North Devon Farmers in the Spotlight for Short Film Collection

Thanks to community film making organisation North Devon Moving Image (NDMI), a number of emerging documentary film makers will have the opportunity to create a unique collection of short films about farming in north Devon. 

Each of the seven commissioned films will focus on individual farms within North Devon’s UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, which includes the North Devon Coast AONB designation and reaches to parts of Exmoor and Dartmoor.  The selected film makers have sought out engaging characters and fascinating stories from farms around the region including the life of a smallholder, farming with nature on the Hartland Peninsula to how a small local abattoir on the fringes of Exmoor has a positive impact on animal welfare and an inside story on women in farming at Hatherleigh.

“We were very keen to support this project because short films are a brilliant way of telling the story of farming today in these remote rural areas.” commented Jenny Carey-Wood, Manager of the North Devon Coast AONB who have helped to fund Down on the Farm “Our small grants are often used to help people better understand that the Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty are a living and working landscape, with farms and smallholdings playing a vital role in producing food, managing land for wildlife and as places for people to enjoy the stunning coast and countryside.”

Linda Mason from Southsea in Hampshire, has chosen to make her film about farmer Rose Manning “I was really excited to be selected for the Down on the Farm commission” Linda says “Devon is such a beautiful part of our country and I enjoy telling everyday stories.  Rose has been farming all her life and now even in her mid seventies she is still caring for the young cattle and supporting on the farm.  I will tell Rose’s story through her daily routines on the farm and in the kitchen baking, as she prepares food and reminisces about her life.  My film “Lifelong Farmer” will weave together archive material, intimate and personal recollections of being a woman in farming over many decades.  I look forward to visiting the farm over the year and learning more about the busy 'retired' life of a farmer.”

The films will be completed at the end of next year and will be available to view online at the NDMI website www.northdevonmovingimage.org.uk and in the new social history gallery at the Museum of Barnstaple and North Devon.  In the meantime you will be able to keep up with news ‘from the field’ in a series of blog posts from the film makers which will be published on NDMI’s website and social media channels.

  Linda Mason film maker "Down on The Farm"

Clovelly celebrates the "Silver Darlings" for another year.

Clovelly Herring Festival always falls in November. It's the time of year when the historic village celebrates the coming of the great "Silver Darlings", better known as Herring. Clovelly celebrates and promotes this tasty, nutritious fish whilst supporting sustainable fishing.

The village always depended on the harvest of herring, caught in superb condition for a short season off this coast. Records go back over 400 years and in 1749 there were about a hundred herring boats in the port. When fishing was good, 9000 herring could be landed at one time. Those days of massive catches are long gone and these days there are just two herring fishermen, both employing sustainable fishing methods using only drift nets and long lines.

The Maritime historian and writer, Mike Smylie, will be attending with his "Kipperland" exhibition, which is devoted to the history of all things herring. Mike also turns the herring into delicate-tasting kippers and bloaters in his smokehouse for sale.

Flaxland joins the event with their exhibitions and demonstrations - an opportunity to discover how the flax plant is used to make a vast range of goods.

The quay kitchens will be serving a variety of delicious herring specialities along with beer tastings, local food and craft stalls.

Throughout the day there will be live music, street entertainers, face-painting and an exhibition of Clovelly herring fishing.

You can also learn how to handcraft bowls from sea debris at the 'Beach clean' bowl workshops. This is due to Clovelly's beach clean efforts to keep them free from ropes and nets that are harmful to wildlife and sea creatures. Washhouse Studio has been fully supplied with equipment from Beach Care and Keep Britain Tidy and hold organised beach cleans with the local general public. All the debris is collected and taken back to the studio so it can be re-used to make beautiful bowls.

This year The Marine Pioneers and the Blue Marine Pioneer Foundation will be showcasing their herring project and also offer an event-themed activity.

Another new addition this year will be the North Devon Hospice 3k Fun Run along Hobby Drive for the North Devon Hospice. To take part, please sign up online at www.northdevonhospice.org.uk or contact them on 01271 347232.

Clovelly Picarooner 2011. Photo credit Pat Adams
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Clovelly Herring Festival - Photos Pat Adams North Devon Focus

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CLOVELLY HERRING FESTIVAL,
 Sunday, 18 November 2018
From 10 am until 4 pm
Clovelly Harbour
Contact: Tel: 01237 431781. www.clovelly.co.uk

Lest we forget

 In Remembrance

The stunning commemorative display at Rosemoor celebrating the centenary of the end of the First World War.
The "Unknown Soldier" (by Artist: George Hider) amidst one hundred ceramic Poppies (by Artist: Renee Kilburn)
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The Great War started on the 28th July 1914 and ended on 11th November 1918

 For the Fallen

Extract of Poem by Robert Laurence Binyon (1869-1943)

published in The Times newspaper on 21 September 1914.

They went with songs to the battle, they were young,
Straight of limb, true of eye, steady and aglow.
They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted,

They fell with their faces to the foe.

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.

About the Great War visit  - http://www.greatwar.co.uk

Out and About Autumn

Late October through November is a wonderful time for capturing those autumnal colours in North Devon. What artist or earnest photographer or snapper isn't inspired by nature at this time and one of our favourite walks, come rain or shine, is around Rosemoor Garden. No matter what season there is always something to catch my eye and last week I concentrated on the majestic trees, capturing the foliage before the high winds or as is so common nowadays another named Storm or Hurricane rolls in. I think Oscar was the last one or was it Callum. Last year at this time we braced for Hurricane Ophelia, amazingly the Met Office UK Storm Centre now has an A-Z of storm names.  

The RHS Garden Rosemoor is in a particularly sheltered spot surrounded by over one hundred acres of woodland so as well as the formal gardens there are upper and lower woodland trails to explore. Here are just a few of the vibrant specimens that caught my eye. I particularly like the Chinese Cedar (Toona sinensis) aka Bastard Cedar down by the Lake, the Tupelo (Nyssa sylvatica) in the Bicentenary Arboretum, the impressive Tulip Tree (Liriodendron tulipifera) by Rosemoor House and best of all the glorious Swamp Cypress (Taxodium distichum) on Lady Anne's drive. According to Rosemoor's Curator, Jon, this tree, planted by Lady Anne Berry in a bed bordering the main lawn, is about forty years old and pre-dates the RHS at Rosemoor. There was once a large pond here which the RHS filled in when they created the new lake on the other side of the garden in 1992, the tree still sits in a very wet spot which it enjoys as being a swamp cypress likes to have its feet in water. (Article Pat Adams - with thanks to Sally and Jon for help with Tree ID's)

 

Shades of Autumn

Tupelo (Nyssa sylvatica)

Shades of Autumn

Swamp Cypress (Taxodium distichum)
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RHS Garden Rosemoor is open all year round, 
for opening times and special events
Tap here to visit website

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All articles and photos copyright Pat Adams North Devon Focus (All rights reserved)