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Covid 19 Update
We hope that everyone is safe and well. This has been a difficult time for so many people. We have been able to continue trading as our workshop is based at home. Our thoughts have been with those businesses less fortunate than ourselves and all those who have been affected by the virus.
In these strange times we have had moments to sit, reflect and observe the continuing cycle of nature around us: the sun warming the earth as shoots appear, the birds finding their voice and our own little oak tree beginning to bud. When we moved here, our oak tree was only about 12 foot high but in the last 20 odd years it has slowly but surely established itself as part of the local ecosystem. I can imagine that it was planted by a forgetful squirrel one autumn and it is a remarkable fact that only 1 in about 10,000 acorns grow to tree status.
Oak trees are the most common species in the UK. We are bound together with them in our folklore, history, our buildings, ships and even pub names. Little wonder that oaks have a unique place in the British psyche. They are one of the oldest and most widely spread trees on the planet and have been here since before humans were on the Earth, appearing about 65 million years ago. One of the most biodiverse of our trees, they support a huge number of species. Oak trees can live up to 1000 years and are considered to be old at 700 years. And even when they no longer remain in the wood, they continue to gift us with their incredibly strong and beautiful timber. No wonder we know them as “The Mighty Oak”.
Our own tree does now produce its own acorns in mast years and it continues to have an ever increasing presence in our garden, no doubt supporting other species and hopefully one day producing offspring of its own. In the meantime, we look forward to the warmer days ahead when those buds finally open to reveal once again the full majesty of our little oak tree.
Shows
Unfortunately due to the virus many of our shows have been cancelled. Obviously it is of paramount importance that everyone is safe but we are still hopeful for a couple at
the end of Summer. We will keep you posted when we know more.
In the meantime we have been able to make sure that Bertha is in tip top condition and ready for the road.
Working with....
We are very pleased that we will be working with Manchester and District Bee
Keepers Association based in Heaton Park Manchester. They offer training to beekeepers and have a small shop where they will stock our goods. We look forward to developing this partnership once we are out of lock down.
New Products
Over the last couple of months we have working to develop several new products.
We have made these beautiful painted oak trays. They are dovetail jointed and they have been painted with Frenchic paint which is a natural child friendly chalk paint. We are delighted with the finished look of these trays. They will be sold at fairs with Bertha and in particular at the Country Living Christmas Fair in Glasgow.
We have also produced three different types of wax for furniture and boards. They nourish, protect and revive old or tired looking wood. Two of the waxes contain bees wax and one soya wax for vegans. All three waxes add a depth and warmth to the wood. They can be used sparingly and are easy to apply.