CASHMERE WORKSHOP 2012

To celebrate the 17° year of our Cashmere Goat herd, you are invited to attend our FIRST ITALIAN CASHMERE WORKSHOP April 14 – 21, 2012
A full-immersion HANDS-ON week dedicated to CASHMERE:  breeding, genetic improvement, combing techniques, evaluation, and transformation of the raw fiber into yarn and a finished, hand.made product.  Every morning we’ll be COMBING; every afternoon a different event:  spinning, weaving and knitting basics.

ANN DOOLING from the USA will be giving hands-on fiber classing and lessons in genetic improvement; on April 14th;  the town of Radda in Chianti will host the publication of the results of two studies we have been involved in:  Impact on the underbrush by Cashmere goats grazing (Tuscan Regione with the U of Florence) and the partial results of a study we are dong with the Istituto Zooprofliattico  on the effects of Neem as an organic treatment for endoparassites.

START PLANNING NOW!! It's one thing to buy an anonomous skein of Cashmere, it's quite another thing to hand-comb it from a live goat and spin it yourself! Combing and kidding - all in one !  Newborn kids are perhaps some of the most beguiling newborns you'll find:  they are on their feet within 20 minutes of birth, dried off promptly by mom, and ready to nurse.  Unlike many newborns, baby kids are true miniatures of their adult versions (minus the horns, which grow in later):  fluffy, curious, mischevious and agile, ready to leap and cavort by day two.  Their new-born hooves are porcelain white and their eyes a bluish-grey.  They beg to be hugged

LOOKING FORWARD TO LOTS OF YOU, COMBS IN ONE HAND, AND CAMERAS IN THE OTHER - there is nothing more entertaining than a field of baby goats jumping, bucking, twirling and chasing each other across the fields under the watchful gaze of their mothers.

It's not an exageration to say that this will be the highlight of your trip to Tuscany!

Program for the  CASHMERE WORKSHOP 14 – 21 APRILE

SATURDAY APRIL 14 at the TOWN HALL in RADDA in  CHIANTI

 10:00 am

Results of two year study on the Impact of Grazing Cashmere Goats on the local underbrush, by the University of Florence:  Anna Acciaioli, Elisa Banchetti, Lapo Tardelli

Result of  a study onthe use of NEEM against internal parasites,  Istituto Zooprofilattico  della Regione Toscana: (Giuseppina Brocherel)

Laboratory fiber analyses Laboratorio Brachi

Lunch break

 13:00 – 17:00 at L PENISOLA Combing and fiber classing with Ann Dooling

Group dinner

SUNDAY APRIL 15 Azienda Agricola La Penisola

            9:00 am Caffe

10:00 – 12:30 Combing and fiber classing with Ann Dooling

Lunch break

            15:00 – 17:00            Spinning class – learn to hand-spin your own cashmere fiber

MONDAY APRIL 16 Azienda Agricola La Penisola

            9:00 am Caffe

10:00 – 13:00 Combing and fiber classing with Ann Dooling

Lunch break

            15:00 . – 17:00 Spinning class – learn to hand-spin your own cashmere fiber

TUESDAY APRIL 17  Azienda Agricola La Penisola

            9:00 am caffe

10:00 – 12:30 Combing and fiber classing with Ann Dooling

Lunch break

14:30 Bus leaves for GUIDED TOUR OF THE MUSEO DI STIA and overview of weaving  by Angela Giordano

WEDNESDAY APRIL 18 Azienda Agricola La Penisola

            9:00 caffe      

10:00  - 12:30 Combing and fiber classing with Ann Dooling

Lunch break

14:30 – 17:00 Knitting lesson using your own yarn to create a finished scarf or shawl

THURSDAY APRIL 19 Azienda Agricola La Penisola

            9:00 caffe 

10:00  - 12:30 Combing and fiber classing with Ann Dooling

Lunch break

13:30 Bus leaves for guided tour of MUSEO DEI TESSUTI di PRATO followed by a guided tour of GRUPPO COLLE di PRATO

FRIDAY APRIL 20  Azienda Agricola La Penisola

            9:00 caffe

            10:00  - 12:30 Combing and fiber classing with Ann Dooling

            Wine tasting and quick lunch at our nearby Azienda vinicola VIGNAVECCHIA

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For further information please contact:

info@cashmeregoatfarm.com  ² nora@sustainablecashmere.com

www.chianticashmere.com ² www.sustainablecashmere.com

Skype:  sustainablecashmere

Facebook:  Nora Kravis ² Capra Cashmere Italiana