Most of us nip down to the local supermarket or garage for a bag of charcoal with little thought to where or how it is made, but the residents of Old Sleningford, Mickley, hope to change this.

Charcoal burning is an ancient craft where high quality charcoal is made from wood that would otherwise have little use. It has been practised since 4,000BC when it was used primarily for the smelting of metal and has had a rich history right up until the 1950s when oil derivatives replaced those extracted from charcoal and the industry almost died out.

revival

Today it is seeing something of a revival, with the main demand being for use on barbecues. Britain uses almost 60,000 tonnes per year, of which 95 per cent is imported low-grade charcoal, from countries such as Indonesia, substantially adding to the destruction of valuable rainforests and mangroves. As our ecological awareness increases so does the interest in British charcoal as an environmentally friendly alternative.

The community at Old Sleningford is dedicated to having a good time while demonstrating a low-impact way of life. Martin, Rachel, Keith and Lindsay rent a 17-acre field and one of the buildings at the farm from their enlightened landlords, Tom and Jane Ramsden. It is here that they run courses, develop their forest garden and look after their livestock. Their aim is to create an inspiring venue that produces its own food, fuel and cider, and creates learning opportunities to other people through voluntary work, courses and events.

Their charcoal kiln is a large steel structure with a conical roof, four chimneys and four smoke ports, situated in a sheltered part of the land close to their orchard. Thinnings from woodlands within a seven mile radius of the farm are used to make the charcoal, including oak, ash, beech and sycamore. This wood is normally wasted and charcoal burning provides a use for it, creating a sustainable and high quality product.

The process is long and starts with the wood being dried for a year. The kiln is loaded, lit and then burns for 12 to 24 hours, during which time it is carefully monitored. Lindsay says that this is the best part of the job as it is very peaceful. Weather conditions will affect the process and the chimneys may need moving regularly.

skill

This is where the skill of the collier comes in to play, ensuring an even burn and judging when to clamp it down. Clamping excludes the air to extinguish the fire and the kiln is then left to cool for two days.

Now comes the dirty work! The charcoal is riddled to select the right sized pieces and remove the dust. Amazingly, the volume of the charcoal is now half that of the wood that went into the kiln and a fifth of the initial weight. Once it is bagged up it is ready to be sold for barbecues.

Charcoal made this way is much better than imported charcoal. It lights easily with no need for any lighter fuel, it burns evenly and is ready to cook on in just 15 minutes.