AH: What kind of work did you come to do here?
JH: Originally, I came just to do harvesting. I done all the cutting and hauling out the material and get it prepared ready for the hurdle-makers.
AH: And what kind of cutting machine then were you using in the early days when you first set up?
JH: In the early days we had a little two-cylinder self-propelled machine which cut the willow which is a bit slow, and in recent years, we’ve got a new machine now that goes on the front of a tractor which cuts a lot faster.
AH: And who’s the manufacturer of this machine?
JH: A person from Belgium called Fernand de Voss. He grows willows in Belgium and he also develops machines for cutting the willow.
AH: And how does the machine work? Is it, is it, did you say it’s self-propelled then, so are you cutting in front of the tractor then?
JH: The original machine was self-propelled. Now we fit it on to a front of a tractor and it goes in, on the front and it’s a lot quicker. Obviously you need the ability to watch what’s happening when you’re harvesting, like a combine.
AH: And how many rows are you cutting at once?
JH: It only does one row at a time, but there is one in the pipeline which will cut two rows which we might have in later years.
AH: And what other kinds of weaving do you do? You mentioned the hurdles.
JH: Yes, the main product is hurdles, making all the different sizes. We also make arbours and bower seats, chairs.
AH: Do you get involved with that?
JH: Yes, I do.
AH: So you are quite versatile in what you do?
JH: That’s right, yes.
AH: That, it’s interesting, you know, your father’s a basket-maker, isn’t he?
JH: That’s right.
AH: But do you, have you not thought about going into that?
JH: He keeps on trying to get me to come into basket-making, but I don’t think he’d have patience to teach me.
AH: That’s the old saying isn’t it?
JH: That’s right, with the family.
AH: It’s very difficult. Who taught you to hurdle-make?
JH: Well over the years when I bin harvesting and coming in and talking to the other chaps there, I’ve just watched them and picked up different things and that.
