From cricket bats to Christmas trees: the diverse lengths it takes to make Over Farm profitable
Life on Over Farm is anything but ordinary.
From dawn till dusk, we’re knee-deep in a myriad of activities, working tirelessly to make our slice of the Gloucestershire countryside a profitable and thriving place. And I’ll tell you what, the life of a farmer is no easy feat. But it’s a life we love, and there’s always something exciting happening, whether it’s feeding greedy goats, moving giant pumpkins, tending to asparagus – or helping make international level cricket bats!
Now you might be scratching your head, wondering how a farm could really be so diverse as to be involved in the world of cricket. Well, here’s the little secret – some of the pristine bats you saw during the ODI Cricket World Cup may have been crafted from trees we’ve nurtured right here on Over Farm.
Despite England’s disappointing performance, it was a great feeling to know the balls flying around the pitch could have come into contact with a bat born from our very own soil.
That’s because we plant and grow trees for the world’s largest and oldest willow suppliers for cricket bats!
The bats tend to be made from the – imaginatively named – Cricket Bat Willows. These cool trees are scientifically known as salix alba caerulea, and they produce a type of wood that’s sought after by professional cricketers for its unique combination of strength and flexibility.
It takes a lot of love and labour to raise a cricket bat willow!
As you can imagine, to ensure our Cricket Bat Willows reach their full potential, we have to pamper them with just as much care and attention as we do the goats, pumpkins and asparagus!
The soil must be just right, with the perfect mix of nutrients to encourage healthy growth. Pruning is an art form, carefully sculpting the trees to produce straight, knot-free wood suitable for crafting top-tier cricket bats. As with lots of areas of farming, patience is key too – it takes years for these trees to mature and develop the qualities that make them cricket bat-worthy.
While you might not get your hands on our willows, we do have something just as enchanting that’ll bring about bigger smiles anyway.
Local trees that you can enjoy this Christmas (it’s not just professional cricketers who get our trees!)
While you can’t get your hands on our exclusive Cricket Bat Willows, we do have something equally enchanting that brings a smile to many faces every year. Of course, I’m talking about our home-grown Christmas trees.
As the holiday season approaches, the roundhouse on our farm transforms into a bit of a winter wonderland, with rows of vibrant evergreens ready to put some festive joy into homes all around Gloucester.
Whether it’s crafting cricket bats or providing the centrepiece for your Christmas celebrations, life on the farm really is a constant whirlwind of activity. From the cricket pitch to your living room, our trees have stories to tell and smiles to share. The roundhouse will be open for tree collection from November 25th. Why not come and enjoy a piece of our farm in your home too (and nab all the satisfaction of supporting a small local business too!)?
Click below to find out more about your loveliest local Gloucester-grown Christmas trees and order yours for collection now.
