Workshop: Sheep in the Landscape - From Grass to Fibre and Back Again

Welcome to join a hands-on workshop among the sheep at Urpolan tila in Somero! We will use the flock, the pasture and real wool to explore these relationships together — observing, touching, questioning and discussing what we see rather than spending three hours listening to theory.

Workshop themes

Read the interaction between sheep and land – observe what is happening where the flock meets the landscape: what the sheep select, what they avoid, how they affect plants and soil, and how the land in turn influences the animals. Learn to recognise these interactions and use them to make better management decisions.

Understand what goes in — and what comes back – consider what sheep require from the pasture in terms of quantity, quality and nutrition, but also what they leave behind: dung and urine, trampling, litter, grazing patterns and changes in vegetation. The question becomes not simply “Do the sheep have enough to eat?” but “What happens to the land because the sheep were here?”

Follow the journey from pasture to fibre – explore how genetics, animal conformation, nutrition and environment are expressed in the fleece. Look at different parts of the animal and fleece, differences in fibre diameter and quality, and how changes in nutrition during the year can leave a record in the wool.

Learn to read wool – handle and examine real fleeces: colour, fibre types, alignment and structure, primary and secondary follicles, hair and other characteristics. Understand why different parts of a fleece behave differently and how these characteristics influence what the wool can ultimately be used for.

Understand what a sheep really produces – wool and meat are only part of the picture. Sheep can contribute to nutrient cycling and vegetation management, while producing fibres, skins and other products. At the same time, sheep farming carries social and cultural value, supports livelihoods and can contribute to the financial resilience of farms and rural communities.

Bring the whole system together – ultimately, good sheep management is a balancing act between the needs of the land, the needs of the animal, the products and services we want from them, and the needs of the people whose livelihoods depend upon the system.

About the speaker

Simon Goodall is a farmer, educator and specialist in Holistic Management, grazing systems and ecological monitoring, with more than three decades of practical experience working with livestock, land and natural fibres across different agricultural and cultural contexts. His work focuses on understanding the relationships between animals, landscapes and people, and on translating ecological principles into practical management decisions. He has worked internationally with farmers, organisations and projects exploring how livestock can contribute to healthier landscapes while supporting viable agricultural enterprises and rural communities.

Simon also brings extensive practical experience in sheep and wool production, from understanding the animal, genetics and nutrition through to fibre quality, fleece characteristics and processing. His approach focuses on the relationship between the land, the animals and, ultimately with the products and wider benefits that emerge from the system. Today, through Gestione Olistica Italia and his international work, he combines farming experience, education and ecological observation to encourage people to look beyond conventional divisions between livestock, cropping and forestry, and to reconsider the role grazing animals can play in functioning and resilient landscapes.

About the farm

Urpolan tila is selling wool products and meat from Finnsheep and Kainuu Grey sheep. There are around 100 sheep on the farm. Farm owner Sari Witka has always been passionate about handicrafts, so it was only natural that the wool from her sheep would also be put to good use. She began learning the traditional craft of hand carding wool at a felting course offered by the local adult education center, using wool she had sheared herself from her fist sheep Mustikka. As the flock grew, the wool started being sent to a spinning mill for processing.

At first, Sari knitted woolen socks, mittens, and slippers from the yarn and sold them at small rural markets. As the product range expanded, it became necessary to establish the farm shop. Today, in addition to knitted products, the selection includes, among other things, Saris' specialty: blankets and baby quilts made from sheepskins.

Additional information

The workshop is free and open to anyone interested.
We will provide you with protective clothing that is mandatory to use on the farm.
Coffee and bread rolls are served. Let us know about dietary restrictions.
Worried about attending a workshop in English? There will be Finnish and Swedish speakers helping you! 
Further questions? Please contact Ulrika Dahlberg: ulrika.dahlberg(at)novia.fi, +358 50 309 1076

Please register here.

The workshop is organized by the projects The Aggregate (Invenire) and AgriGraze (Novia UAS).