Cider-making in Herefordshire dates back to the middle ages and orchards of cider apples and perry pears are a significant feature of the county’s landscape. Once such a ubiquitous drink of farm workers that part of their salary could be in cider. Its popularity has ebbed and flowed during the last 50 years, but in 2013 we see a thriving industry  with established makers such as Bulmers and Westons being major local employers and a growing band of craft cider makers adding variety with, for example, some “normandy” style bottle-fermented fine cider and perry. Twice a year the Big Apple Association stage events – one at blossom time and one at harvest – that celebrate English apples, pears, cider and perry.  Blossomtime is held at Putley Village Hall and comprises a competition for the best cider and perry in a series of classes – draught, novice, bottle-fermented, sweet, medium, dry. Judging takes place on the Saturday and on Sunday’s tasting event visitors can take wee drams of whichever cider or perry takes their fancy. Having found your favorite, bottled and flagons are available to buy directly from the cider-makers. The event has a lovely atmosphere and it is easy to spend a couple of hours in the company of a very small tasting cup.

Blossomtime (5/6th May 2013)  is a excellent opportunity to sample and familiarise yourself with products from craft cider and perry makers. Centred around Putley, near Ledbury, ‘The Big Apple’ (peopled by volunteers from the seven surrounding apple-growing parishes) manages a full weekend programme, which includes orchard walks, talks, live music, lunches and apple teas. Have a look on their website for times or pick up a leaflet for a self-guided walk from Putley Village Hall.

So much a part of the Herefordshire’s heritage, Herefordshire Cathedral programmes an “extra” and specific celebration of the orchard produce into the programme of services, a kind of cider rogation,  held during apple blossom time,  on 9th May.

Between April and October every year the Cider Museum, Hereford opens to tell the story of cider-making  in Hereford with a fantastic collection of cider mills and presses, old photographs and films etc and has a programme of events
throughout the summer. Return to the Big Apple event at Harvesttime on 12/13th October 2013  to see the fruits being milled and juice extracted using working models of traditional cider presses.

Local Cider Makers we’ve sampled:
Greggs Pit
Once Upon a Tree (winners of BBC Food & Farming Awards 2012 ‘Best Drinks Producer’)
Olivers
Lyne Down Cider & Perry
Westons

For an extensive list of all Cider & perry makers in Herefordshire

Herefordshire Orchards have a charm – even when they are resting. My local walk through orchards this winter showed just how long fallen apples can be viable as a source of food for  small birds. I did wonder whether they might feel a little tipsy on the diet…….

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Kate has an eye which constantly seeks out pattern in the world around us; she is sensitive to the strong graphic elements from the three dimensional and uses these to compose compelling patterns.

Kate first visited Tinsmiths a couple of years ago when we showed some of her limited edition lino-cuts and it has been an interesting journey to see how elements within this work have been translated into repeat patterns for cloth. Kitchen gardens and allotments celebrating the home-grown, home-cooked ethic are the inspiration for this body of work.

As with many designers, the design process starts with the sketchbook which Kate uses to record planting plans of historic kitchen garden as well as here own vegetable patch. Elements from these plans can be turned into motifs for lino-cuts which in turn can be recreated as repeat designs.

Our solo exhibition of Kate’s work has given us the chance not only to show the full breadth of what Kate produces but also explore how the artwork becomes an applied design.

above: oak reading chair and curtain in Kate’s new upholstery and curtain fabrics.

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After the 14^th Century cathedral was bombed in World War 2, Basil Spence was selected as the architect for a new Cathedral following a competition. The ‘new’ cathedral, begun in 1956 completed in 1962, sits next to the ruins of the old; the ruins are also clearly framed by the ‘Great West Window’, the ‘Screen of Saints & Angles’ by John Hutton.

The building was constructed in the same sandstone as the ruined building and its exterior seems massive and impressive in the way that such a building should be, however it is the interior which for me was a complete revelation. The nave space is immense with seven pairs of elegant pillars drawing the eye vertically, but the real genius is the way in which the decorative elements are completely integral to the whole. The John Piper window is fantastic, but equally beautiful are the narrow stained glass windows which line the nave by Lawrence Lee. The choir stalls designed by Spence himself sit comfortably in their environment and every element that you look at seems to have been so carefully considered and beautifully realised – the ‘Coventry Cathedral Chairs’ by Dick Russell (Gordon Russell), the wonderful Hans Copper candle sticks, the High Altar Cross designed by Geoffrey Clarke………I can heartily recommend a visit, for anyone with even a passing interest in 20th century design it will both inspire and inform.

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Rhubarb harvested in forcing sheds

“The best of all merchandise coming to Samarkand was from China: especially silks, satins, musk, rubies, diamonds, pearls, and rhubarb…”  reported  the embassy official Ruy Gonzáles de Clavijo, 1403-05 from his post in Timur. Rhubarb progressed steadily from the East to the banks of the Volga (where is got its name) and across Europe.

In 2010 the UK growers of the rhubarb triangle (now bounded by Wakefield, Morley and Rothwell, Yorks) claimed a victory in their application to have forced rhubarb included on the list of European Commission’s Protected Food Names along with Champagne and Parma Ham.

Forced rhubarb spends two years growing, without being harvested, in an open field to build up strength and reserves in the crowns which are transferred to grow their third year (or few months, in reality) in sheds and are harvested between from Christmas until February. The stems are totally pink, very tender, long and etiolated. Their strength spent, the crowns are consigned to the compost heap.

Full of promise, my rhubarb crowns have been slowly unfurling throughout February -  they have survived March’s snow-covering and yesterday were ready for the first “pull”.  I have never ventured into forcing my barb, but really make the most of the main crop – which seems to last from April through to July or early August. I’m not much of a gardener but so long as I give these crowns a good dose of fresh compost each autumn they seem to thrive;  this year I think it will be time to split the crowns which have quadrupled in three years.

Rhubarb Timperley Early with large chains to prevent hens scratching at the crowns as they emerge.

Here is a recipe for Rhubarb Custard Cake, courtesy of Helen Creese from Salvation Cafe, originally from an “Australian Womans Weekly Baking Book” which I have tried out on my family over Easter, thanks, Helen – they loved it.

Rhubarb Custard Cake – first pickings got at by family before lens cap could be removed

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Tile Map showing sketches and photographs to illustrate.

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Jackfield Tile Museum & early tile press

Press technology developed in the nineteenth century remains the industry standard; the  presses (now hydraulic) ram clay powder into plaster moulds to produce flat or textured tiles. Despite the use of hydraulic presses, the production line is still very labour intensive – perhaps not in comparison to our “potter’s tiles” in the exhibition – but in terms of modern factory production, this is very “hands on”.

Rammed, textured tiles for slip infill – aka encaustic

The museum area is fascinating – my favorite room being the light, bright Design Room which now houses a snap-shot of art history through tiles 1840 to 1960 and the most fabulously tiled employees “loos”. As most people know the heyday for decorative tiles in this country was undoubtedly the Victorian era; a time when anything that could be decorated, would be.

The Crown Liquor Saloon, Belfast

At the Tile Museum I was particularly struck by a reconstruction of a Victorian bar – where tiles were made that formed an arc both horizontally and vertically and had decorative textured surfaces – just think of the engineering involved and the confidence that sales would justify the set-up costs. Perhaps this is easier to imagine when one realises that this small area of Jackfield (home to the largest encaustic tile factory in the world in the 1870s, Maws & Co.) produced more tiles than anywhere else, the factories even had their own railway lines and exported worldwide.

The Trade Showroom & Employees Facilities at Jackfield

But what of contemporary tile use today? With architectural projects spending millions on polished concrete for the outside of their buildings, is their anyone considering extensive use of tiles as an alternative? Well, a quick google search reveals lots of ceramic cladding, a few plain glazed flat tiles covering large areas but oh,  for the colour, pattern and texture that there could be……architects, designers awake….. if anyone has some invigorating examples of architectural tiles, please send them in to us. In the meantime do come and see Tile Art at Tinsmiths from 16th March and on-line at www.tinsmiths.co.uk from 23rd.

Floor Tile by Andrew & Claire Mc Garva

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Diamond patterned jute floor rugs - two sizes and colours

Jute has excellent insulation properties both for heat and sound, these together with it’s antic-static properties make it an ideal choice for flooring. When blended with other fibres, as in the Valley Stripe cushions where the composition is 58% Jute and 42% cotton, added softness and drape can be given to the durability of the jute.

cotton and jute valley cushions; jute pouffes

Jute’s unique combination of properties have been noticed by other industries; in tree nurseries it is used to contain young trees, which can be directly planted with no disturbance to the roots, the jute rotting away as the tree grows; for stabilising soils prone to erosion it is used as a “geotextile” that supports the growing vegetation which will eventually halt erosion. The jute covering biodegrades by the time the plants are mature enough to hold the soil in place.

Soft Jute Floor Rugs - two sizes with fringe

Now, with a fuller appreciation of Jute’s qualities, we are looking out for interesting jute products to add to the Tinsmiths’ selection. Do tell us if you come across any.

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Without being too partial, I would say that until I tasted Wye Valley’s Butty Bach I was not a beer drinker – so the brewery can claim this convert. It seems that I am not alone – orders from Russia have recently seen Dorothy Goodbody set off on travels East – so a local beer with international appeal.

A good place to try lots of Herefordshire’s ales is our local, “The Prince” just around the corner from Tinsmiths. They always have a good selection of regular and visiting ales.

With Wye Valley and other small producers going from strength to strength, can it be long before we see the rise of hop-growing in East Herefordshire?

Other breweries near Ledbury to look out for are:

Teme Valley Brewery

Hobsons

Ledbury Real Ales Brewery

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Teme Valley Walk

1 1/2 hour walk – moderate terrain – a lovely walk, with just one part that is a little wet, so good boots are necessary. Click here for directions. If you would like to print the directions, save it to your desktop and open in Adobe Reader, from here you can make a print-out.

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