skep making long straw needed

[castleacre]

Hi All
I live down south in kent and I want to have a go at skep making now that I have some time on my hands.I am finding it very difficult to source the long straw needed at a sensible price.
Can anyone help with a good supplier and an idea of the purchase prices.
I am willing to travel a reasonable distance to get a good supply to keep me going through the winter.
mike

 

[nonstandard]

It's not a good year for looking for long straw, the dry summer has lead to stunted growth as well as an increase in the value of straw (again due to the stunted growth). Also modern farming practices utilise shorter straw varieties as they stand up better and essentially straw is a by-product of wheat/barley production.
I would suggest trying anywhere that has a farming museum or similar as they may use heritage varieties and traditional harvesting methods.

sent from my mobile.

 

[HelenX]

Try getting in touch with a thatcher - they may have old-fashioned long strawed varieties grown for them

 

[Teemore]

Also try to find a local vintage vehicle club that has an emphasis on tractors etc. if they run a harvest working day (and many do) they are likely to have access to straw for threshing and they usually go for one of the older, long strawed varieties.

 

[tonybloke]

I'm going here http://www.henhamsteamrally.com/ for the weekend, they always have long-straw wheat for use in the thrashing drum display.

 

[Juststarting]

see this thread for helpful advice I got

http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=5216

 

[itma]

Try getting in touch with a thatcher - they may have old-fashioned long strawed varieties grown for them

Ramsgate? Wouldn't some reeds from the Stour do the job? (Isn't that the sort of thing that thatchers use?) Anyway, there's enough thatched cottages in the villages towards Canterbury to stop by and ask "who thatched your roof?"

 

[user 6228]

Ramsgate? Wouldn't some reeds from the Stour do the job? (Isn't that the sort of thing that thatchers use?) Anyway, there's enough thatched cottages in the villages towards Canterbury to stop by and ask "who thatched your roof?"

beat me to It I was going to suggest reed.

 

[beeatshellards]

welcome to the forum castleacre try getting in touch with Michael Barnes at downs farm
wye ,Asford Kent
I know he does long straw but dont know how much he has available as its been a bad year

 

[Bee-Key-Pur]

Castle acre is just down the road from us, not in Kent....

Beeatshellards, I used to work for a couple of boat building comanies in Brightlingsea, Cox Marine and Sail Craft, I used to sail with Reg White. I know reg has gone, but are any of those companies still trading?

Brian

 

[beeatshellards]

most of the boat building has gone now ,we have a new marina where Morgans was they are still in the town , there is still lots of boating activity here , but not so much boatbuilding, more repairing and selling of boats on the shipyard . They have just installed a memorial to Reg along the prom, and I think his sons still race not sure what though.
industry is not what it was in the 60s and 70s

 

[kighill]

Try the lady below, although it may be a little far it could make a nice day out.

I have bought Rye from Rosemary and it was very very long, she usually grows two acres harvested which she harvests by hand.

This year I collected some, which I harvested by hand. A kind local farmer allowed me to harvest it from one of his fields, alas due to the poor year his Rye was rather short.


Rosemary Sault : 01543 472629 85 Lightwood Road, Yoxall, Burton-on-Trent, DE13 8QE


RYE
The straw is long and hollow. The straw between the second and third nodes are quite long and thick which makes them suitable for straw marquetry. As the rye is so tall it is cut by hand whilst it is still green and then dried.

I have also purchased from a Thatcher, again his was not the same quality as that bought from Yoxall.

 

[oliver90owner]

It's The Little Casterton Working Weekend tommorrow and Sunday. Probably too far, but there are a few about, like the link from Tonybloke. Reaping, binding threshing, etc. Don't know how long the straw is this year, but a good day out.

RAB

 

[huntsman666]

Threshing will give a long stem but the straw is going to be too brittle as the grains will need to be fully ripe.

Best to cut your own (with permission) when the grain is still at the milky white stage. Unfortunately I suspect the crop is saved or ripe at the moment.

Reeds cut and still slightly green may be a good alternative and still available.

 

[Monsieur Abeille]

It's The Little Casterton Working Weekend tommorrow and Sunday. Probably too far, but there are a few about, like the link from Tonybloke. Reaping, binding threshing, etc. Don't know how long the straw is this year, but a good day out.

RAB

Ooooh, does the brewery have a stand?

 

[The Apprentices]

martinatnewton.com sells skep making kits and tools.

Inthatch, ask for Edwina A Wakley 01460 234477

Karen Manor House Farm Isham on 07919 222002

Cane for tying, fredaldous.com

Nigel 07903 080590

Rosemary Sault on 01543 472629 Rye Straw.

A sellection of my home made skep making tools, Fids and cleaves for splitting the willow bindings.

 

[BBG]

A lady I spoke to today as she was making a skep, said she obtained some material from Chyvarloe Farm (I think she said) near Helston.

It's a National Trust place so they might help.

The 'straw' looked tough, durable stuff.

Hope this helps

 

[The Apprentices]

martinatnewton.com sells skep making kits and tools.

Inthatch, ask for Edwina A Wakley 01460 234477

Karen Manor House Farm Isham on 07919 222002

Cane for tying, fredaldous.com

Nigel 07903 080590

Rosemary Sault on 01543 472629 Rye Straw.

A sellection of my home made skep making tools, Fids and cleaves for splitting the willow bindings.

Also found this site, N. Brown and Carens bussiness partner on 07901 557330.

http://www.thatching-straw.co.uk/id42.html