A story of succession and success. The Gillies family bought the farm now known as The Hirsel in 1969, with high hopes. But during most of the 50 years after that, it was a wearying money pit. Both sons went to work in their early teens, to contribute to the family finances, and when MumContinueContinue reading “Our farm now”
Category Archives: Uncategorized
Whaz up?
Arnie and his girls have been busy too! It’s hard to belief it’s been 6-ish months since I last wrote for our farm blog. I sometimes wonder, with my love of words, why I can’t seem to write a blog more regularly. I think it’s because, when it’s all going on, I’ve no time toContinueContinue reading “Whaz up?”
Harvest time
It’s an abundant time of year… though our veggie field started offering additions to our menu many weeks ago, all of our meat items have been taken out of the freezer. But in another week, we’ll be able to feed our family – and yours – with fresh 2022 Hebridean Mutton. Another two weeks afterContinueContinue reading “Harvest time”
Lost Lamb
Normally, walking through our eastern woodland calms me, brings up almost uncontainable waves of gratitude. The woodlands surrounding and weaving through our farm are ancient, noted down on the earliest maps we can find of the area, and walking through them feels like connecting to something deep and rich. The patch I’m walking through isContinueContinue reading “Lost Lamb”
Time Flies
For most of my working life, my days have been ruled by the clock and calendar. It was natural to always know what time of day, or day of the week, it was. But time moves differently on the farm, is controlled by seasons, daylight hours, and breeding and growing events, rather than a clockContinueContinue reading “Time Flies”
The Highland Wool Project
Update! 2022 will be a very exciting year for the Project: the year we will start walking the talk! We now have a draft mission statement – it’s a very ambitious document, as suits a very ambitious project – which has benefitted from input and critique by a lovely bunch of people (more about someContinueContinue reading “The Highland Wool Project”
Harvest time
It’s that time of year, again. We spend a lot of time talking about, and telling the story of, our farm…and that story includes offering grass fed, seasonal native Hebridean meat to our friends and community. Though it’s never easy to send our animals off to the abattoir, we’re proud of the lives they’ve livedContinueContinue reading “Harvest time”
Lucky
#silvopasture #sheepintrees We were lucky: when we took over the management of the family farm in 2015, one of us had never farmed before, and one hadn’t since he was a boy. We were, for the most part, starting from zero, or from dim memories. We had to learn a lot, and fast, as theContinueContinue reading “Lucky”
Food Poverty…
…and why we’ve gone political. The following was inspired by yet another politician lecturing the poor on the dietary choices…and some fellow farmers jumping on that bandwagon. As farmers ourselves, we understand the desire for folk to choose our food. But they have to be able to, don’t they? This is one of the thingsContinueContinue reading “Food Poverty…”
Farming & politics. Do they mix?
For years as a freelance artist and arts manager, I told myself that I needed to keep politics out of my business. But it was a lie I told myself: as a young actor, I had a hard time auditioning for jobs that included selling the new brand of toothpaste to people who hoped itContinueContinue reading “Farming & politics. Do they mix?”
The Hirsel 