ABOUT HEARTH & SOUL CRAFTS
What we do
At Hearth & Soul Crafts, we are dedicated to the art of crafting handmade shaker-style brooms and offering a range of hive, forest garden and craft products. Our commitment to traditional craftsmanship and sustainable practices sets us apart. We are a husband and wife team and we're passionate about sharing our knowledge and products.
What is forest gardening?
Forest gardening, a smaller scale version of agroforestry and a type of permaculture, is a means of sustainably producing food and materials. Although it is very much a managed landscape, the design of a forest garden aims to mimic the natural ecosystem of a forest. This creates a more sustainable way to produce food than traditional monocultures; for example, where monoculture relies heavily on fertilisers to replenish nutrients to the soil, forest gardening uses companion planting and nitrogen-fixing plants to improve yields and nutrient density in food. Where monocultures rely on pesticides, forest gardening encourages a diversity of flora and fauna to create a stable ecosystem where each plant and animal can thrive.
What are Shaker brooms?
Shaker brooms were developed in the 1700s in the USA using a type of Sorghum (grass) plant. The plant itself makes excellent brooms due to its hair-like follicles which trap dirt and the Shaker-style binding techniques create shaped brooms which are not only beautiful to look at but efficient to use for a range of purposes.
Our vision
Although we are currently focused on planting up the forest garden and producing brooms, we have lots of plans for the future! We already sell honey from our bees at the Green Valley Grocer in Slaithwaite (Colne Valley Honey). We are also currently beta testing a range of wood polishes using our beeswax and considering adding basketry to our products list. In the longer term, we hope to be able to produce a range of food and drink products from the forest garden and open it up to the public for crafting workshops, alongside foraging, forest gardening, herbalism and folklore talks and tours. Watch this space!
HANDCRAFTED WITH CARE AND DEDICATION
Each product is meticulously crafted with care and dedication. We uphold the highest standards of quality, ensuring that every item reflects the essence of our craft. Embrace the authenticity of handmade goods and discover the difference that passion and artistry can make.
MEET THE TEAM
Head gardener and beekeeper
Matthew Treece
Matthew has a passion for sustainable gardening and permaculture. After many years of growing veg at home and dreaming of buying a field to turn into a forest garden, his dream finally came true in 2023 which sparked the whole Hearth and Soul venture. He also has over 10 years of beekeeping experience and is a member of the Huddersfield District Bee Keepers' Association.
Broom squire (yes, that is a thing!), crafter, folklore enthusiast and trainee herbalist
Emily Treece
Emily took up crafting as an aid to recovery from severe anxiety and depression. She has a particular interest in crafting from plants including broom making and pine needle basketry. She is currently also growing willows in the forest garden and starting to experiment with willow basketry and sculpture. She also has a keen interest in traditional medicinal and magical uses of plants and enjoys brewing up her own teas and tinctures.
Head of quality control and familiar
Pandora Treece
Pandora has a passion for quality control having worked the first four years of her life as a cat food taster for Mars pet food. She loves to get involved where she can and regularly features on instagram posts.
Supervisor and familiar
Gixie (rhymes with pixie) Treece
Gixie takes a more paws-off approach to supervising the humans, preferring to pass commentary from the comfort of her own bed. Having worked for Mars pet food alongside Pandora she takes a similar interest in quality control.