Which traditional country skill would you most like to learn?

I ask this because one of the skills I have always wanted to learn is hedgelaying, and this week I got the opportunity when the countryside mangament group I volunteer for was commissioned to lay a length of hedge alongside a footpath in one of the local parks.

We spent 3 days laying approx 120m of hedge, which from a point of most of us knowing very little was quite an impressive achievement. Fortunately, we had some very good teachers who were able to provide the much needed guidance. And the end product must have been OK because there was talk of us being commissioned to do further work next year (the hedgelaying season is now over as it would interfer with nesting birds).

It also gave us an opportunity to combine traditional skills, as we used hazel we had previously coppiced to provide the stakes and binders that provided the hedge with structure and strength. It's absolutely fascinating to be able to harvest and use the resources provided by nature in a manner that will encourage further growth and regeneration.

Overall, it more than lived up to my expectations, and I can't wait to have another go. I also have the bloodied legs and arms from wading waist-deep amongst the hawthorn that formed the bulk of the hedge. Note to self: next time remember to wear thicker trousers

I learnt hedgelaying at college. Never had chance to use it since. I also got qualified in Tractor driving, brush cutting and Chainsaws. Have never used those either!

If it counts, I've always wanted to learn horse riding, but never got around to it.

Hedgelaying sounds like a lot of fun, that was quite an achievement to lay 120m of hedge for your first go!

I would like to learn how to make a skep--I think I could put something like that to good use.

Kingfisher

Hedgelaying is my one, it's a real skill but something I have know idea how to do!

Am I right in thinking that skeps are what bee keepers keep their bees in? If so, I would love to know how to do that and keep bees. Nothing beats home made honey on toast, and its always appealed to me to try and make some myself one day. Not sure the neighbours would like it too much though, so if I ever do it it will be in a bigger garden.

Yes, skeps are those nice straw/grass baskety things for the bees. Very rustic looking. They really should only be used one year, or they get too many parasites, but they are lovely in a garden!

Kingfisher

My challenge for this year is friction fire lighting (more bush craft than a country skill).

hedge laying i lernt from my dad also i had to have chainsaw certifaces cs 30,32 38 and would probley of carried on but had to give up that job because of illness

I've built miles of drystone walls - most boring job I've ever done. I've done a bit of hedge-laying and I suppose most of the "country" jobs that are necessary to keep a moorland estate running - rounding up sheep, sorting them, vaccinating them, sorting their feet, not done any shearing, but rolled plenty of fleeces, trying to round up young cattle - murder without a good cattle dog. Miles of fencing. More gate posts and gates than I care to remember, put in drainage, chopped down trees (I too am qualified with a chain saw), planted thousand of others, helped put out moorland fires, and also carried out controlled moorland burning. The list is endless!

I suppose my most important work was the experimental regeneration trials on Kinder, which many years later has borne fruit.

What else have I got to show for it? Two damaged elbow joints.

I've recently fancied crook making but might have to wait a few years yet though. Although what happens when you have made loads of them?
Done the horse riding bit for most of my life, but always fancied dry stone walling & hedge-layering but only on nice days & not now asI am probably too old for it. I clip my Standard poodle so I might be alright shearing sheep after a lesson or two but just think of the back ache!!

I would love to learn all the different mushrooms that you can eat! I have the book food for free but i do not trust myself to select the right ones, but al those mushrooms for free would be great, especially when they are so expensive in the shops.

Hi Rowena

You are best going on an organised foray in the autumn and learning in the field from an expert. You can take along mushrooms that you have picked to get IDs an can no doubt get people to ID stuff on-line from photos.

Although some edible species can't be confused, unless you are picking regularly and from known spots I think you are sensible to be wary.

SCR

Thanks for that - I will have to look out for one!

I love the whole idea of self sufficiency, doing things the old way. I have read John Seymours Fat of the Land several times and also his Complete Book of Self Sufficiency, both containing country skills!

So far I have chickens, grow my own veg and fruit (using seed from the real seed company that you can save), try and cycle as much as I can and recycle as much as I can also (to the the extent that all paper gets saved and thrown into a bean trnech each year. The neighbours must think I'm potty!

Chickens are on my list for this year. I think I can make room for a couple. It's a toss up between them and guineapigs, which are more cuddly but don't lay eggs (from what I remember!!!).