For over 100 years, Basque* sheepherders have grazed sheep on the plains and mountains of Wyoming. Carrying on this rural tradition, two women established Mountain Meadow Wool Company in 2002. Surrounded by the culture of ranching and of sheep, Valerie Spanos and Karen Hostetler searched for products made from the area wool. They were also concerned about the loss of this way of life with many sheep ranches closing down. These challenges turned into opportunity and they now have a working wool mill not only creating yarn from the fine wool of the area but also custom processing for growers. Mountain Meadow wool returns 10% of the sale of finished products back to the ranchers.

*The first Basques came to Johnson County to work as sheepherders. They live in Wyoming now but their European roots are in the Pyrenees Mountains between France and Spain. The Basque people are known as talented singers and "awesome" dancers.

• To build a sense of unity between our company, fiber artists, woolgrowers and the community.
• To foster cooperation among all people involved in the wool supply chain;
• To be a premier Wyoming company with national and international recognition.

Wyoming is the second largest producer of sheep in the United States and sheep production has long been a part of our history.  Mountain Meadow Wool Company hopes to become the premier wool processing facility in Wyoming and unique to the country.