Somerset soap makers, Emma Burlingham (pictured right) and Jess Evans will be joining us at Forde Abbey on 16th and 17th September to share the art of creating home-made soaps. Jess, head gardener at nearby Knightshayes and Emma, a forest school teacher, will share their knowledge of soap-making gleaned from their own experiences of setting up their cottage industry, Hog & Tallow.

Using tallow from local cattle and lard from the pigs reared on their shared small-holding and flowers gleaned from their own borders, they now have five fragrant, piggy-named soaps, including geranium-scented ‘Dirty Gurty’, lavender ‘Pig in the Bath’, fennel-scented ‘Hogwash’, ‘Weaner Cleaner’ a smoky orange and ‘Old Spot’ scented with tea tree oil.

Jess says, “More than 75% of the soaps’ ingredients are sourced from the West Country. It’s a home-made Somerset product with a low-carbon footprint using waste products which would otherwise be incinerated. And they’re good for your skin.”

Emma and Jess will be running free demo’s on both days of the Festival and be selling a range of their Hog & Tallow soaps which cost £3.50 per bar or £5 for a gift set.