Take comfort

about the land

Take comfort

about the land

As I head up the leafy lane towards Moor Hall Farm, I come across a pick-up truck, its tailgate all of a wriggle with three very eager collies. Jayne, founder of Woolly Comforts, who has been feeding the ewes, bobs into view and we drive in convoy up to the farmhouse.

Here I am introduced to the black and white trio: brother and sister, Ernie and Nell, and an enthusiastic Bonny, who is the new kid on the farm and still in training. Jayne pops them away, pulls off her wellies – adding them to an already impressive heap in the boot room – and we settle in the kitchen, a wonderfully warm and welcoming family space where Bindi, the Jack Russell, curls up next to the Aga. Jayne and her husband Stuart have farmed locally to the Eye area for thirty years. “When we first married, we used to run about twenty ewes as we both had jobs off the farm, but always loved the idea of building it up so we could work together. Over the years we gradually expanded the flock, experimenting with a Suffolk/Charolais cross that produced a quality carcass, and an Aberfield/Beulah cross that is what we call ‘a good doer’.”

Today, Jayne and Stuart are kept busy on the farm with a flock of 250 sheep and two free-range egg units. Their day starts at 6.30am when, together with the dogs, they do the rounds to check on the livestock and

about the land

then, depending on the time of year, get on with the job in hand - whether it be fencing, shearing, lambing, watering, or feeding - as with all livestock, there is always something to be done and never a dull moment! Their three girls, Meg, Elle and Phoebe, have grown up alongside this busy schedule, learning at an early age how to whistle the dogs or swing a bucket. “Farming is hard work, but it brings its own rewards and impromptu nights camping down on the meadows with a gaggle of kids, dogs and friends have to be some of our happiest memories.” The lamb is sold via wholesalers, Bramfield Meats, to independent butchers such as Hall Farm in Framlingham and John Hutton in Earl Soham, as well as local pubs and restaurants, and you can also order a lamb box directly if you book ahead. It wasn’t until 2015 that Jayne and Stuart decided to diversify and make use of the pelts that are an obvious by-product of their business. “We knew that the lambskins could be used to make a range of luxurious products and after a night in the pub with the girls we came up with the name Woolly Comforts. All we had to do now was work out what to do next.” Jayne contacted Devonia, the oldest established tannery in the UK, which still employs traditional processing techniques to ensure that the lambskins are of the highest grade, and she struck up a relationship that has gone from strength to strength. The pelts have to be salted as soon as possible so this is done on the farm and they are then left to dry. Once they have amassed a bundle, Jayne and Stuart take them to the tannery where they undergo a 12-week tanning process, the

about the land

pelts being repeatedly dipped and washed in huge wooden vats before being spun to make then super soft and fluffy. “We love the road trip down there as the team is so welcoming and we often make a weekend of it – a rare chance to get away.”

Jayne sources artisan weavers and crafters to turn the lambskins into a variety of products including giant floor cushions backed with Harris tweed, pouffes, hot water bottle covers, and footstools made in collaboration with upholsterers, Sew Plush. Every lambskin is unique, and they range in colour from a beautifully pale cream to a warm cappuccino, each one deeply luxurious and wonderfully soft to the touch. Jayne also buys in pelts from other small independent farmers and amongst the rugs, I glimpse the distinctive chocolatey spot of the Jacob and the soft grey tones of the Herdwick. Through attending weekly farmers’ markets, vintage fairs and small shows across the country, Jayne has grown Woolly Comforts to become the success it is today, and she is proud to have such a loyal online following and so many repeat customers. “I love it when people get in touch again looking for a gift for a friend, maybe a lambskin for a new baby, or runner for a new sofa. It makes me feel that all our hard work has been worth it.” Now that must be a truly comforting thought!

Woolly Comforts has a pop-up at Carousel in Framlingham 16th-22nd November. www.woollycomforts.co.uk Instagram /woollycomforts