Blog
Handcards, drumcarders and more: a short guide
Here's a short guide to help you choose cards, carders and other similar tools. Nowadays there are many options on the market when it comes to equipment for carding or blending fibers, so it's useful to know a few things before selecting the equipment you need.
Culture For All in Vinhais - Arts and Crafts
One of the projects we're very pleased to be working on this year is Culture for All in Vinhais, which will include workshops and themed workshops in the areas of Arts and Crafts, Theater and Performing Arts, Music and Dance, all areas with a very rich cultural heritage in Vinhais. The area we will be responsible for, as you can imagine, will be Arts and Crafts.
The path of the Black Merinos from Monte dos Cedros
Today we want to talk to you about Monte dos Cedros, owned by Carlos and Marta, two young producers, both with a degree in Animal Production, who started producing Black Merina sheep in 2019 under extensive and certified organic grazing.
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!
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.
Washing wool with D. Ilídia
At the beginning of January, I went to see Mrs. Ilídia and together we washed a basin of wool, so that she could teach me how to do it properly. Washing wool is one of the seemingly simplest stages of the wool process, but for me it contains some wisdom.
The double shearing
One thing that had been confusing me was the double shearing per year. The fleece, to be sheared and used for wool needs to be at a minimum lenght, so I didn’t understand how they could shear the "meirinha" sheep twice a year.