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Have Some Shear Delight at Liberty Prairie's Fall Festival
Experience How Raw Wool Becomes Yarn (Volunteers Sought)
Liberty Prairie is a food education and farmland preservation non-profit located in the Prairie Crossing "agri-hood" in Grayslake (in Lake County near Illinois' northeast border). It focuses on advancing farm education, hands-on learning, regenerative agriculture, and expanding vibrant, resilient local food ecosystems, and it places a strong emphasis on educating young (and older) people about farming and sustainable agriculture.
To better connect with the broader public, Liberty Prairie stages spring and fall festivals on its 95-acre holistically managed farm. And that farm (located at 550 Harris Rd. in Grayslake), will host this year's Fall Festival for Good on Saturday, October 3 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The Festival includes fun events such as pumpkin picking and wagon rides. Perhaps the most distinctive segment, though, is an expert demonstration of sheep shearing in which heavy wool coats are trimmed in one piece.
For this segment, Liberty Prairie is seeking volunteers to process the raw wool into fiber. There will be a brief training for volunteers before the gates open, and no experience is necessary.
The following are photos I took at the sheep shearing demo at Prairie Crossing's 2025 spring demo. The sheep incur no harm and removing that heavy wool makes their lives more comfortable.
It really is amazing to watch each sheep's wool come off in one piece.
Before...
... and after.
Proceeds from the event will go towards the organization's farm education programs. Click the QR Code in the graphic at the top to buy tickets.
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