Martha's Vineyard Yarn CSA

Knitting enthusiasts with a love for Martha’s Vineyard have a new way of combining their interests. Island wash-a-shores Susan Gibbs and Patrick Manning recently started the world’s first yarn CSA, allowing fiber-fans nationwide to knit and purl a little of the Vineyard into their scarves and sweaters.

CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) programs have become an increasingly popular way for people to increase their ties to local farms through buying-in to become “members” or “shareholders” at the beginning of a season. These members then receive their portion of the farm’s yield on a weekly or monthly basis.

Usually this means flowers, eggs, carrots, or other farm products, but since Susan and Patrick have applied this concept to their sheep and goats at the Martha’s Vineyard Fiber Farm, the yield will be skeins of yarn.

After minimal online promotion through notmartha.com, the concept of the yarn CSA took off in the most organic way our virtual age has to offer; knitters and Martha’s Vineyard lovers blogged about the program and word spread.

Impressively enough, after Susan and Patrick announced the CSA in mid-October, all 100 shares for the spring shearing were sold-out by Christmas. But fear not would-be Little Bo Peep! Shares for the fall shearing are now available. Learn more from marthasvineyardfiberfarm.com.

Photo Gallery

Martha's Vineyard Fiber Farm has been on the Island since last fall, and it's easy to fall in love with the goats and sheep that call this farm home. Meet some of these cuddly quadripeds, and consider taking part in the Yarn CSA run by the farm.

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A sheep at twilight.