This is my go-to recipe after a day of shearing when we need to feed the volunteers!
To purchase ground lamb, check out our selection of pasture raised lamb meat.
Wool Bedding and Sleep Science
Many of you have been using our wool pillows for years, we have heard such fantastic feedback.
“Your wool pillows changed the way I sleep, I will never go back to anything else.”
“My spouse slept on my wool pillow one night and then took it forever, I need to buy more pillows for everyone in my family now.”
“The wool pillow made my menopausal sleep a lot less ‘hot and sweaty’”
We are launching a new wool baby blanket product, and thought it was time to share some of the reasons why wool is so incredible for our sleep. And you don’t have to believe me, check out all the research that’s been done in the resources at the bottom of this page.
Wool can give you a better nights sleep. There is significant research that point out the many ways that wool will contribute to a more restful sleep. Here are the reasons why we love wool for all our bedding needs:
Wool is Hypoallergenic
Wool has a high internal moisture content which makes it resistant to dust mites, mold growth and mildew. Wool bedding is a great choice for those who suffer from allergies.
Wool is Temperature Regulating
Wool is hygroscopic – meaning it absorbs and releases moisture and regulates your body temperature and promotes airflow. It will keep you warm in the winter and cool in the summer. A more regulated body temperature will give you a better sleep.
Wool is Comfortable
Wool bedding can provide relief from pressure points while you sleep. People with chronic pain like arthritis often find more comfort with wool bedding. Wool is naturally fire resistant so no chemicals are added.
Wool is a Natural, Renewable and Regenerative Fibre
Wool is grown and sheared annually from healthy sheep making it a renewable fibre. Wool can be returned to the soil to decompose and return nutrients back to the soil. The wool is then minimally processed on our mill in Eastern Manitoba with minimal inputs and a low carbon footprint.
Resources and Further Reading
https://www.woolmark.com/globalassets/_06-new-woolmark/_industry/research/factsheets/wool-is-natural-renewable-131217.pdf
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6716586/
Dickson PR. Effect of a fleecy woollen underlay on sleep. Med J Aust. 1984 Jan 21;140(2):87-9. doi: 10.5694/j.1326-5377.1984.tb103902.x. PMID: 6546408.
https://www.wool.com/news-events/news/merino-wool-officially-recognised-as-asthma-and-allergy-friendly/
Zallmann M, Smith PK, Tang MLK, Spelman LJ, Cahill JL, Wortmann G, Katelaris CH, Allen KJ, Su JC. Debunking the Myth of Wool Allergy: Reviewing the Evidence for Immune and Non-immune Cutaneous Reactions. Acta Derm Venereol. 2017 Aug 31;97(8):906-915. doi: 10.2340/00015555-2655. PMID: 28350041.
Lectures and Presentation on Canadian Sheep and Wool
In 2023 I spoke at over 35 events across N. America (guilds, knitting groups, wool shows, Local Yarn Stores and knitting retreats.) I absolutely love presenting and sharing what I have experienced and learned about sheep and wool. This year I want to do even more.
New Sheep - Welcome to our Registered Flock
New Sheep
We had some exciting and last minute changes to our flock right before the holidays and I’m feeling pretty excited about where this is going to take us, in terms of our farm goals.
When we started the farm I wanted purebred shetland sheep, I wanted those genetics in my flock and I was thankful that Margaret Brook (friend and sheep mentor) was willing to sell me some and she encouraged me to keep them registered. At the time I didn’t understand why (and didn’t bother researching further) and so I purchased an un-registered ram and within two years none of my pure-bred shetlands were even able to be registered.
Fast forward a couple of years and I started doing more research and teaching on Breed Specific Wool and interviews for my book Sheep, Shepherd & Land. This is when I became aware of the role that ‘registering’ sheep can play in protecting and conserving those genetics.
Why Register?
The Heritage Livestock Conservancy says it best “Registration ensures the lineage of purebred livestock into the future”. So by keeping a flock of registered shetlands I am ensuring that their unique genetic diversity is being protected and preserved and that there is official record that can trace back to the great-great-great (etc) grandparents of my flock!
Why is genetic diversity important?
Well, the first answer to that is because who wants to work with the same type of wool everyday? Once I started playing around with different breeds I realized how boring merino was (no offence to those in a love affair with merino!). Beyond the fun of playing with different types of wool - we don’t want to risk losing the genetic diversity of different breeds and ultimately the health of the entire species.
So as my understanding grew, I decided that we needed to have a registered flock. I’m so thankful that Margaret hadn’t given up on me and she was actually working on a project to bring more registered shetland genetics into the region and grow a new flock of registered shetlands. I attended the artificial insemination of some shetlands last December and it was super cool!
The hope was that in 2 years time there would be a new flock for me to purchase and I could start my registered flock. Well things changed and lucky for me, we welcomed 4 registered ewes and 2 registered ram lambs in mid December to our farm!
Artificial Insemination of some Shetland Ewes (December 2022)
They are currently in the breeding pen or ‘love shack’ as I call it (just to make my pre-teens cringe). And by the spring we will perhaps have doubled our number of registered shetlands. I know that perhaps it doesn’t seem like a big thing - from the outside it looks like we just added 6 more sheep that look similar to our existing flock - but in the broader conversation around breed conservation, preserving genetic diversity and contributions to the wool industry it feels like a big deal.
Merry Maker Market
Check us out at this market this coming December.
December 9,2023
10am-4pm
Purl & Hank (2063 Portage Ave)
'Tis the season to celebrate the art of handcrafting and the joy of giving. We're excited to invite you to our Merry Makers' Market at Purl & Hank with Friends—a heartwarming gathering where handmade goods, cozy vibes, and holiday cheer take centre stage.
Vendors include
Fibre & Farm Holiday Market
Christel (Ferme Fiola Farm) and I are so happy to once again host our Fibre & Farm Holiday Market.
Join us in the cozy Long Way Homestead studio for a day of craft and community.
November 25th
10am - 4pm
Long Way Homestead (Ste. Genevieve, MB)
A cozy little market to celebrate rural entrepreneurs - and to get your holiday shopping done with incredible items from local makers in Southeast Manitoba.
Featuring fellow entrepreneurs:
Apothecandy
Masagana Flower Farm
Wild Woods Pottery
The Boreal Maker
Ferme Fiola Farm
Holiday Gift Guide 2023
Our annual Holiday Gift Guide - our top items for your wool loving friends and family (or just for yourself)!
Our top bigger-ticket items that feature traceable wool that was 100% grown and manufactured in Canada.
And for the smaller items we have these great stocking stuffers or teacher gifts or fun little things for the wool lovers in your life:
Pasture Raised Lamb for Sale
We focus predominantly on raising good quality wool on our farm, however we do enjoy eating lamb. We raise shetlands and they are naturally a smaller breed - so meat production and meat sales is not a big focus for us. We do think that their meat is delicious and tender and we encourage you to try it out.
We only have limited cuts available at this time, loin chops, leg steaks, shoulder roasts and ground lamb. Please let us know if you are interested in a full or half lamb order (depending on the season we can accommodate this).
Our lamb is raised on pasture and live outside all year round, we feed them a local hay mix of alfalfa and clover in the winter. We implement regenerative agriculture and holistic management principles in our farming - and prioritize the health of land and animal in all our management decisions.
The lambs are cut and wrapped at all-natural meats (an inspected facility in Carman, MB).
Packages of lamb are as follows:
Ground lamb - 2lb packages ($10/lb)
Leg steaks - approx 2lbs packages ($12/lb)
Loin Chops - approx 1lb packages ($15/lb)
Shoulder Roasts - approx 2 - 4lbs each ($12/lb)
Lamb Soup Bones - $2.50/lb (bags are approx $5)
We deliver to Winnipeg 2 times a month on Thursday evenings at Wolseley Wool.
At this point lamb orders is based on availability, please fill out the form below with your order and we will email you with availability, invoice and delivery details.
Celebrating 5 Years - RECAP
The party was perfect - or at least it was how I envisioned it in my mind. The joyous vibe during the day as people visited the sheep during the day, down to the cozy vibe at the late night campfire. The straw-bale bar that kept all the kids (of every age) topped up with warm drinks and the beautiful display of our fall-palette yarn Grassland.
I loved everything about the celebration and I felt so surrounded by community and woolly goodness. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for showing up for us - during our celebration - but also during the past 5 years as we figure out how to grow our wool and fibre industry in Manitoba.
This was the first time we had done a huge dinner like this at the farm and we were so pleased with the results. Thank you to Christel - my number 1 sous chef. A huge shout out to my parents Jim & Gail Hunter who showed up and helped with all of the food and party prep, and to my amazing staff who helped serving food and keeping things going: Kat, Sarah, Nicole, Caitlin, June and
We had many folks ask about our recipes and we are happy to share them with you. And if you want to access the same incredible ingredients check out the farms that we worked with to provide food for the event:
Swallowtail Farmstead provided most of the vegetables
Fresh Roots Farm provided the beef for the hamburger soup
Awaken Herbs provided the incredible tea
If you want to purchase Lamb you can check our our available cuts here.
We had an incredible raffle - that so many of you contributed to and won some very fun items. A huge thanks to all those businesses that contributed raffle items:
Purl & Hank - Ferme Fiola Farm - Studio Octav - Sunflower Knit - Masagana Flower Farm - Awaken Herbs & Take Root Festival - Apothecandy - Wolseley Wool
And of course - thanks to everyone who purchased some of our ‘special edition’ soap (made by Apothecandy using our indigo and marigolds), our new hoodies, t-shirts and bags featuring the incredible image of our ram done by Amanda, The Boreal Maker. and of course our new Grassland yarn - featuring the beautiful fall palette hand dyed with natural dyes by Margaret Brook. A huge thank you to Margaret for her design and work on our yarn line.
We still have some of those items available (and lots of yarn) you can check it all out here.
Special thanks to Crystal of Purl & Hank and Christel of Ferme Fiola Farm for all of these beautiful pictures!
We are taking a few weeks to recover from all the work, fibre shows and the prep for this party - and then we will start planning for the next five years.
Endless gratitude for our community - thank you!
Grassland Yarn
Grassland is the newest yarn in our traceable Canadian Yarn line up. this robust 2-ply sport weight yarn is a blend of fine wool range sheep from the grasslands of Saskatchewan and Manitoba. Released in October 2023 for our Mill Anniversary party!
Range sheep adapt well to many types of forage and can survive on sparse native grasslands. They spread out across the vast range of the prairies to graze during the day, and then come together during the evening for protection. They thrive in arid conditions and generally produce fine wool.
We carefully curate our range wool from farms that are working to regenerate grasslands and preserve fine wool breeds.
We purchase range wool from farmers and minimally process it here at our mill as a semi-worsted 2-ply yarn. This yarn is perfect for your outerwear projects like sweaters, mittens, hats or shawls and many will find it fine enough to wear next to skin.
We have dyed 4 unique colourways for our 5-year Mill Anniversary, but will continue to produce new colours in this yarn base during the coming year.
We believe that traceability and transparency are crucial for our yarn and wool products. We visit the sheep farms that we purchase wool from and work with the farmers to understand how they manage both animal and land. We value the work that sheep producers do and work to pay them above market rates for their wool.
We want you, the consumer, to have a closer connection to the farm and sheep that your yarn is coming from and to have a greater understanding of the process involved in getting from sheep to your hands.
Wool Mill Celebration & Reflections
We invite you to a day of celebration:
Saturday, October 14
2pm - 7pm
Long Way Homestead Farm (Directions here)
Enjoy a FREE day on the farm with sheep tours, mill tours, cozy campfire, browse our farm store and see our NEW yarn line.
Purchase a hot drink and go for a stroll through our pasture or forest and enjoy a fall day at the farm - celebrating local wool & fibre production.
Tickets are available for the Field to Fork Dinner Fundraiser from 5pm - 7pm that evening.
I wanted to share a bit more about the last five years and the evolution of our mill. But I also wanted to share some reflections on how our mill has impacted the broader farming/fibre community and why I think mills are so important (and why we need more of them).
We realized that in order to be able to open up our mill with the smallest financial investment we needed to put it in our existing 2-car garage. Luke renovated the garage to fit the mill and it was an ‘all-hands-on-deck’ situation with the kids taking turns sweeping and helping out. It took us 2 months to prepare the space for the mill.
On July 18, 2018 our full mill arrived from Belfast Mini Mills in PEI. Under the excellent tutelage of Jeff we were making yarn by the end of our second day. We were elated - and no idea the uphill battle in front of us to actually making yarn!
Then on a beautiful fall day, October 20, 2018 we were supported and surrounded by our community who showed up to launch our new mill - it was an amazing day and we were so grateful for all of you!
We started experimenting with new lines of yarn and new naturally dyed colours. We have also had so many folks work with us at the farm (pictured is Nicola Hodges, my amazing mom - Gail Hunter, and Alexa Ludeman of Tin Can Knits. And many others who have worked in the mill or helped with workshops and putting on events. This has truly been a group effort - and we are so grateful for those that have contributed!
It hasn’t all been easy. The learning curve for starting a wool mill is steep - and there aren’t any easy answers. There are no mill training classes, and often the challenges of working with a dynamic fibre and machinery is slow and isolating.
Between 2018 - 2020 we worked non-stop to try and figure out how to produce a quality and consistent product - while having to maintain business loan pressure and the day-to-day demands of the farm and the mill. It definitely felt at times like we had taken on something larger than we could handle and there was no one to turn to for answers.
Thankfully things started to shift in 2020. As many of our festivals and events were cancelled (due to the global pandemic) we were set up to shift to online sales and teaching. Our Breed of the Month subscription that we had started a year earlier kicked into high gear and we were able to expand the program exponentially. This program might be one of the things I’m most proud of, here is how it’s impacted our fibre arts and farming community:
Introduced 12 unique breeds to knitters/crocheters/handspinners who previously did not have access to these breeds. Over 1000 folks from N. America have joined our Breed Specific Subscription since it started in 2019.
Supported 12-15 different farmers with yearly purchases of over 200lbs of wool from each farm for the past 5 years.
Sparked a broader interest in Breed Specific yarn and fibre among artists, crafters and knitting groups
I have taught the in-depth Breed Specific Knitting class to 238 people in the last 4 years - and have launched the online Breed Study in 2023.
The last two years we have been able to find our groove in the mill. During covid Luke shut down his own business and started running the mill - wow - he brought the efficiency in processing we needed and it freed me up to do what I’m best at - marketing the wool, working with other farmers and doing more of the education and advocacy work around Canadian wool!
This growth in our business allowed us to actually start looking towards the future and to ways in which we can help grow the industry in Manitoba and Western Canada to be even more impactful. We have talked about expanding our existing mill operation, opening up a scouring mill that will service all the mills, adding a knitting or weaving mill to our operation, expanding our physical location so we can do more training for those wanting to open up their own mills and work more as an incubator for future mills.
All of these ideas (and more) we are considering - but we cannot expand until we have paid off the initial loan for this mill. Our mill celebration is also a way to push us over the finish line of that loan - so we can begin to grow and expand.
Our 5-year mill-aversary party will be free for anyone that wants to come enjoy an afternoon at the farm, tour the mill, hang with the sheep and check out our new yarn.
The Field to Fork dinner will be a paid event to help us reach our goals to expand LWH and to feature some incredible local food from other local farmers.
You can buy a ticket for the Field to Fork meal here. And if you cannot attend but would like to contribute you can always make a donation. (All proceeds from the weekend will go directly to mill expansion plans)!
One of the biggest things I’ve learned in the last 5 years is the many ways in which access to fibre processing can be beneficial to community (fibre arts, farming, textile, fashion communities). The goal when we opened the mill was to ‘meet a need’ among other sheep and wool producers - I had no idea how important this need was and how having access to a fibre processor can ignite a small-scale textile economy in a region.
This isn’t to promote our mill specifically - but to highlight the importance and need for mills in ALL communities. It creates an opportunity for farmers to get their product to market and the ripples within a community are far-reaching. Here is a brief look at the impact the mill has had in our community in the last 5 years:
Processed 2954.29lbs of wool and other fibres for 68 farmers or sheep producers
Processed 274.26lbs of wool and other fibres for 26 fibre artists in our Province.
Provided 5 indy dyers with 270.69lbs of yarn for test batches and future supply.
Worked with 6 small-scale wool brokers producing 213.55lbs of wool
Spun 186.64lbs of wool for in-house yarn for 3 community based yarn stores.
In total that is 3890.43 lbs of wool that we have transformed into marketable products for 108 individual farmers/businesses. When farmers, wool brokers, indy-dyers, yarn stores and fibre artists have access to local processing we see an increase in local fibres, yarn and other products in our fibre/textile industry.
In addition to our custom processing we have purchased more than 8000lbs of raw wool from local Canadian farmers for our own line of yarn. This supported local farmers and put locally grown yarn in your hands!
Now, if I add it all up it’s a fairly small amount (nearly 12,000lbs) of wool - it’s a drop in the bucket when we think of the nearly 3 million pounds of wool grown in Canada every year.
But without local mills then that wool/fibre isn’t processed at all - or its shipped far and wide for processing. Our small drop in the bucket can lead to an even bigger ripple.
That’s why we hope you will continue to support our mill and our plans for growth and support other mills in your community. We took a risk in 2018 that a mill would be supported and needed in our region - and we were right - now we look towards the future and how we can grow our mill, and the Canadian Wool industry as a whole.
5-Year Mill-aversary - come celebrate with us
5 years ago our mill equipment arrived.
Luke unloading the spinner on July 18, 2018
We were all starry-eyed and perhaps a bit naive on how this would all work out. But we dove headfirst into manufacturing yarn. I think I had this vision that it would immediately alter the landscape of wool processing in Manitoba - I had no idea how HARD it would be.
I spent considerable time in the past few months reflecting on the last 5 years. Where we started and what I thought was possible and where we are now and the reality. Mostly I've been reflecting on this to inform future decisions - but also to share a realistic picture of all that this business/choice has required. (You all are getting the unfiltered or uncensored version of this - I might make it a bit more palatable when I post in my newsletter)
We have decided to throw a big 5-year anniversary party for the mill - or as I like to call it the Mill-aversary! And there are a couple of reasons I want to do this:
- Owning any sort of small business for 5 years is an accomplishment worthy of celebrating (never mind that we made it through a pandemic with the business!)
- We want an opportunity to THANK everyone who has supported us, purchased wool from us, and encouraged us over the past 5 years.
- We want to catapult ourselves over the finish line of our mill loan payments through some special custom yarn and merch sales.
We will be sharing more details over the coming months about our big celebration, but here is an idea of what you can expect:
CELEBRATE
Join us for a day on the farm to celebrate the last 5 years of wool and fibre processing in Manitoba. Hang out with the sheep, tour the mill, enjoy a cozy campfire.
There will be a delicious lunch/dinner available for purchase - and of course cake to celebrate!
Custom Yarn and Merch
We are working on some super exciting stuff to commemorate this anniversary. The first is a 5-colour yarn palette signifying the last 5 years of our mill (read the description below), and we have some exciting new custom merch we will also be offering.
We have been putting extra time in the mill to produce this yarn on top of our regular orders because we have a GOAL to finish paying off our mill loan a year earlier than expected. We took a risk and borrowed the initial investment for the mill - we have not been able to expand or grow the business more because of this loan, and we are ready to move forward. Watch for more details about the merch and the yarn in the coming weeks.
Year 1 Colour: Wide-Eyed Ambition: Manitoba needs a wool mill and we think we can do it! With no experience and no teachers we will just jump in and do it.
Year 2 Colour: Dismay and Determination: What have we gotten ourselves into! This is really hard and we struggled with every aspect of the process.
Year 3 Colour: Unexpected Outcomes: When our world shut down on March 12, 2020, wool shows - a major source of our income - were cancelled. We didn’t know what the outcome would be, but the community came through and things started to change.
Year 4 Colour: Refining the Craft: We hit our stride in our year 4 - we finally had the processing figured out and we hustled to increase productivity and decrease waste.
Year 5 Colour: Look Ahead: We are clear headed and understand both the reality and challenges of wool/textile production and we can see a path for growth and the future of domestic wool production.
For sure the last 5 years have been defined more by struggle than success - but this time of contemplation has also revealed the ways in which our (perhaps foolhardy) risk has also impacted the broader community - the ripple effects it has had in the larger world of wool in Canada. And in that way it feels totally worth it.
So in the coming month I will be sharing more about our plans for the mill-aversary. I hope those of you who are close by can come - so we can express our gratitude and celebrate with you! For those that aren't close by there will be lots of online stuff to celebrate alongside us!
Thanks again for your ongoing support - some of you have been cheering us on since day 1 - we are so excited to get across this finish line and start looking ahead to the next thing! Here is a little photo reflection of the beginning of our mill.
Fibre & Farm - Sunday, July 16 2023
Fibre & Farm Market
Sunday July 16
10am - 5pm
Long Way Homestead & Ferme Fiola Farm (1/2 mile from each other in Ste. Geneveive, outside of Winnipeg)
**The event is free, but we will have a donation box - all the funds will go to support
Come for a day of farm and fibre mill tours, hay rides, sheep snuggles and some excellent products from local farms and fibre artists. There will be light snacks to purchase, bathrooms on site, and the event runs rain or shine. Check out our awesome list of vendors:
Hundredfold Farm
Manjusha Fibre Arts
Bear & Bunny Yarn
The Last Dance Ranch
Apothecandy
Smash Knits
Purl & Hank
Dragon Fibre Bags
Masagana Flower Farm
Enchanted Grove Alpacas
Fireweed Fibre Co
White Spruce Creative
Swallowtail Farmstead
Accessibility: We are constantly working to make our facilities accessible. The driveway, walkways, dye studio and outdoor workshops spaces are grass and gravel and accessible by wheelchair. The outhouse, indoor studio space and wool mill all have one step access. We are working hard to improve accessibility on the farm, thank you for your patience.
Join us for a Farm & Mill Apprenticeship - Summer 2023
You can tell from my excitement in this photo how awesome the young agrarian apprentice program is. Christel of Ferme Fiola Farm and I teamed up last year to share an apprentice through the Young Agrarian apprenticeship program. Shannon was an incredible asset to our farm - and I think she learned a lot too!
“Working with and learning from Anna and Christle was a truly amazing experience. They have very different approaches and styles, but balance each other out beautiful and are both so knowledgeable.
Growing my own food (and dye and cut flowers) was the most rewarding aspect for me. I love watching plants grow, and nothing tastes like a true garden salad or fresh eggs.”
Here is a bit of what we are looking for in an apprentice:
The following skills are being offered by this farm. While you’ll get exposure to many of these areas, it is likely that not all will be covered. Apprentices will work to identify the skills they want to develop through a learning plan with the host farm. The apprenticeship includes an in-depth manual that focuses on these various aspects of fibre farming and textile production. The apprentice is encouraged to dive deeper into these areas during the apprenticeship.
FIBRE FARMING
RAISING SHEEP
NUTRIENT DENSE FOOD PRODUCTION
DIRECT MARKETING / SOCIAL MEDIA
USING A WOOL /FELTING MILL / PROCESSING WOOL
NATURAL DYE GARDENING / PROCESSING / DYEING
ADAPTIVE PLANNED GRAZING / FENCING
HIDE TANNING
AGRI-TOURISM
HAY MAKING
We are looking for someone (despite the name you don’t have to be young) who is interested in spending time this summer with us and has these skills:
An interest in textile agriculture.
Respectful and safe with kids (can tolerate youngsters around).
Garden experience would be great (not required, but would be a bonus).
Self Motived/self-starter can work independently but also asks questions.
Comfortable with groups and a farm tour setting.
Flexibility
have appropriate work clothes and footwear.
Ability to perform manual tasks (lifting 55lb hay bales).
Drivers license is an asset (not a requirement).
Learn more about the apprenticeship program and what we are offering for our apprenticeship here.
Is the Breed Study Right For You?
Introduction to Breed Specific Wool
Our Breed of the Month Subscription is our most popular item in our farm store. But often folks wonder if it is something they will like. Here is our free Breed Study Guide - it includes some beginner information to studying sheep breeds and why it is important and will help you decide if this year-long study is right for you!
If you are convinced the Breed study is for you, sign up today!
Breed Specific Yarn - Monthly Subscription
CA$30.00 every month for 1 year
Breed specific Fibre - monthly subscription
CA$22.00 every month for 1 year
NEW On-line Breed Study
We are launching in February 2023 a NEW on-line breed study.
The study is available for free to those who have a Breed of the Month Yarn or Fibre Subscription
But you do not have to have the subscription to start diving into sheep breeds. The online breed study officially launches February 2023, but you can sign up now and get early access to our breed specific knitting online course, and be the first to see all the new content being loaded.
The breed study includes access to the following:
in-depth information about more than 12+ different breeds in Canada (with more being added regularly)
full access to our Breed-specific Knitting online course
pattern suggestion for breed specific knitting and crochet
introductory information on how to evaluate raw fleeces
skirting and sorting information for accessing and purchasing fleeces
‘meet the farmer’ profiles on the farmers that grow the wool we produce.
Sheep Breed Study
CA$150.00
One time
CA$38.00
For 4 months
This is our advanced Breed Study for those involved in the Breed of the Month Subscription (free membership with your yearly subscription) or enhanced study for those interested in Sheep Breeds but not receiving our Breed of the month subscription.
About Wool Dryer Balls
Have you heard of wool dryer balls? They might be one of my favourite wool items! We make our dryer balls from the clean waste wool from our mill (the wool that can’t be used to make yarn) and they are used in your clothes dryer as an alternative to single-use dryer sheets. They are the perfect gift idea, they are reusable, hypoallergenic, locally grown & made. and once you read all about how they work you will want to grab a pair for everyone in your life! (you can find them in the shop here)
How do wool dryer balls work?
Wool dryer balls bounce around in the dryer with your load of laundry. They bounce and move in between your garments and help keep them apart so they can dry faster. It allows the warm air to circulate better and reduces the drying time and thus the energy used. I recommend using no less than 2 dryer balls in a load of laundry, but you can use up to as many as 6 or 7!
Dryer Balls are hypoallergenic and reduce static
Wool has a high internal moisture content and this is what keeps the fibres from conducting static electricity. Without the static electricity we lave a low dirt and dust content. So wool dryer balls are hypoallergenic and reduce static in our clothes. They will work best with other natural fibres in your clothing (wool, cotton, linen, silk).
What are the Dryer Balls made of?
Our dryer balls are 100% natural wool. There is nothing synthetic in them. We use the clean carding waste wool from our wool mill - the smaller bits and pieces that cannot be carded into yarn - we reuse to make dryer balls. This helps our mill get closer to our goals of zero waste - and it keeps synthetic and single-use dryer sheets out of our landfills!
I want my clothes to have a scent after being washed & dryed
No problem, you can simply add a drop or two of essential oils to your dryer ball and it will transfer the scent to your clothing.
How long will my dryer balls last?
Dryer balls should last between 2-4 years depending on how often you use them. They may get a bit more ‘scraggly’ looking after a few years - but they will still function effectively. The best thing about them, is that once you no longer want to use them - you can throw them into your backyard compost pile and they will break down within 12 months - and return the carbon and nitrogen stored inside back to the soil!
How do I buy Wool Dryer Balls?
We keep them stocked in our farm store - you can check it out here.
Wool Dryer Balls (set of 2)
CA$15.00
A Letter to the Federal Ag Minister
Check out the response from the Ministers office at the bottom
There is over 425,000lbs of wool grown in manitoba every year - but only one mill (and we can only process 3500lbs/year). It does seem totally bananas that wool processing has been left entirely up to the private sector - with zero support, infrastructure or subsidy..... I think as sheep producers, and wool consumers - we have the ability to let our voices be heard - to insist that those making decisions about agriculture in Canada recognize and value wool.
The Next Policy Framework is currently being developed - it is an initiative between federal and provincial governments to identify priorities and to support the agriculture sector for the next 5 years - they need to know that wool is important and being left behind.
Below is a letter that I wrote to the Federal and provincial ag ministers - as well as the sheep specialists in Manitoba - you are welcome to use any/all of my letter to help you write your own (i've also included their email addresses, so it will be easy for you to send). I encourage others to send it to your provincial ministers as well.
I know it may be easiest to be angry at the long delays with our current Mills/processors - but I think the more appropriate avenue for us to channel our collective frustration is at those that make decisions on where public funds and support go in agriculture.
Marie-Claude.Bibeau@parl.gc.ca (Federal Minister of Agriculture)
minagr@leg.gov.mb.ca (Manitoba Minister of Agriculture)
dmagr@leg.gov.mb.ca (Manitoba Debuty Minister of Agriculture)
To Provincial & Federal Agriculture Ministers,
Good afternoon, I am writing with my feedback and recommendations regarding the Next Policy Framework and the future of sheep and wool in Manitoba.
Canada does not currently have a comprehensive national strategy for growing the domestic wool industry - we need a shift in leadership, representation and revitalization of the industry. If wool processing was enhanced and supported in communities across the country we would see tangible benefits:
- Reduction in emissions from the transportation of wool and finished goods globally
- Increased Carbon sequestration by utilizing wool instead of synthetics
- Rural community development and increased employment opportunities
- Economic growth in the domestic manufacturing
- Innovation and product development using wool
- Increased revenue to Canadian sheep farmers
These benefits directly speak to the 5 priorities outlined in the Guelph Statement.
Currently, there is only one wool processing mill in Manitoba - the infrastructure and facilities are far too small to adequately address the demand in our region. Producers in Manitoba are waiting between 12 - 18 months for manufacturing of their wool - this is an outrageous amount of time to be waiting for a product to get to market. We just simply don't have the infrastructure to meet the needs of farmers.
According to Stats Can (2012) there are over 71,000 sheep in Manitoba - this is approximately 426,000lbs of wool (avg of 6lbs/head) a year. The lone mill in Manitoba can only process 3500lbs a year, and the Canadian Cooperative Wool Growers has had large delays in their wool program since the pandemic. This means that over 400,000lbs of wool is being composted, trashed, burned or put in storage every year. This is a lost economic opportunity and a wasted valuable resource - it needs to be addressed.
I would like to see the next agricultural policy framework prioritize wool and to increase investment in the agri-processing of wool. Here are some ideas for how to prioritize wool in the coming budgets and plans:
- Funding and investment for the development of medium and large wool processing facilities across the country
- Support and funding for existing processors to grow their wool processing operations
- Funding for innovation and development of new Canadian wool products
Thank you for your time, I look forward to hearing from you.
I received this response from the Federal Minister’s office on September 26th.
Dear Ms. Hunter:
I am writing in response to your email to the Honourable Marie‑Claude Bibeau, Minister of Agriculture and Agri‑Food, regarding recommendations for the next policy framework. Please be assured that the Government of Canada values your important contribution to the sector and the greater agricultural landscape as a sheep producer and wool mill owner in Eastern Manitoba. I appreciate the opportunity to convey the following information to you and regret the delay in this reply.
On July 22, 2022, the federal, provincial and territorial governments reached an agreement on a new $3.5‑billion agricultural policy framework—the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (SCAP). This new five‑year agreement will inject $500 million in additional funds, representing a 25 percent increase in the cost‑shared portion of the Partnership, which will advance key priorities outlined in The Guelph Statement. The new framework will position the sector for continued success as a world leader in environmentally, economically and socially sustainable agriculture, while also enabling an innovative and productive internationally competitive sector that can continue to feed Canada and a growing global population.
SCAP will allow Canada to meet upcoming challenges that face agriculture—and the sheep sector more specifically—such as climate change, markets and trade, and the expectations of consumers. Program details are under development in close collaboration with our provincial and territorial partners, and I thank you for sharing your views related to the wool sector in this context.
I recognize that the marketing of wool has faced significant challenges lately due to a lack of qualified labour in the textile industry, as well as the COVID‑19 pandemic, which caused the closure of retail clothing stores and widespread cancellation of contracts in the greater textile supply chain. As you noted, despite current market conditions, opportunities remain to market high‑quality wool and to create economic growth through new product information as well as increased consumer awareness of the sector to bring more vitality to the Canadian wool market.
To that end, an investment of $150,000 for the Canadian Wool Council was announced on February 23, 2022, to help build a more sustainable wool industry in Canada. Environmental awareness has led consumers to be more conscious about where they shop and what they buy, creating new opportunities for natural, sustainable and durable products. Developing Canada’s wool industry will provide consumers at home and abroad a greater variety of sustainably produced products.
The funds announced earlier this year will support the Canadian Wool Council in conducting market research; promoting trade and export opportunities; connecting the sector with global best practices; and improving industry and consumer awareness through education and promotional activities. The funding is delivered through the AgriMarketing Program under the current framework, the Canadian Agricultural Partnership. While the parameters of this program are still being worked out for the next framework, it will continue to help the sector develop opportunities domestically and internationally.
I invite you to share any further recommendations you may have on SCAP through Agriculture and Agri‑Food Canada’s Share ideas: Next Agricultural Policy Framework consultation webpage.
Again, thank you for writing with your views on this important matter.
Sincerely,
Natasha Kim
Assistant Deputy Minister
Strategic Policy Branch
Fibre & Farm Market
Ferme Fiola Farm and Long Way Homestead will be hosting our
FARM & FIBRE MARKET
Saturday, June 18th
10am - 5pm
Long Way Homestead & Ferme Fiola Farm (1/2 mile from each other in Ste. Geneveive, outside of Winnipeg)
Come for a day of farm and fibre mill tours, lamb snuggles and some excellent products from local farms and fibre artists. There will be light snacks to purchase, bathrooms on site, and the event runs rain or shin. Check out our awesome list of vendors:
Hundredfold Farm
Mawdsley Fibre Arts
Manjusha Fibre Arts
Apothecandy
Sunflower Knit
Smash Knits
Purl & Hank
Wild Woods Pottery
Masagana Flower Farm
Enchanted Grove Alpacas
Accessibility: We are constantly working to make our facilities accessible. The driveway, walkways, dye studeio and outdoor workshops spaces are grass and gravel and accessible by wheelchair. The outhouse, indoor studio space and wool mill all have one step access. We are working hard to improve accessibility on the farm, thank you for your patience.
Hiring a Fibre Mill Apprentice
We are hiring a new apprentice for the wool/fibre processing mill. The job includes washing wool/fibre, carding wool and other machine work in the wool mill. Daily cleaning and maintenance of the wool mill and handling, managing and organizing wool and value added wool products.
The job requires the employee to be on their feet for the full day and requires some physical repetitive labour. (The environment can be very dusty)
An understanding of sheep's wool and protein fibre is a bonus, but not a necessity.
A willingness to learn and flexibility with a constantly evolving process of fibre production. A desire to understand textile agriculture and the challenges facing the industry in Canada.
The ability to work alone and take initiative.
The work site is in a rural location (25 minutes from the city of Winnipeg) and applicant would be required to have their own vehicle/transportation.
Agriculture background in Sheep/Alpaca management is useful (but not required)
Skill / highlights that will be included in Apprenticeship
Textile agriculture overview and industry comprehension
Wool & fibre handling, sorting, grading
Wool & fibre mill machinery comprehension, operations and maintenance
Manufacturing operations (work flow, safety, management)
Textile supply chains and systems
Retails sales channels (shipping, packaging, wholesale etc)
Business planning (textile agriculture and manufacturing industry)
Resilience (both personally and land management)
Details of Apprenticeship
Apprenticeship would be part time, between 20-30 hrs a week.
Start date of June 15, 2022
Opportunity for more hours and ongoing employment
$18/hr
We actively encourage applications from members of groups with historical and/or current barriers to equity.
Please send resume and cover letter to info@longwayhomestead.com
