membership
We, the Officers and Board of Directors, invite you to join the Connecticut Sheep Breeders Association, Inc. Membership is open to anyone with an interest in sheep and you need not own sheep to be a member. Membership is not restricted to residents of Connecticut however we do restrict the participation in our Blanket Project only to flocks that are in state because of marketing restrictions of the Department of Agriculture’s CT Grown program. Non-resident members are able to enter their fleeces in the Fleece Sale at the annual Sheep, Wool & Fiber Festival.
Membership runs from January 1st to December 31st. When you join our Association you will automatically become of a member of the American Sheep Industry. Your membership also includes your name, address and phone number listed under the appropriate breed in the next printing of the Bi-Annual Directory. Unless we are instructed otherwise, this same information will appear on the website the next time it is updated. Members also have free use of our website’s “Marketplace Classifieds” to advertise sheep and sheep related items and producers participating in the CT Blanket Project can be listed on the Blanket Page with their information. Through out the year you will receive mailings announcing different events we are holding or about business items that need a vote by the membership. Membership renewals are typically mailed in the fall along with the invitation to the Annual Meeting & Dinner and the advertising form for those people and businesses that wish to place ads in the Bi-Annual Directory in the years that it is to be published. The original Constitution and By-Laws written in May of 1893 said, “The purpose of the Association shall be to promote and encourage the keeping of sheep upon the farms of Connecticut, to improve breeds of sheep, and to aid in securing legislation favorable to the sheep industry and agriculture.” Our mission has not changed and our vast network of experienced shepherds is an asset to all members whether they are old hands or new to sheep. At the annual Connecticut Sheep, Wool & Fiber Festival members can attend free workshops, some of which are more hands-on, so you can further your knowledge of sheep and learn methods to help make your flock more profitable. In addition to the workshops at the Connecticut Sheep, Wool & Fiber Festival there are also lots of vendors to buy supplies from or you can even rent a booth yourself and sell your flock’s products. Ideas and suggestions for workshop topics are always welcome and we encourage members to participate in the planning and execution of these two major events for the Association.
The 2025 Membership Form is available by emailing our Secretary, Grace Schultz
secretary@ctsheep.com