Try Tregaver!
I had the pleasure of meeting and interviewing Caroline from Tregaver Fibre inside my membership on zoom this week. Read below to learn a little bit about this lovely Cornish business.
If you are a member, you can check the replay out by clicking below and logging in:
Members login: https://hub.learnfelting.com
Sign up at: https://heart-felt.co/membership25
I love learning about people's stories and how they got into their businesses or passions, and Tregaver Fibre's story was a special one.
Nestled in Cornwall's Tamar Valley, Tregaver Fibre began with an unexpected journey...
Caroline always wanted goats, but on acquiring her land, she discovered it was in poor condition after years of disuse, and was in fact better suited for sheep.
After researching, she chose some long wool sheep breeds- Teeswater and Wensleydale, and only later was she able to fulfill her initial dream of adding a small herd of Angora goats.
It was inspiring to hear that Caroline began her journey into farming with no prior experience. She left her PhD and background in philosophy and education, and traded it all in to work outside. She began volunteering on farms to learn some key skills including lambing. Now, she lovingly looks after her own 36 sheep and 4 goats, ensuring the welfare of each.
What struck us about Caroline was her aim to produce fibre sustainably without slaughtering any of her animals. The love of her animals really came through. So much so, that she said once they are born, they are with her for life, she won't breed to sell! That even means foregoing lambing for a few years until she has a more stable land situation.
Here is one of her previous adorable lambs: Pink Ears, who had to wear sunscreen for the first few years of life!π
Her Cornish roots are evident in the farm's nameβ"Tregaver," (pronounced Tray Gavver), which combines *tre* (meaning homestead) and *gavver* (meaning goats).
Here are 2 of her Angora goats-
Barbus on his banana phone π
and Belivo who looks like he is enjoying having a scratch!
Tregaver Fibre isn't just about the wool; it's a reflection of Caroline's deep connection with her animals and the land, but she learned about fibre processing as she went along and now produces beautiful, hand-processed fibres, keeping sustainability at its core.
Caroline told us it was really important to her to have biodegradable packaging and for everything to look natural, because her business is natural. So, every single item Caroline sells is plastic free, including all of her packaging. And that has been the case ever since she started her business five years ago: she has not used one piece of plastic. I think that fact will appeal to a lot of us!
Here are some of the beautiful fibres available in Caroline's shop:
A lovely touch is that every one is labelled with which animal or place the fibre came from.
Look at those luscious locks!
Go to: Tregaver Fibre's Website
Caroline has some gorgeous kits available too:
Tregaver also has a Monthly Fibre Club with some top picks for the month, so be sure to check those out:
And if you are into yarn as well, she has some beautiful Angora yarn, aptly named Goatally Gorgeous, and like all her fibre, it is hand dyed by Caroline herself:
Much thanks to Caroline for meeting with us; we loved talking to you, and it was a pleasure to learn how well cared for your sheep and goats are- they are very lucky animals indeed!π€©
Don't forget to check out Caroline's fabulous fibre at:
You can also follow Tregaver Fibre on social media at:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/tregaverfibre
Instagram: www.instagram.com/tregaverfibre
YouTube: www.youtube.com/@tregaverfibre2302
