The feeling and smell of a brand new skein of yarn is magical, the way it feels in your hands and on your needles, the beautiful shawl or sweater it will become. But how often do we consider the people that have had a hand in creating our yarn before it is ours. Do we know what resources have gone into our yarn and who is on the other end. Do we really understand the wool supply chain both in Canada and globally?

This lecture will take a deep dive into the Canadian wool industry and focus on the land, animals, labourers, mills and transport of our wool. We will look at some of the barriers and possibilities for creating a resilient, regenerative and inclusive Canadian Wool Industry.

Date: Sunday, January 15

Time: 5 - 7pm (CST)

Cost: $25 - $50 (Sliding Scale)

This lecture will occur on ZOOM and details for the lecture will be distributed by email a week prior to the lecture.

To learn more about the sliding scale check it out here.

Lecture by Anna Hunter

The lecture will be for 1.25 hours, followed by a Q& A period.

Sunday , July 31st

10:30am - 12:30pm

Cost: $55 - $75 (sliding scale)

Location: Long Way Homestead

To read more about the sliding scale, check it out here.

This will be a hands on demonstration on how to effectively harvest fresh Japanese Indigo (persicaria tinctoria) and how to process using the water aqueous method, and the fresh leaf indigo dyeing method. This workshop will include active participation, but is not a natural dyeing class.

Participants should wear adequate/comfortable footwear for farm/garden conditions. We will be working outside, in a shaded area, but it could be hot, so bring water. Please bring a pen and notebook and your own water bottle.

The Workshop will include:

• techniques for growing a successful indigo garden

• harvesting indigo and preparing for the water aqueous extraction method

• how to identify a healthy indigo vat and steps for processing

• how to dye with fresh leaf indigo for dyeing wool yarn and fabric.

Participants will leave with small samples of yarn and fabric dyed with both fresh leaf and reduced indigo vats. There will be full sized skeins of yarn for purchase to dye.

Instructor: Anna Hunter

Location: Long Way Homestead

To learn more about the sliding scale check it out here.

Sunday , July 3rd

10:30am - 12:30pm

Cost: $55 - $75 (sliding scale)

Location: Long Way Homestead

To read more about the sliding scale, check it out here.

Flower & Fibre Natural Dye Events at Long Way Homestead. These are hands-on experiential workshops accessible to anyone (no skill level required).

These workshops are NOT intensive natural dye workshops - however, you will be equipped with basic natural dye skills. Dye day workshops will include more than just dyeing yarn, learn about our dye gardens, and why breed matters when it comes to dyeing fibre.

Flower & Fibre workshops include:

Natural Dye Day:

• 1 skein of 100g yarn (worsted or DK) pre mordanted (extra skeins for dyeing available for $15/skein)

• Natural dye stuff (fresh or dried depending on chosen colors)

• Instructional worksheet and hands on help with dye process

• Tour of sheep farm, dye gardens and wool mill

• Indigo Dye Day will be focused on dyeing with our own harvested japanese indigo.

Date: Wednesday, April 13

Time: 7pm – 8:30pm CST

Cost: $15 - $35 (sliding scale)

Location: This is an ONLINE ZOOM lecture. The zoom link will be emailed to all participants the week prior to the lecture.

To learn more about the sliding scale, check it out here.

Did you know that Canada used to produce 90% of all the textiles we consumed?  Now we produce less than 5% and most of the raw materials are sourced outside of Canada.  This lecture will look at the social, political and environmental factors that changed our textile industry and what opportunities exist to revitalize the Canadian wool industry from a manufacturing and industry perspective.

This will be a hands-on session that provides participants with tools and techniques for starting natural dye plants in your own gardens or farms in a sustainable way.

Date: Saturday, March 26th

Time: 1pm - 3pm

Cost: $45 - $65 (Sliding Scale)

Location: Long Way Homestead

This workshop will occur outside and participants should wear adequate/comfortable footwear and clothing for farm conditions. Please bring a pen and notebook and your own water bottle.

Grow Your Joy
Foundations of a Successful Dye Garden Cultivation in Zone 3

 In this hands-on workshop, participants will learn:

·        seed starting 101

·        soil blocking and how to make them

·        cost effective seed starting setup indoors

·        how to care for seedlings

·        hardening off plants

·        how to maximize the use of your garden space

·        tips on how to turn your lawns into garden beds

·        how to build your soil health using compost

Each participant will take home a tray of soil blocks and is included in the cost of the workshop.

Instructors: Lourdes Casañares-Still

Online Zoom workshop on starting a Fibre Farm with Sheep

Date: Sunday, March 20th

Time: 3pm - 5pm (CST)

Cost: $35 - $55 (Sliding Scale)

THIS IS AN ONLINE ZOOM WORKSHOP. Details for the zoom workshop will be emailed to all participants, the week prior to the workshop.

To learn more about the sliding scale, check it out here.

Decription: Have you always wanted to raise sheep? Are you ready to grow your own wool? Or expand your existing farming plans? This is an online workshop that will provide information and recommendations for starting your own flock of Sheep. The workshop will touch on the following topics:

• Breed consideration

• Infrastructure for Sheep

• Feeding & Breeding

• Finances and Funding

• Marketing

• Q&A with a fibre farmer
  

  Instructor: Anna Hunter is a first generation sheep farmer and wool mill owner in Eastern Manitoba, Treaty One Territory. Anna, her husband Luke, and their two sons moved to Manitoba from Vancouver BC in 2015. She started a small sheep farm, raising Shetland sheep for their beautiful wool. In 2018 they established a small-scale wool processing mill - the only one of its kind in Manitoba. They process wool and fibre for themselves and other farmers. Anna is passionate about building community and connecting rural fibre farmers with urban consumers, fibre artists and crafters. Anna believes that regenerative agriculture and climate beneficial food and clothing is integral to moving forward as farmers, fibre artists and Manitobans. To learn more about Anna and her farm/wool mill, check out www.longwayhomestead.com

Date: Sunday, March 13

Time: 3pm - 5pm CST

Cost: $40 - $55

Location: This is an ONLINE ZOOM workshop. Details for the zoom workshop will be emailed to all participants, the week prior to the workshop.

To learn more about the sliding scale, check it out here.

Have you considered starting a wool & fibre processing mill but you aren’t sure where to start? Or maybe you want to add some processing equipment to your existing fibre farm or operation? This is an introductory workshop to business planning for a mill. This workshop will cover the following areas:

• Industry overview and opportunities

• Marketing considerations

• Finances and Funding

• Resources and Timeline

• Q& A

Online Zoom workshop on managing sheep to improve wool quality.

Date: Saturday, March 12th

Time: 3pm - 5pm (CST)

Cost: $35 - $55 (Sliding Scale)

THIS IS AN ONLINE ZOOM WORKSHOP. Details for the zoom workshop will be emailed to all participants, the week prior to the workshop.

To learn more about the sliding scale, check it out here.

Instructor: Brian Greaves

This Workshop will Look at the Following things:

When is it the best time to turn the flock out on spring pasture?

- What is best for the grass?

- What is best for animal health

Types of pasture management

- Set stocking

- Rotational grazing

- Strip grazing

Managing pasture to help reduce internal parasites

- Pasture length

- length of time on pasture

- Plant species

Selecting Rams to improve fleece Quality, length, Weight

Winter management of flock for health and wool quality

- feeding hay to lessen VM contamination.(vegetable Matter)

- Shelter

- Bedding

Shearing

- Timing

- Wool handling and Skirting

- Storage

About Brian Greaves:

Brian Greaves moved to Canada in 1993 to start Silver Bend Ranch with his wife, Karen Hill. They along with their children, Alison and Mark, raise cattle and sheep just north of Miniota, Manitoba.

Brian brought with him 18 years of New Zealand farm experience. In his last job as Livestock Manager of an 8,500 acre farm in New Zealand, he managed 16,000 ewes, 1,000 cattle, 350 breeding deer, 1000 goats and 25 brood mares.

Brian now farms 2¼ sections of light sandy soil. Formerly a grain farm, Brian has transformed it into a stock farm by developing both tame and native pastures, using multi-species grazing and rotational grazing, fencing dugouts and waterways, and using remote solar watering systems. As well, he has added corrals, pole sheds, calving barn, workshop, solar system and a new home.

After starting in 1993 with 10 heifers, 25 lease cows and 100 ewes, Silver Bend Ranch currently runs 140 cow-calf pairs and 80 ewes. Over the years, Brian has developed a commercial line of ewes with high fertility, fast lamb growth, high carcass quality and an average 10 lb. of fine range quality wool per head.

Brian is a certified wool grader, and is a trained wool judge and shearing competition judge. He is also a retired shearer who runs shearing schools for the Canadian Cooperative Wool Growers (CCWG).

Currently, Brian is the sheep and goat producer representative on the National Farm Animal Transport Code Development Committee. He also served as the MB Director of the Canadian Cooperative Wool Growers from 1999 - 2019 and was the representative on the Canadian Sheep Value Chain Roundtable.

He served as a producer representative on the National Farm Animal Sheep Code Development Committee and is a past director of the Manitoba Sheep Association and the Canadian Sheep Federation. Brian served his community on the Soil Conservation committee and as a volunteer Firefighter with the Miniota Fire Service.

Brian and Karen received the Upper Assiniboine Conservation District Award in 2009 and the Red River Ex Farm Family of the Year award in 201

Flower & Fibre Natural Dye Events at Long Way Homestead. These are hands-on experiential workshops accessible to anyone (no skill level required).

These workshops are NOT intensive natural dye workshops - however, you will be equipped with basic natural dye skills. Dye day workshops will include more than just dyeing yarn, learn about our dye gardens, and why breed matters when it comes to dyeing fibre.

Flower & Fibre workshops include:

Natural Dye Day:

• 1 skein of 100g yarn (worsted or DK) pre mordanted (extra skeins for dyeing available for $15/skein)

• Natural dye stuff (fresh or dried depending on chosen colors)

• Instructional worksheet and hands on help with dye process

• Tour of sheep farm, dye gardens and wool mill

• Indigo Dye Day will be focused on dyeing with our own harvested japanese indigo.

Flower & Fibre Dates:

Saturday, July 3rd 1pm - 3pm

Saturday, July 24th 1-3pm

Saturday, August 7th 1 - 3pm

Cost: $45 - $65 (sliding scale)

Cost Solar Dye Day: $15 - $30 (sliding scale)

Location: Long Way Homestead

Flower & Fibre Natural Dye Events at Long Way Homestead. These are hands-on experiential workshops accessible to anyone (no skill level required).

These workshops are NOT intensive natural dye workshops - however, you will be equipped with basic natural dye skills. Dye day workshops will include more than just dyeing yarn, learn about our dye gardens, and why breed matters when it comes to dyeing fibre.

Flower & Fibre workshops include:

Natural Dye Day:

• 1 skein of 100g yarn (worsted or DK) pre mordanted (extra skeins for dyeing available for $15/skein)

• Natural dye stuff (fresh or dried depending on chosen colors)

• Instructional worksheet and hands on help with dye process

• Tour of sheep farm, dye gardens and wool mill

• Indigo Dye Day will be focused on dyeing with our own harvested japanese indigo.

Flower & Fibre Dates:

Saturday, July 3rd 1pm - 3pm

Saturday, July 24th 1-3pm

Saturday, August 7th 1 - 3pm

Cost: $45 - $65 (sliding scale)

Cost Solar Dye Day: $15 - $30 (sliding scale)

Location: Long Way Homestead

This will be a hands on demonstration on how to effectively harvest fresh Japanese Indigo (persicaria tinctoria) and how to process using the water aqueous method, and the fresh leaf indigo dyeing method. This workshop will include active participation, but is not a natural dyeing class.

Date: Saturday, July 24

Time: 1pm - 3pm

Cost: $45

Location: Long Way Homestead Field School

Participants should wear adequate/comfortable footwear for farm/garden conditions. We will be working outside, in a shaded area, but it could be hot, so bring water.Please bring a pen and notebook and your own water bottle.

The Workshop will include:

• techniques for growing a successful indigo garden

• harvesting indigo and preparing for the water aqueous extraction method

• how to identify a healthy indigo vat and steps for processing

• how to dye with fresh leaf indigo for dyeing wool yarn and fabric.

Participants will leave with small samples of yarn and fabric dyed with both fresh leaf and reduced indigo vats. There will be full sized skeins of yarn for purchase to dye.

Instructor: Anna Hunter

Covid Precautions: We take the safety of all participants and instructors serious as we navigate the ongoing Covid-19 health situation. We will follow all Provincial health guidelines and reserve the right to cancel any in-person classes if the guidelines change. We keep class sizes small, and ensure there is enough space in our venues to keep participants safe. We will have hand washing available and hand sanitizer. Please wear a mask and do not attend if you have been experiencing any covid symptoms or have known exposure to a confirmed covid case.

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.

This workshop will cover the science of natural dyeing in a fun and approachable way, giving students the knowledge and confidence to start experimenting with dye plants right in their own backyard! by understanding the basic chemistry of natural dyes, you'll be able to grow and forage a wider variety of plants while troubleshooting issues and learning how to evaluate how colourfast a dye might be (and what to do with those more fugitive results). please bring a pen and paper for taking notes. handouts will also be provided.

Date: Saturday, July 24

Time: 10am - 12pm

Cost: $45

Location: Long Way Homestead

the workshop will include:

• some recommended natural dyes easily grown/found in the pembina fibreshed

• the science of natural dyes, including the difference between protein and cellulose fibres and their associated scouring and mordanting processes, as well as the different types of natural dye chemical groups which determine your colour results

• ethical foraging 101

• practical tips on how to play with locally grown and foraged natural dyes and how to troubleshoot common issues, including what to do if you don't get the colour results you want, reliable research sources of historical dye plant uses in the region to help you plan your next dye experiment, and how to test for colourfastness

Instructor: Ash Ahlberg

Covid Precautions: We take the safety of all participants and instructors serious as we navigate the ongoing Covid-19 health situation. We will follow all Provincial health guidelines and reserve the right to cancel any in-person classes if the guidelines change. We keep class sizes small, and ensure there is enough space in our venues to keep participants safe. We will have hand washing available and hand sanitizer. Please wear a mask and do not attend if you have been experiencing any covid symptoms or have known exposure to a confirmed covid case.

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.

Crafting Climate Action Felting Workshop

Dryer Balls are energy efficiency devices!

This workshop provides participants with the skills and materials to create their own set of 3 hand-felted dryer balls. Using sheep-wool dryer balls is a simple and effective means of  increasing dryer efficiency by 20-30%. The wool, having a higher affinity for moisture than cotton or polyester, pulls moisture from the humid environment of the dryer during the cycle thus allowing clothes to dry faster.  Wool, additionally is a carbon sequestering material, local, biodegradable, and non-toxic. 

Date: Saturday, July 10 1 - 3pm
Cost: $45 - $65 (sliding scale)

Location: Long Way Homestead

Instructor: Seema Goel

To learn more about our sliding scale, you can read about it here.

This workshop will occur outside and participants should be prepared to get a little bit wet during the felting. Please wear comfortable clothing,  consider the weather and farm location, bring a hat/jacket/sweater as required as well as a water bottle. 

The workshop will include:

• Felting techniques - dry and wet

• Wool preparation methods and creation of 1 dryer ball with materials for remaining two to be made at home.

• Introduction to fleece from a variety of sheep breeds.

• Discussion connecting wool and climate action

Each participant will go home with 3 wool dryer balls.

Covid Precautions: We take the safety of all participants and instructors serious as we navigate the ongoing Covid-19 health situation. We will follow all Provincial health guidelines and reserve the right to cancel any in-person classes if the guidelines change. We keep class sizes small, and ensure there is enough space in our venues to keep participants safe. We will have hand washing available and hand sanitizer. Please wear a mask and do not attend if you have been experiencing any covid symptoms or have known exposure to a confirmed covid case.

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.

Flower & Fibre Natural Dye Events at Long Way Homestead. These are hands-on experiential workshops accessible to anyone (no skill level required).

These workshops are NOT intensive natural dye workshops - however, you will be equipped with basic natural dye skills. Dye day workshops will include more than just dyeing yarn, learn about our dye gardens, and why breed matters when it comes to dyeing fibre.

Flower & Fibre workshops include:

Natural Dye Day:

• 1 skein of 100g yarn (worsted or DK) pre mordanted (extra skeins for dyeing available for $15/skein)

• Natural dye stuff (fresh or dried depending on chosen colors)

• Instructional worksheet and hands on help with dye process

• Tour of sheep farm, dye gardens and wool mill

• Indigo Dye Day will be focused on dyeing with our own harvested japanese indigo.

Flower & Fibre Dates:

Saturday, July 3rd 1pm - 3pm

Saturday, July 24th 2-4pm

Saturday, August 7th 1 - 3pm

Cost: $45 - $65 (sliding scale)

Cost Solar Dye Day: $15 - $30 (sliding scale)

Location: Long Way Homestead

Covid Precautions: We take the safety of all participants and instructors serious as we navigate the ongoing Covid-19 health situation. We will follow all Provincial health guidelines and reserve the right to cancel any in-person classes if the guidelines change. We keep class sizes small, and ensure there is enough space in our venues to keep participants safe. We will have hand washing available and hand sanitizer. Please wear a mask and do not attend if you have been experiencing any covid symptoms or have known exposure to a confirmed covid case.

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.

Each breed of sheep produces a distinct type of wool for knitting and crochet.  Understanding the qualities and characteristics of these breeds will inform and accentuate your knitting. Texture, colourwork, cables and drape are all affected by the unique wool breeds.

This workshop will give a brief overview of some accessible single-breed wools and the variety they can offer to your knitting.  We will also briefly explore the history and tradition of these single-breed wools.  This workshop is a hands on workshop, including opportunities to touch and see multiple fleeces from different breeds.

Date: Sunday, June 13th

Time: 1 - 3 pm

Cost: $65 - $85 Sliding Scale

Location: online on ZOOM (details will be emailed before the workshop)

The Workshop will cover:

• categories of sheep breeds and how to identify the differences

• what breeds work best for different knitting patterns/projects

• historical information on specific breeds

• each participant will have 100g of breed samples mailed to them.

Instructors: Anna Hunter

This will be a hands-on session that provides participants with tools and techniques for growing natural dyes in your own gardens or farms in a sustainable way.

Date: Saturday, June 5

Time: 12pm - 2pm

Cost: $45

Location: Long Way Homestead

This workshop will occur outside and participants should wear adequate/comfortable footwear and clothing for farm conditions including working in the garden. Please bring a pen and notebook and your own water bottle.

The Workshop will include:

• Using compost to build soil in your garden

• starting seeds for successful planting

• garden planning and design

• natural pest control with dye plants

• dye plants that grow well in Zone 3

There will be opportunity to purchase dye plant seeds starts following the workshop.

Instructors: Lourdes Casañares-Still

Covid Precautions: We take the safety of all participants and instructors serious as we navigate the ongoing Covid-19 health situation. We will follow all Provincial health guidelines and reserve the right to cancel any in-person classes if the guidelines change. We keep class sizes small, and ensure there is enough space in our venues to keep participants safe. We will have hand washing available and hand sanitizer. Please wear a mask and do not attend if you have been experiencing any covid symptoms or have known exposure to a confirmed covid case.

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.

Each breed of sheep produces a distinct type of wool for knitting and crochet.  Understanding the qualities and characteristics of these breeds will inform and accentuate your knitting. Texture, colourwork, cables and drape are all affected by the unique wool breeds.

This workshop will give a brief overview of some accessible single-breed wools and the variety they can offer to your knitting.  We will also briefly explore the history and tradition of these single-breed wools.  This workshop is a hands on workshop, including opportunities to touch and see multiple fleeces from different breeds.

Date: Sunday, May 30

Time: 3pm - 5pm

Cost: $55 - $75 (sliding scale)

Location: ONLINE - a zoom link will be mailed out to participants a week prior to the workshop

To learn more about the sliding scale check it out here.

The Workshop will cover:

• categories of sheep breeds and how to identify the differences

• what breeds work best for different knitting patterns/projects

• hands on exploration of a minimum of 10 breeds

• historical information on specific breeds

• each participant will get 100g of breed specific yarn samples mailed to them

Instructors: Anna Hunter

Online Zoom workshop on managing sheep to improve wool quality.

Date: Saturday, May 29th

Time: 12noon - 2pm (CST)

Cost: $35 - $55 (Sliding Scale)

THIS IS AN ONLINE ZOOM WORKSHOP. Details for the zoom workshop will be emailed to all participants, the week prior to the workshop.

To learn more about the sliding scale, check it out here.

Instructor: Brian Greaves

This Workshop will Look at the Following things:

When is it the best time to turn the flock out on spring pasture?

- What is best for the grass?

- What is best for animal health

Types of pasture management

- Set stocking

- Rotational grazing

- Strip grazing

Managing pasture to help reduce internal parasites

- Pasture length

- length of time on pasture

- Plant species

Selecting Rams to improve fleece Quality, length, Weight

Winter management of flock for health and wool quality

- feeding hay to lessen VM contamination.(vegetable Matter)

- Shelter

- Bedding

Shearing

- Timing

- Wool handling and Skirting

- Storage

About Brian Greaves:

Brian Greaves moved to Canada in 1993 to start Silver Bend Ranch with his wife, Karen Hill. They along with their children, Alison and Mark, raise cattle and sheep just north of Miniota, Manitoba.

Brian brought with him 18 years of New Zealand farm experience. In his last job as Livestock Manager of an 8,500 acre farm in New Zealand, he managed 16,000 ewes, 1,000 cattle, 350 breeding deer, 1000 goats and 25 brood mares.

Brian now farms 2¼ sections of light sandy soil. Formerly a grain farm, Brian has transformed it into a stock farm by developing both tame and native pastures, using multi-species grazing and rotational grazing, fencing dugouts and waterways, and using remote solar watering systems. As well, he has added corrals, pole sheds, calving barn, workshop, solar system and a new home.

After starting in 1993 with 10 heifers, 25 lease cows and 100 ewes, Silver Bend Ranch currently runs 140 cow-calf pairs and 80 ewes. Over the years, Brian has developed a commercial line of ewes with high fertility, fast lamb growth, high carcass quality and an average 10 lb. of fine range quality wool per head.

Brian is a certified wool grader, and is a trained wool judge and shearing competition judge. He is also a retired shearer who runs shearing schools for the Canadian Cooperative Wool Growers (CCWG).

Currently, Brian is the sheep and goat producer representative on the National Farm Animal Transport Code Development Committee. He also served as the MB Director of the Canadian Cooperative Wool Growers from 1999 - 2019 and was the representative on the Canadian Sheep Value Chain Roundtable.

He served as a producer representative on the National Farm Animal Sheep Code Development Committee and is a past director of the Manitoba Sheep Association and the Canadian Sheep Federation. Brian served his community on the Soil Conservation committee and as a volunteer Firefighter with the Miniota Fire Service.

Brian and Karen received the Upper Assiniboine Conservation District Award in 2009 and the Red River Ex Farm Family of the Year award in 201

Each breed of sheep produces a distinct type of wool for knitting and crochet.  Understanding the qualities and characteristics of these breeds will inform and accentuate your knitting. Texture, colourwork, cables and drape are all affected by the unique wool breeds.

This workshop will give a brief overview of some accessible single-breed wools and the variety they can offer to your knitting.  We will also briefly explore the history and tradition of these single-breed wools.  This workshop is a hands on workshop, including opportunities to touch and see multiple fleeces from different breeds.

Date: Wednesday, June 16

Time: 5:30pm - 8:30 pm

Cost: $55 - $75 (sliding scale)

Location: Long Way Homestead Field School

To learn more about the sliding scale check it out here.

This workshop will occur inside. Please bring a pen and notebook and your own water bottle.

The Workshop will cover:

• categories of sheep breeds and how to identify the differences

• what breeds work best for different knitting patterns/projects

• hands on exploration of a minimum of 10 breeds

• historical information on specific breeds

• each participant will take home 100g of breed specific yarn samples

Instructors: Anna Hunter

Covid Precautions: We take the safety of all participants and instructors serious as we navigate the ongoing Covid-19 health situation. We will follow all Provincial health guidelines and reserve the right to cancel any in-person classes if the guidelines change. We keep class sizes small, and ensure there is enough space in our venues to keep participants safe. We will have hand washing available and hand sanitizer. Please wear a mask and do not attend if you have been experiencing any covid symptoms or have known exposure to a confirmed covid case.

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.

TBD - based on Covid regulations in Manitoba

This will be a hands-on beginner workshop to learn the basics of skirting raw fleece and how to participate in the important aspects of shearing day.

Date: April 24, 2021

Time: 10am - 12pm

Cost: $25 - $35 (sliding scale)

Location: Long Way Homestead

For more information on the sliding scale check out the link here.

This workshop will occur simultaneously with the Long Way Homestead shearing, participants should wear adequate/comfortable footwear for farm conditions (rubber boots will be necessary if the weather has been rainy) please wear layers as we will be indoors and outdoors for the workshop. Please bring a pen and notebook and your own water bottle.

The Workshop will include:

• hands on skirting experience with over 30 fleeces

• sample of an evaluation card and how to fill it out (including identifying staple, handle, breakage, other common issues)

• practical information on how to set up skirting stations, build your own skirting table, and how to support shearers and farmers during shearing.

• techniques and tricks for handling, classing and packing fleece to increase the value of the wool clip

Instructors: Anna Hunter & Christel Lanthier