Haye Farm

From time to time as a photographer, you decide back-track through your catalogue and look through it again with fresh eyes. Occasionally something you didn't notice before stands out for some reason. Reflection  and 'time to consider' is a luxury that personal work brings, which is why I think its crucial to do if you want to develop, alas, its something clients will rarely buy.

Its early evening, early autumn 2012, and I'm visiting Cornwall for some public speaking about cider at the Eden Project Harvest Food Festival. I was born in Cornwall so spent alot of my early years here and we have a long pleasant relationship. It has an rough charm about it, much like Brittany. When you mix in some folklore, local stories and cider, the mystique builds and the places becomes a bit fairytale too: smugglers coves, speculator coastline, ancient Celts, tin mines, its Kernowek language. It becomes wilder and more magnetic.

Andrew Ormerod, one of my hosts and the reason I was asked to speak, has invited me out to visit a cider farm the evening I arrive before my talk. Doctor Ormerod works in Economic Botany Research and Development for the Eden Project so knows his apples from his pears. He could be described as an archetypal English professor: a well educated gentleman working at the forefront of science as well as the kind of bloke who, after a visit to his favourite cider farm, you can have a couple of pints of local farmhouse with at the Ship Inn, and enjoy a plate of fresh Mackerel.

We headed out to a local peninsula, stopping briefly to look at an old press he knew about in a shack overlooking the estuary before heading over the water and down the other side of it to our destination. Haye Farm is a small cider farm situated at what feels like the end of the earth. Here in Westcountry, places like this are affectionately described as 'proper job'. This place feels real, and earthy and they make some amazing cider.

The maritime climate carries alot of moisture in air, its heavy and damp at this time of day and everything is wet. The grass in the orchard is unusually long; its over my knees and I'm aware that its the first time I've been this deep in grass in any orchard, ever. Its sodden with water that has collected from the cooling air and the bottom half of my legs are soaked, but its worth it. Such places are a gem to find and really are the heart and soul of cidermaking here in the UK. They're scattered amongst the countryside, nestled beneath hills, at the end of deeply hedged lanes in places you'd ordinarily feel lost. A visit is like making a pilgrimage, a return to the source of ciders magic. A traditional cider farm is a quiet, place and when shrouded in evening mist, Cornwall itself becomes a mysterious place where ancient wizards can perform their magic in peace. The kind of place you remember visiting as a child that forms a memory so intense, it remains with you because when you saw it something stirred in your soul and intrigued you enough to stimulate your memory. Its feel a bit different; other-worldly,  authentic, wise; the kind of place that gives cider its personality, and me living.

Other than soaking feet and a great opportunity for some photos, the next reward is waiting patiently in a simple glass for me. Its sharp, tangy cider with a pleasant barnyard mustiness to it, big and juicy - its really fresh and satisfying.

The Royal Bath & West; the greatest (cider) show on earth!

If you're luck enough grow up in the countryside you might relate to the joy and nostalgia of a visit to an agricultural show. For many they are a part of life, especially if if your not from a farming background in which case they tend to hold a little more wonder and a chance to experience the best of the best agriculturally. On half terms and holidays, the Royal Bath & West Show was about being amazed with the things I saw. What always surprised me, was the size of the bollocks on the bulls- a fascination that still prevails today. It still makes me chuckle and I'm still impressed if a little jealous. The other thing that attracted me back year on year was the more-available-than-usual booze. I remember my honorary grandfather supplying me with as many Babycham samples as my friends and I could guzzle on heady half-term afternoons behind a marquee.... Surely, the combination of giant testicles and sweet perry based alcohol is the best kind of marketing there is? The show has a really long relationship with cider, far too long to go into in a single post, but this year gave local historian Alan Stone the chance to launch his most recent publication 'Cider at the Bath & West Show.' For those of you who might be interested, its a modestly priced small booklet outlining the relationship between the show and cider which started in 1777, and yes, cider was an important part of it right from the start (arguably probably more important then than it is now...)

Since 2005 I have been lucky enough to have a presence in the best tent on site - the Cider and Orchards tent. I can found there annually with a small display of my photos and a large amount of business cards blabbering about on about cider and how much I love it. The tent hosts the largest cider competition in the world over 400 entries this year and growing year on year. Its a place where fans and industry can get together over 4 days,  really tune in, bitch about whatever their beef is at that time and catch up.

Amongst the 40,000 visitors to the show, we get a really encouraging mix of patronage, endorsements and guests visiting the Cider and Orchards each year. Recent notables include dignitaries such as The Bishop of Bath & Wells, The Countess of Wessex, Lord (Tom) King, Lord (Julian) Fellows of West Stafford, sleb chefs Hugh Fearnley-Whittenstall & Mark Hix, as well as the cream of the UK cider community that travel across the country to spend the day. There are workshops for grafters, orcharders, worshops for amateur cidermakers who need help with their cider by Andrew Lea. There are free tutored cider tasting sessions twice a day run by the cidermakers. Talks on historical aspects and folklore of cider by the likes of James Crowden. In 2008 we even had 3 inches of water running through the tent like a stream. This year a lifetime achievement award for services to cider was given to Frank Naish, the oldest cidermaker in UK who still makes cider every year and he's 87. Good on you sir! He was invited to guest judge the farmhouse entries (he likes it dry.)


His medal was presented by old friend, neighbour and best-festival-ever legend Michael Eavis. 
We've even got the most successful bar, run by the South West of England Cider Makers Association that sells 60 or more ciders and perries, in half pints, and works so well that manages to earn more and contribute more to the Bath & West fund than any other on site (which goes some way to help when making requests for extra space and improved facilities. Long live the cider bar!)

Rather than typing up the results of the competition, I decided I should photograph the sheets using my images as a backdrop. Yes, its lazier, but its also more a more creative approach. Finding new ways to photograph things is part of the job and its these were taken on my phone (as Chase Jarvis says, the best camera is the one you have with you... nice one Chase)