Date: Saturday, June 6th, 2026
Time: 2:00–5:30 PM
• Livestock production tour began at 2:00 PM
• Natural dye workshop began at 4:00 PM
Location:
Rolling Oak Alpaca Ranch
1335 Hall Church Road
Makanda, IL 62958
Tour Rolling Oak Alpaca Ranch in Makanda, Illinois, established in 2011 when owner Morgan Stevenson welcomed her first three alpacas to make softer yarn for her crochet projects. Today, the ranch is run by Morgan and her mother, Judy Hoepker—a dynamic mother–daughter duo dedicated to every aspect of alpaca care and fiber artistry.
On this tour, participants:
• Met over 20 alpacas and a couple of Pygora goats
• Learned how alpacas are cared for and bred
• Saw how fiber is shorn, sorted, and spun
• Explored different techniques for knitting, weaving, felting, and crocheting
• Discovered how the finest alpaca fiber is transformed into luxurious, one-of-a-kind goods
This was a great opportunity for fiber enthusiasts, makers, and anyone curious about small-scale livestock and fiber production.
Deepen your fiber experience with a hands-on natural dye workshop led by Erin Luna of Black Rat Farms.
Erin is a natural dye craftsperson who has worked in the medium for the past seven years. She farms an acre in Hillsboro, MO, and teaches at a variety of institutions in St. Louis, where she resides.
In this workshop, participants:
• Learned about the cultivation and processing of plant-based dyes
• Explored how natural dyes interact with different fibers
• Had the opportunity to naturally dye their own bandana
• Chatted with Erin about fiber farming and working with natural color
