Vraiqu’sie: A Journey Through Jersey’s Agricultural Heritage: Vraic, Farming Tools, and Seaweed Harvesting
10 November, Written by Natasha Dettman
On Sunday, November 9th, we were fortunate enough to be given a personal tour of the Rural and Agricultural Life Museum at Samares Manor by its curator and collector, Seigneur Vincent Obbard. With a passion for preserving Jersey’s agricultural history, Seigneur Obbard guided us through his extensive collection of farming tools, carriages, and artifacts, shedding light on the island's rich rural heritage. Samares Manor, with its medieval origins, sits in the parish of St. Clement in Jersey, surrounded by coastal marshes, as the name "Samarès" (meaning salt-marsh) suggests.
The Importance of Vraic (Seaweed) Harvesting in Jersey's History
The central focus of our tour was the harvesting of vraic, or seaweed, a practice that played a crucial role in Jersey's agricultural past. For centuries, the people of Jersey harvested seaweed from the island's shores, using it as a natural fertilizer for crops and as an essential ingredient in the glass-making industry.
Historically, seaweed was burned to produce potash or directly applied to fields to improve soil quality. In a time before synthetic fertilizers, the value of seaweed was immense. In fact, the rights to harvest vraic from different parts of the shore were closely regulated and fiercely protected. Special cart tracks were hewn into the rocks to allow easier access to the seaweed-laden shores, and laws were enacted to ensure that the seaweed was harvested sustainably, preventing over-exploitation.
However, with the advent of modern fertilizers, the widespread practice of using seaweed on fields has declined. Today, only a few farmers still use it as a natural fertilizer, with much of the seaweed now being harvested for other commercial applications. There has been a resurgence in interest, though, with new uses for seaweed being explored, especially in culinary, agricultural, and body-care industries.
Tools of the Trade: The Vraic Fork and Jersey Box Carts
During our visit, Seigneur Obbard shared fascinating details about the traditional tools used in seaweed harvesting. One of the most striking was the vraic fork, a beautifully curved, hand-carved tool that was once used to scoop seaweed onto carts. Each fork had a distinct shape, designed to help workers gather vraic with ease. Holding these tools felt like connecting directly to the past, evoking a sense of the island’s community and the labor that once went into collecting this valuable resource.
We were also introduced to the Jersey box carts, specifically the ones used in the parish of St. Ouen. These carts were built with slatted sides to ensure they wouldn’t float in the frequent tidal swells of the area. A different type of box cart would have been used in Central and East of the Island. A distinct feature of the St Ouen cart was a hook where one would attach a trace horse. The carts were often heavy, and so the trace horse played a vital role in helping to pull the carts up the slipways. In contrast, in the eastern parts of Jersey, where the slipways weren’t as steep, a single horse would usually suffice to haul the carts.
Seaweed’s Role in Jersey’s Cider Industry
Another surprising revelation during our tour was the use of seaweed as a fertilizer for apple orchards. While seaweed had many applications on farms and one always assumes it was used to enrich the soils for growing tasty Jersey Royal potatoes, one of its preferred uses was in the cultivation of apples. It would have been spread on orchards, an integral part of Jersey’s cider-making tradition. The connection between the land, the sea, and the produce of the island has long been central to the identity of Jersey's agricultural industry, and the use of vraic was a key part of that connection.
Reflecting on Jersey’s Agricultural Past
As new commercial uses for seaweed continue to be explored, it’s clear that the story of Jersey’s connection to the sea and its agricultural landscape is far from over. The rich history of vraic harvesting serves as a reminder of the island’s unique relationship with the land and sea, and a celebration of the hardworking communities that have shaped it for generations. As a collective we are building a much deeper understanding of this material and the culture which surrounds it. We are most excited to begin the next phase of our project and begin to discuss how we will respond creatively to the material and its social history.
