Blog
Shearing the saloias
It was shearing day for the Saloias of Casal da Freira. As you already know, we like to work in partnership with Marty and Susana O'Connel whenever possible. Perfectly shorn fleeces. Well skirted and sorted, this year with a little help from Guida Fonseca and Pedro. We never get tired of seeing the satisfaction on the producers' faces when they see their animals' wool really valued.
10 years of shearing together
We've been doing exemplary shearings at the Serralves Foundation with Martin and Susana O'Connell for 10 years now, always with a fantastic audience!
Another year, another shearing
It was a pleasure to take Marty and Susana O'Connell back to Serralves to demonstrate the shearing of the farm's Bordaleira de Entre-Douro-e-Minho sheep. We were presented with exceptional weather and many families joined us to watch this very important stage of the wool cycle!
From Churra Mirandesa Fleece to Sock
These beautiful socks were made by Zaida from a fleece of Churra Mirandesa that she brought back with her from our shearing, back in June.
Shearing at Quinta de Serralves - 2017
Another year, another brilliant shearing by Martin at Quinta de Serralves. The more I learn about wool and the more shearings I see, the more special I think this moment is that we are lucky enough to offer to the Foundation's public.
Learning to shear
Here are a few photos of the Shearing Workshop that took place last saturday in Serralves, right after the morning demonstration.
Sheep shearing workshop and demonstration at Serralves - 21st of May 2016
The 2016 shearing season has already begun and there will once again be a shearing open to the public at Quinta de Serralves next Saturday, May 21, this time with something new: a practical workshop for beginners!
The Bowen Shearing Technique
The first few times I talked with Suzana about the type of shearing done by Martin, she told me he used a specific technique, called the Bowen Technique, and directed me to this video me to introduce the subject.
Why shear?
The only purpose of shearing is not to extract wool as a raw matter, and I would even say that for most breeds kept by man, that is not even the main goal. Here in Portugal, where most sheep aren’t bred specifically for wool, and where most of the wool is no longer so valuable as it used to be, the animals are shorn anyway.
Shearing at Quinta de Serralves - 2015
Last saturday we had fabulous weather, an interested audience showed up, and after the nice shearing done by Martin, the sheep are now much lighter and we have some beautiful fleeces from the Bordaleira-de-Entre-Douro-e-Minho to work with. It was a perfect morning.
Shearing is coming!
We're almost in May and shearing season has been open for a while now, but in Serralves, the first time the Bordaleiras-Entre-Douro-e-Minho sheep will be sheared in the farm will be in the next saturday, the 9th of May, starting at 11h in the morning.