Harvesting the Willow at Chester Hope, Northumberland.

Apart from the most northern and southern regions, people all over the world have access to natural resources which can be made into baskets, and other containers. And many different kinds of basketry receptacles have been found all over the globe.

Because the materials used to make the baskets decay, there are not many ancient examples. However, the oldest known baskets have been shown to be even older than pottery vessels. In Egypt, carbon dating shows baskets were made over 10,000 years ago, possibly even 12,000!

There were all sorts of different types and shapes of basket, depending on its purpose. Whether to carry fish, clay, textiles, and so on. Baskets made from all sorts of materials have been used by humans all this time, and continue to be.

This blog is about willow.

In November, 2024, some of the Rothbury Tree Wardens were delighted to help with the willow harvest at Chester Hope. This peaceful and beautiful place is one of the several plots run by the prestigious Northumbria Basketry Group. The group was established in 2007. You can find out about the wonderful work they do, read articles, and volunteer to help. You can purchase baskets, or learn how to make your own, and so much more. Northumbria Basketry Group.

I first came across the local willow group over ten years ago when John and I decided to have our hand-fasting under a home-made willow arch. I am a remarkably impractical and quite clumsy person, so the fact that I actually succeeded to make a beautiful arch is testament to the skill and patience of the very talented Charlotte Boxall, who helped me!

At that time, the willow plot was at Whitton.

At Chester Hope, Alan Winlow kindly gave us a tour of the plot, before we set to work with the harvest. At the willow plot there are several different types of willow growing, with many glorious colours. Below you can see the 'stools', the remains of the willow that has already been harvested. These will grow again in the spring.

The plot at Chester Hope is in its 5th year. It had previously been at Whittondean, and before that, Whitton.

The Chester Hope plot is ideal, and Alan grows not only willow for basket work, but also for biomass. The willow names are very poetical, for example, Dicky Meadows, Bleu Bleu, Lassiandra, and many more!

The willow rods are sold to self-help groups, NBG members, and the public. The proceeds subsidise beginners' training, tools, equipment, and so on.

A lot of work has taken place to turn an empty field into the stunning, productive, well-organised, plot it is today.

It was so easy to understand our tasks, everything has been arranged to make each step straightforward. Alan lives by the rule of 'for the next man' (person). That is, do your task thoroughly, so leaving the next part of the work straightforward for the next person. This leads to willow rods of a consistent and very high quality.

Alan has excelled in efficiency and quality in every area of work and life, all his life!

Chester Hope before planting the willow.

This land has kindly been loaned to Alan to grow the willow. It is in a perfect location.

These wonderful photographs, taken by drone, are by Rae Dyson, in April, and September, 2024.

It was a glorious day for our work. It is a peaceful, almost meditative, task.

After the tour, we were shown exactly how to harvest the willow rods. I was using an electric secateurs! Vinions electric shears - used in France for pruning vines. This made the work a little easier for my arthritic hands!
We placed the good rods onto the wooden holders behind us, waiting to be tied up in bundles.

We cut off the rods which were too short, or had died, and this leaves the stools to hibernate until the spring, when they will leap into life again!

On the picture above, on the right you can see some beautiful bright willow bundles waiting to go to customers.

Once a bundle has been harvested, they rods are put into a barrel, and the 'branchy' ones are taken our for use in screens. These are not good enough for basket making.

Once the 'branchy' ones are removed, we gauged the length, using the ruler. We take the tallest ones first, then the next tall, and so on.

Then the best rods are placed in height order. It is a fantastic, simple, system. Making the whole harvesting and sorting as straightforward as it can be.

Willow is a fantastic way to fix carbon, and it is also wonderful for biodiversity. It is also a great plant for flood protection.

I wrote about Alan's use of willow in this way, back in 2021. Northumberland Gazette Article.

Alan also told us about the importance of Basketry during the First World War.

"Basketry Then and Now was established for the purpose of researching, co-producing and engaging in activities to explore the importance of basketry and willow to the economic, social and cultural fabric of the country during the First World War, and to examine the long-term legacy in terms of intangible cultural heritage and landscape change. Research themes include the importance of basketmaking in the military effort (e.g. shell baskets, pigeon carriers, aircraft seats, stretchers); the therapeutic use of basketmaking during the conflict; and the significance of basketmaking in everyday life during the period 1914-1919 (including consideration of regional and local traditions)." Basketry Then and Now: Everyday lives in War website.

Here is Alan explaining about the biomass. 'Biomass' is organic material that can be used as a source of energy.

"But aren't we just releasing carbon when the wood is burned?" I asked.

Alan explained that although this fuel will release carbon dioxide, the growing trees are absorbing the same mass while they are growing. "The growing willow absorbs carbon dioxide from the atmosphere as part of the biogenic carbon cycle. When the willow biomass is combusted in energy or electricity generation, the biogenic carbon dioxide stored in the willow is released into the atmosphere as carbon dioxide, completing the cycle".

These trees grow extraordinarily quickly. Abut 15 feet in one year! You can see how tall they are in the photo, behind Alan, John, and Sam.
They are planted in this formation to act as a windbreak, and protect the willow rods from blowing around excessively.

Deer like to eat them, so they have the guards on, and are then cut to just above the height the deer can reach to get the tender new shoots.

You can see a hare-proof fence on the left. These fences are at the right height to stop the hares jumping over.

Another way to prevent the crop being eaten by sheep, deer and hares, is a strange one! Alan explained that motion sensitive radios are on the plot, which play Radio One (hated by deer, enjoyed by sheep).

Rothbury Tree Wardens enjoy helping our growers and farmers. If you need a hand, do let us know. We are good at planting trees, and hedges, and now, also, harvesting willow!