodless castration Managing pasture & Feeding Parasites & Worms Practical profitable flock herd health for working shepherds FAMACHA Sheep, goats, alpacas & others Lambing & birthing Neonatal care – lambs, kids & others Tubing Wool management AWA Shearing Classes are limited to 20 participants and fill quickly. Beverages are provided. Bring your lunch. Cost is $99.00 per person, $179.00 for 2 family members, or $259.00 for 3 or more family members (age

Fiber Fest Weekend Retreat

farm@shepherdscross.com December 13, 2024 No Comments

January 16, 17, & 18, 2025 – Thursday, Friday, & Saturday 8:30 am – 3:30 pm Ever been curious about how fiber is processed and how to do it yourself? Try our Fiber Fest Weekend Retreat. We spend three days learning how to process any kind of fiber (we teach with wool). Includes washing, dyeing, wet felting, carding, picking, spindling, spinning, needle felting, and weaving and some history of fiber arts with practical technology. Great skill to add for homesteading, being able to process wool from your own sheep to make your own natural items. Each participant will make and keep multiple projects. Virtual or onsite Retreat fee is only $297 (all three days); all materials provided. Any single day of the Retreat is available for $99 per day. Retreats are augmented by hands on learning tools available in the Educational Farm Museum and with a collection of fiber arts from around the world. Registration is required. Information and registration form is online or call 918-342-5911. Shepherd’s Cross offers these classes year-round, on an individual or group basis. Shepherd’s Cross is an accredited Agritourism facility, an Oklahoma Museum Association member, and a Made in Oklahoma Company that processes Animal Welfare Approved fiber (that is chemical free, hormone free, free range, all natural). Shepherd’s Cross hosts a mini wool mill, processing the wool from their own sheep raised on site. Heart of the Shepherd is a non-profit organization (501-C3) that operates at the farm and establishes wool mills in remote, impoverished areas around the world. Heart of the Shepherd teaches Biblical

1st Quarter Weaving Classes

farm@shepherdscross.com November 22, 2024 No Comments

Weaving is a great winter month activity. Begin the new year with a new craft or expand upon your current weaving knowledge with one of our classes. Registration for each class is required. Information and registration forms can be found at: https://shepherdscross.com/weaving-classes.html or call 918-342-5911. Navajo Weaving – Jan 9-11 Learn how to weave in the Navajo tradition in one weekend. This is a basic weaving class, including fiber arts history and practical technology; offered on site or virtually. Each participant will finish a project to take home. Retreat fee is $299.00; all materials provided. Inkle Loom Weaving – Jan 18 Learn to warp and weave on an inkle loom in this 3-hour class. Each participant will make and take home a sash and a bookmark. Class fee is $49; all materials provided Beginners Rigid Heddle Weaving: Mug Rugs – Jan 25 Learn how to warp and weave on a rigid heddle loom. Take 4 finished mug rugs home with you. Class fee is $99; all materials provided Table Loom Weaving – Jan 31-Feb 1 Students will warp and weave their projects on a table loom. Each participant will make & take home a scarf or table runner and a trivet Class fee is $159; all materials provided Rag Rug Weaving – Feb 8 Learn to weave on a pre-warped floor loom and take home a beautiful woven rag rug. Class fee is $10 plus $10 per foot woven, all materials included. Class participants decide on the length they prefer during class. A deposit of $20 is required. Floor Loom

Christmas at the Farm

farm@shepherdscross.com November 12, 2024 No Comments

December 12, 13, 14, & 19, 20, 21, 2024 Thursday, Friday, & Saturday 10:00 am – 8:00 p.m. Experience a shepherd’s Christmas at an authentic working farm, nestled inside a cozy Amish-built barn. Step back in time and journey with the shepherds for a peaceful reflection upon the original Christmas night, when Christ was born. Indoor activities include a living manger scene, with live animals and character portrayals, musical performances, storytelling, “A Shepherd’s Christmas” audio-visual story, angel craft, coloring contest, tabletop games, the educational Farm Museum and Silo, fiber arts demonstrations, and Farm Store. Outdoor activities include winter yard games, Christmas lights, wagon rides, tours of the Bible Garden, and a sheep flock reminiscent of the first Christmas pastoral scene. Enjoy a peaceful moment of reflection as this age-old scriptural story springs to life in the Living Nativity. Final Manger Scene for the evening begins at 7:15. Plan on spending 1 – 2 hours for this Christmas experience. Christmas at the Farm will proceed even in the case of inclement weather. The Farm Store will be open, featuring a host of Made in Oklahoma crafts & gifts. Over 70 artisans provide unique hand-made items. Additionally, the shop features Shepherd’s Cross 100% natural wool and alpaca yarns and products. Farm produced food items are available as well as locally made food items. The store also features hand-made fair-trade products, returning 100% of the proceeds to the indigenous peoples that have made the products. Shepherd’s Cross is a Farmer’s Market Hub store, open year-round. Winter is walnut and pecan harvest season. Walnuts,

Annual Storewide Sale Open House

farm@shepherdscross.com October 19, 2024 No Comments

ANNUAL STOREWIDE SALE OPEN HOUSE Shepherd’s Cross Farm Store Saturday November 9, 2024 – 9:00 am to 4:00 pm Come join Shepherd’s Cross at our Annual Storewide Sale Open House as the season of gift-giving begins. The Farm Store offers 10% off storewide this one day only. Find something for everyone on your shopping list. We have one-of-a-kind handmade gifts, from over 70 local consignors. Shepherd’s Cross wool products, including yarn, fiber, handcrafted items, meats, and produce, are available. Also available are yarn, scarves, silk products, jewelry, wool rugs, handmade children’s toys, books, handmade cards, baby items, needle felting supplies, fiber spinning and weaving supplies, Christmas ornaments, essential oils, meats, dried fruits and nuts, Amish baked goods, fudge, candies, jams, and local raw honey. We accept major credit cards, SNAP/EBT cards, cash, CashApp, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and checks (with proper ID). Enjoy complimentary cider, coffee, cappuccino, tea, and snacks as you browse. Items made by missionaries and mission groups from around the world may be purchased here at the farm. We return 100% of the proceeds back to them. Countries include Afghanistan, Uganda, Malawi, Thailand, Kyrgyzstan, India & Mongolia. Our Mission Shop is a Fair Trade shop. If you would like to display and sell your goods in our shop, please request a consignor application. Shepherd’s Cross is a Farmer’s Market Hub, Made in Oklahoma Company, and is Animal Welfare Approved. We are an educational and Accredited Agritourism Facility. In addition to the shop, the farm hosts a Farm Museum, Bible Garden, and Mini Wool Mill. Come pet animals

Saori-Style Weaving on the Rigid Heddle Class

farm@shepherdscross.com August 30, 2024 No Comments

September 28, 2024, Saturday 8:30 am – 4:30 pm In this class you will learn to warp and weave on a rigid heddle loom. We will be weaving in the style and spirit of Saori using a rigid heddle loom. Participants will leave with a beautiful wall hanging or a coffee table runner. The instructor for this class is Heather Strunk. Heather majored in Fibers at Massachusetts College of Art and Design with a concentration in weaving. She enjoys working with a variety of loom types, including rigid heddle, inkle and floor looms. The Saori movement was started by Misao Jo at age 57 in 1969 and is continued by her family today in Osaka. Saori encourages individual creativity, weaving without rules and embracing flaws. Machines can make perfect fabric but only humans can make imperfect fabric. Cost of class is $99, all materials included. Participants may bring their own rigid heddle loom or use one of ours at no additional charge. We are open until 5:30 pm each day, and participants are welcome to stay and practice or work on their project. Please bring lunch, beverages are provided. There is a class size minimum of two, and a maximum of 8 participants. Our classes go a degree farther than most, and teach some history of fiber arts, and practical technology. As well as being augmented by hands on learning tools available in the Educational Farm Museum. Shepherd’s Cross offers weaving and fiber arts classes year-round, on an individual or group basis. Shepherd’s Cross is an accredited Agritourism facility, an