KnowSheep

Partners

Estonian Research Institute of Agriculture, Riina Kaljulaid

University of Turku, Johanna Mattila

HAMK University of Applied Scienses, Annika Michelson

MTT Agrifood Research Finland, Sirpa Kurppa

The town of Väståboland, Katja Bonnevier

The Estonian University of Life Sciences

Saaremaa Wool Association, Karen Allas

Hiiumaa Sheep and Cattle Society, Omar Jõpiselg

The traditional Baltic island sheep are not widely appreciated, although small-scale sheep keeping is a traditional activity for islanders and perfect for Natura/nature protection areas, where extensive farming is forbidden due to environmental considerations. Sheep is fairly unknown as a simultaneous source of meat, wool, and landscape design. Typically, sheep farming is polarized; targeting either on meat or wool production, thus, foreign or local meat/wool lamb breeds are preferred. It is not known that the native sheep offers high quality wool, several shades of yarn, delicious meat. In Finland, native sheep has been acknowledged as a breed. The Estonian Native Sheep is not yet; thus, the project will benefit from the Finnish experiences with acknowledgement procedure of a native sheep.

Project activities include research and review of the status of sheep industry (sheep density, - breeding, - health, pasture management) and an assessment of its capacity and potential on the Baltic Islands, forming the basis for a common vision; compiling resource material for producers and processors –reports, studies, references on sheep farming, housed by the sheep resource centres; creating material for presentations; organizing seminars for sheep producers and processors. 3 books are published – on handicraft and sheep keeping for wider public and a research book for experts. In result, sheep resource centres are established in Estonia to exchange info, organize events and training, being a meeting place for people in the same field. For wider public, multi-media, multi-lingual presentations on traditions of sheep industry on the Baltic islands is provided. If pilot resource centres succeed in Estonia, they can be implemented in Finland.

Working documents

• Sheep vocabulabry / lammassanastoa eri kielillä

• Spinneries, tanning and slougther houses in the Nordic and Baltic Countries

• Work description 2010

• Blogging from the meadow

Quality in pasturing semi-natural meadows. Case: Kiltsi Meadow, Estonia:

• Summer 2011 in English / på svenska / suomeksi (ppt)

• Ääninauhoite tuloksista vuonna 2011 (suomeksi) 48 min.

  • Summer 2012 in English (ppt)

• Video: Results from summer 2012

  • Use of time 2011-2013 (statistics)

  • Droppings 2011-2013 (statistics) and Droppings on maps 2008-2013

• GPS tracking information 2011 and 2012