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Traditional Crafts of Exmoor
Exmoor Traditional Crafts
Exmoor can be a harsh landscape to live in and be part of. The residents of the moor have had to utilise the local resources to their full potential to survive the cold winters and to make a few extra pounds on the markets. The first locals looked to the hedgerows for fruit and nuts and to the fields for edible mushrooms. Then came utilizing wood, metal and minerals to build homes, clothing and cooking equipment.
As transport became available and the advent of the markets opened up the locals developed their cottage crafts into small businesses using available materials for foods, drinks and traditional crafts. Exmoor has long been famed for its woollen crafts ranging from hats and gloves to amazing pattern jumpers. The locals traded wool on the markets and spun it traditionally with wheels and produced a fine wool that is highly sought after.
In 2010 Exmoor farmers began working with the wool of the Blue face sheep which produces a product of such high quality that it is being used on Saville row. They not only use sheep’s wool on Exmoor but are now using Alpaca wool to create an even finer end product. A fine traditional Exmoor delicacy is Whortleberry jam, the whortleberry is the name the folk of the moors give to the Bilberry a low growing shrubby plant that grows on the open moor and produces small amounts of blue berries. Alongside this you will always see sloe gin, blackberry jam and numerous hedgerow wines.
Down by the river exe lives an extremely special tree that benefited man and his crafts for as long as we can remember, this tree is the willow. Along with hazel the willow is traditionally used to make baskets, furniture and hurdles, at any Exmoor market you will find finely woven willow craftwork. There has also been a long tradition of pottery craftwork that was originally for domestic uses but has developed into a fine craft with a distinct feel and look of fine Exmoor pottery. In later years people introduced glass blowing and there are now numerous studios offering high quality hand blown ornaments and table ware.
All of this and much more are on the lively Exmoor markets, each cottage craft offers an insight into the history of the moor and its inhabitants.
During 2012 we will be holding Astronomy Weekends, Painting Holidays and Photography Workshops at The Exmoor White Horse Inn. Please keep checking back as bookings will be limited.
January 2012 Monthly Newsletter
Lentil and Bacon Soup
Lentil and Bacon Soup
This hearty soup is an excellent winter warmer delicious served with hot crusty bread and butter. Try using a small gammon joint instead of packs of sliced bacon as this will work out considerably cheaper. you can use any type of lentil you wish, I like red lentils basically because it makes a nice colour soup! The best thing about soups is the ingredients can be very approximate.
You will need:
500g joint of gammon smoked or unsmoked depending on your preference
2 x cup lentils
2 x large carrots
Few sticks celery
1 x large onion
1 x turnip
3 litres vegetable stock
Salt and pepper to taste
1. Chop all the vegetables and gammon into about half inch squares and put all the ingredient into a large pan, bring to the boil then reduce heat and simmer slowly until the lentils are soft.
2. Add salt and pepper to taste and then blend until fairly smooth.
3. That’s it! Serve with fresh baked rolls
Bird Feeding Time
Feeding Time on Exmoor
In December keep yourself warm and ‘sleep’. That’s all very well for Dormice and Hedgehogs, many insects and amphibians to withstand the rigours of Winter – ruler of th’inverted year!
Apart from the migrants who flee South as if from a plague, many birds are not so fortunate and vital help can be given to those birds by means of bird-table and bird-bath. The cold and the snow are great levellers. Jay, Magpie, Seagull, Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Woodpecker, Greenfinch and Pied Wagtail etc will gratefully accept your offerings and, typical of Nature’s opportunism, predators such as Kestrel and Sparrow hawk will sometimes realize what is going on and lurk about to ambush finch,\ sparrow and blackbird.
When using bird feeders, be aware that our beloved Robin isn’t a good an acrobat as the tit family so needs a feeder with a tray base. Like humans birds also need ’5-a-day’ in their diet………that’s oats, apples, nuts, seeds and cheese. These are perfect for putting on bird tables rather than spicy or stale scraps, together with water to drink and bathe in.
The important things is that whatever you do, take heart, you will be helping our birds through another Winter.
Wishing all my readers a very Merry Christmas and the very best New Year and looking forward to 2012 blogging.
