Little Fires Co.
A lighter footprint.
Willow kindling, rooted in Somerset.
A local crop, a new market
CoatesVenn, a collaboration between Coates English Willow and Moorwild, has created Little Fires Co. to develop locally grown willow kindling, bringing together farming, traditional willow expertise and a new market for a familiar Somerset crop.
Visit CoatesVennResearch and development background
From peatland exploration to a practical product.
Little Fires was developed as part of a Natural England Paludiculture Exploration Fund project, a three-year exploration of novel crops and new uses for crops grown on wetter peatland.
Developing willow kindling connects that exploration with a practical commercial opportunity: creating useful products from crops suited to wetter conditions, while exploring how lowland agricultural peat can remain productive under higher water levels.
About the Paludiculture Exploration Fund01 · From willow to kindling
A straightforward product, with a clear origin.
Our focus is 100% willow kindling with a clear connection to where it is grown. We are developing the growing, harvesting, drying and packaging process to bring Little Fires to market.
02 · A future for working wetlands
Keeping wetter landscapes productive.
Little Fires forms part of Moorwild’s wider work exploring viable farming enterprises on wetter land. The ambition is to build a commercial outlet for willow that supports local growers and helps keep these landscapes productive. Keeping peat wet can help preserve carbon in peatland soils, while separate work is exploring willow’s potential to remove nutrients from sensitive SSSI and RAMSAR sites on the Somerset Levels. These wider, landscape-level benefits strengthen the environmental story behind Little Fires.
03 · Created together
Farming and willow expertise, working together.
The venture brings together Moorwild’s work in farming and rural enterprise with Coates English Willow’s growing and processing expertise.
Little Fires Co.
Interested in Little Fires?
Contact us about product availability, stocking Little Fires or future collaboration.