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 (or click on Workshop 2012 download at the bottom of this page to download Detailed Program, prices, registration form, list of places to stay in the area, CV of our guest speaker Ann Dooling)
SATURDAY APRIL 14 at the TOWN HALL in RADDA in CHIANTI
10:00 am: Publication of the results of two year study on the Impact of Grazing Cashmere Goats on local underbrush, by the University of Florence: Anna Acciaioli, Elisa Banchetti, Lapo Tardelli
11:00 Publication of results of a study on the use of NEEM against internal parasites bythe Istituto Zooprofilattico della Regione Toscana: (Giuseppina Brocherel)
11.30 Laboratory fiber analyses Laboratorio Brachi (Primo Brachi)
Lunch break at La Penisola followed by 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 (spindle or wheel)
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 eaving 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 Winery VIGNAVECCHIA
For further information please contact:
info@cashmeregoatfarm.com ² nora@sustainablecashmere.com
www.chianticashmere.com ² www.sustainablecashmere.com
Skype: nora.kravis
Facebook: Nora Kravis ² Capra Cashmere Italiana
