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Lime Burn

Alex Langlands and Peter Ginn burn limestone in a traditional kiln to create deadley quicklime for use on the Edwardian Farm. Colin Richards describes the perils to travelling farm labourers who slept too close to a smoking kiln.

Alex Langlands and Peter Ginn burn limestone in a traditional kiln to create deadley quicklime for use on the Edwardian Farm. Colin Richards describes the perils to travelling farm labourers who slept too close to a smoking kiln.In September they begin with the basics. They set up home in one of the cottages, where the first task - after cleaning - is unblocking the chimney so they can get the range working in order to cook.

They prepare for the arrival of their first livestock - a flock of sheep and a ram called Cyril, and Ruth cheers up the cottage by making a rug out of rags. And she cooks her first meal on the range - a sheep's head stew. Alex builds a hay rick to store feed for the animals over winter; while Peter heads to Bodmin moor to carve a stone feeding trough.

And they must plant crops. The high acidity of the soil makes it infertile for growing crops, so the top priority is neutralising the acid with fertilizer - and for this they must make deadly quicklime. They will need literally tonnes of the stuff. It is a hazardous and gruelling - but essential - job.

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