Vraicking

Vraic was traditionally gathered by horse and cart, mainly in Grouville Bay and St Ouen’s Bay, but it was also collected in smaller quantities at Le Hocq and Havre des Pas. The granite slipways that add distinctive character to our local beaches are one of the legacies of this vraicking tradition. They were built to allow horse-drawn carts access to the shoreline for the collection of vraic, in a time when the coast was a working environment rather than a leisure one. The granite setts were usually set at an angle that prevented the horses from slipping as they pulled their heavy loads off the beach.

The vraic itself was used in a variety of ways – either put straight on the fields or dried in the sun first. It was also burnt and the ashes spread on the land. There are some rare archive photographs that show vraic arranged in small piles at L’Etacq to dry off in the sun. The coastal spaces where we now park cars in order to enjoy the beach were often working areas for the sorting and selling of the harvested vraic.

Those who have explored the gullies at low tide in St Ouen’s Bay may well have spotted unusual iron bars and rods that protrude from certain rocks. These are vraic markers that helped to ensure a fair share of the harvest, especially for those farmers who had to travel from the country parishes to cut their vraic. It was not permitted to cut vraic until the tide had fallen low enough for the marks to be exposed. Laws also dictated that harvesting had to take place between the hours of sunrise and sunset so that farmers living close to the coast did not have an unfair advantage.

Very observant low tide walkers on the south-east coast may have spotted the occasional rock etched coarsely with a ‘P’. These rocks mark the boundary of an area where Francis Payn, Siegneur of Les Pres Manor in Grouville, had exclusive rights to fish and collect vraic, as defined by a Royal Court ruling of 1747.

Winter storms would, of course, drag vraic free from the rocks naturally and wash it up on the tideline. The collection of loose vraic was unregulated and families would rush down to the shore to gather this precious resource after a few days of stormy weather. Generally, family farms would collect their own vraic but there were some people who made a living from the gathering and selling of vraic for fertiliser.

It is interesting to note that ‘vraic’ is one of the few Jèrriais words that has embedded itself in the everyday language of even non-native Islanders, alongside words such as ‘cotîl’ and ‘branchage’. These words are part of the intangible heritage of our Island – the language, customs and traditions that are deeply rooted in the Jersey countryside.

The collecting of vraic is one of the traditional activities that links Jersey’s coastline to its countryside. The Island is ideal for farming – it slopes to the south with soil that warms early in the spring, and the surrounding sea protects the land from frost. Farming has played a defining role in the growth and prosperity of the Island and, over the centuries, changes in farming practice have shaped the landscape that we know today.

Historically, as transport links improved, the opportunity to export goods led the traditional small family farms to adapt and the landscape changed as a consequence. In the 17th century, vast flocks of sheep were kept to produce knitted goods. In the 18th century, cider orchards covered a quarter of the Island and then potatoes became the major export in the 19th century. Glasshouse crops like tomatoes changed the face of the Island in the 20th century and nowadays plastic sheets cover fields in January to ensure the success of the valuable early crop of Jersey Royals.

In the last 50 years, the number of farms in Jersey has dramatically declined and those that remain have grown much larger. Nonetheless, the traditional family farm is still a defining part of rural life in this Island and farmers play a vital role as guardians of the countryside. Le Tâcheron Farm, for example, is a farm that takes its inspiration from the past. It is practicing sustainable farming by returning to traditional techniques to grow heritage grains and grind its own flour. Its work is supported by local shops, such as Scoop, the Sustainable Cooperative based at La Bienvenue Farm in St Lawrence, which also stocks Jersey honey and the organic produce of many local small-scale farms.

This renewed interest in traditional, more sustainable farming techniques is an important part of the Island’s rural story and deserves to be showcased alongside the historical development of our world famous Jersey cattle breed and iconic Jersey Royal potatoes. Hamptonne is the perfect place to do this, while other traditions, such as collecting vraic along our shoreline, are kept alive in the community.

As the vraic season begins this year, it’s unlikely that parish officials will need to be specially sworn in to regulate its cutting, but you might spot some keen gardeners heading down to the beach to collect loose vraic washed up by the winter storms.