Welsh Moss Pickers' Secret Trade Thrives

0:00On March 8th, in the Misty Hills of Wales, commercial moss picking remains a secretive trade. Only 20 professional pickers operate there now, down from about 50 in 2003. Demand has doubled lately, driven by needs for spring-hanging baskets, winter reads, and year-round reptile habitats. Families like Graham Wilson's Empoweries have kept it going for generations. He's the third in his line, harvesting up to 10,000 bags a year since the 1950s. They still rake and bad by hand, competing with cheap imports from China, Chile, and New Zealand. Pickers guard their spots closely, getting landowner permission, but avoiding publicity. Many shun outsiders, happy in their solitary mountain work amid rain and fog. A bingo or university study noted their reluctance to share trade secrets. Regulations have tightened, with natural resources, Wales demanding detailed site info for permits, checked case-by-case. No bans are planned, though, and officials monitor to balance resources.

1:01Climate shifts are helping two-wetter winters, and warmer summers mean moss re-grows in three years, not five. With rising demand, this hidden Welsh tradition shows signs of quiet revival.