Britney Blue, Harrison’s Brown, Packing Twine and Green Dicks! That’s right - It can only mean one thing - its willow harvesting time!
I’m making good on my promise to hold some willow workshops this spring. And we’re starting with willow harvesting. Now is the time in the smallholder’s calendar for this immensely satisfying job. So, I’m inviting you to join me on the farm for a morning’s harvest followed by lunch, and some crafting of St Brigid’s crosses. What better way to spend a crisp February morning?
Willow growing, harvesting and weaving has such a rich and ancient history in Ireland (and beyond). Despite not being from these parts, I’m very lucky to be able to include all these jobs into my annual calendar - another way for me to connect to the land, connect to the past and enjoy making beautiful & useful woven things!
We will start the the morning with a cup of tea and a chat about all things willow. No doubt we will have a wee giggle at some of the more unusual varietal names listed above, but we’ll also learn about growing and harvesting willow - about age, species, varieties and uses. We’ll talk about the importance of good, sharp tools and we’ll all sharpen our secateurs. Please bring along all your blunt secateurs!
With are super-sharp tools in hand, we’ll head down to the farm’s sally garden (aka willow patch) and harvest all of the seven ancient weaving varieties that we grow. These varieties have been cloned for centuries here in Ireland - mine originate from the Irish willow legend, Joe Hogen - I love that I get to grow and weave with the very same willow that people were weaving with here hundreds of years ago.
We’ll bring the willow back to our Cow Byre and you’ll learn the art and importance of willow sorting.
Then, once ensconced in our cosy event space The Gallery, we will craft St Brigids crosses using both rushes from a beautifully boggy corner of our field, and some of the willow we’ve just harvested. We’ll chat about the symbolism of protection and good fortune, and explore the crosses ties to ancient traditions and folklore.
Most importantly we we’ll sit around big communal tables, with rushes in our hands and the wood-burner blazing, drinking cups of tea! There’s nothing better than the sense of community as we work together harvesting and crafting.
You can make just one to take home and hang over your door (protection and blessings for the year ahead), or you can make 10 to give to all your fiends! They make perfect fire-lighters for a Summer Solstice fire!
Join us on this enriching journey to connect with nature, our history and each other (and go home with really sharp clean secateurs!)
Here are the details:
The food & drinks: There will plentiful tea, herbal tea, coffee & water. If you would like anything else to drink please feel free to bring whatever you fancy. We’ll be providing a hearty vegetarian lunch prepared using seasonal, organic vegetables from our farm.
The time: 10am - 3pm Saturday 1st February 2025. It’s St Brigid’s Day!
The place: Laurelbank Farm, 121 Middle Road, Saintfield, Co. Down, BT24 7LS
The cost: £50 per person
What to bring: Bring suitable footwear and clothing for a session outside, whatever the weather. Also bring a pair (or more) of secateurs. You will learn how to sharpen them. This might be the highlight of your day!!
Dietary requirements: Please let us know if you have any dietary requirements when you book and we’ll try our absolute best to accommodate you.
Cancellation Policy: If you need to cancel your booking, for whatever reason, please let us know as soon as possible. For full details of our cancellation policy please click here.
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