Taking farm to table one step sideways - two mills in Kansas help small ranchers take their animals' wool directly to the consumer
Like other farm to table enterprises, the farm to apparel market is steadily increasing throughout the U.S. As of now, Kansas has two small mills that process the fiber from alpacas, goats and sheep.
According to the newly formed Artisan Fiber Mill Network, stationed out of Gallatin, Tenn., there are more than 125 artisan mills in the United States and Canada who provide custom processing services to the fiber industry. The group’s vice president, J.C. Christensen, who runs The Master Crafter, a fiber mill consultant organization, said in 2005 there were fewer than a dozen small specialty mills. Back then, there was only one mill in Kansas – Shepherd’s Mill, run by Sally Brandon in Phillipsburg.