(pic: Christine and Martin helping to net the apple tree in Jackie Kerin's back yard Feb 2014)
Martin Jefferd is a UK storyteller based in
Bristol. With family in Victoria, Martin and Christine have become regular
summer visitors. Martin sought out the Vic tellers several years ago and has
attended our AGMs and story swaps.
Martin comes from apple country. The first
story he shared with us referenced a Wassailing celebration, where the orchards
are honoured and cider is poured into the earth to awake the cider apple trees
and to scare away evil spirits ensuring a good harvest of fruit in the Autumn.
This festival is still popular in the West Country, England.
It’s a long story but in a nutshell, Martin
also has connections to Willie Smith’s Organic Cider Brewery in the Huon Valley
in Tasmania and it’s the crew at Willie Smiths, who are planning to put the
spotlight on the Huon Valley through a celebration focused on the humble apple.
The festival will be based at the Apple
Shed and surrounding properties.
There will be a Winter feast featuring
local produce, storytelling, folk music, bonfires, Morris dancing, a
Wassailing celebration and culminates with the Jack in the Green (a human tree)
falling over at the end of the night.
The Tassie Tellers have been learning apple
stories and Martin and several Vic tellers have contributed to the collection.
If you know a good one – send it to the Tasmanians!
Dark MOFO finishes on July 5 and the
inaugural Huon Valley event, on Saturday, July 19, will be the Huon Encore to
Dark MOFO.
Willie Smiths Organic Cider HERE
Dark MOFO HERE
Storytelling Australia Tasmania HERE
For more details please contact Sam Reid sam@williesmiths.com.au
