by Steve Byrne | Apr 21, 2017 | buildings, off grid
When I headed off to Tipperary to collect willow cuttings so that we might grow our own basket willow, Richard was kind enough to give me a trailer load of dry willow. The smaller stuff is all for baskets but I’d been wondering what to do with the heavy stuff. In a bid to protect the young hedge around the garden, Claire and I decided to make a woven fence, which then evolved as Claire suggested bending it over into hoops. The result is excellent, and blends into the garden without shading plants too much.
by Steve Byrne | Apr 17, 2017 | off grid
We’re always making things here at Lackan, and now Steve is making more baskets and willow things, we decided that it is time to make them available on the website. Many items are one offs, and once they are gone, they are gone, but they are all hand made here, from local materials (on site where possible), and always from sustainably produced materials, or in some cases, reclaimed items. Anyhow, we’ll be adding more items as we go, so the shop will change constantly, and hopefully you’ll be pleasantly surprised by some of the things that you can buy here.
by Steve Byrne | Feb 24, 2017 | off grid
It is now five years since we first saw the land here at Lackan, and looking back it is amazing how much has happened here, and how much our lives have been shaped by the land almost as much as we have shaped the place itself.
by Steve Byrne | Jan 6, 2017 | off grid
One of the problems we discovered with using old double glazed windows is that well, they aren’t always terribly good at keeping heat in. Even lined curtains can only do so much, and our strawbale and earth plaster walls don’t lend themselves to having...
by Steve Byrne | Nov 2, 2016 | off grid
This week I made a somewhat epic trip down to Bantry to spend a day learning about working horses, and have a go at driving 2 experienced and patient horses under the tutorage of Sandra (and Tim). In the morning we did a bit of long reining, and looked at harness, and in the afternoon we got stuck in, and pulled a couple of different things – a sled and some chain harrows, before trying our hand at working 2 horses together, and finally some logging.
by Steve Byrne | Sep 11, 2016 | off grid
Electric Octopus playing Turnipstock 2016 from Lackan Cottage Farm on Vimeo. While we weren’t looking, the summer came and went, but we saw it out in style at the Benraw Creative Convivium up at the Turnip House. Our tipi went on tour, the sun shone, and the...
