Monthly Meeting – Do What you Love and Be Around Things that Make You Smile!
Tuesday 8 March 2022
On International Womens Day, Anne Artis kicked off the first face to face meeting in almost 2 years welcoming members and guests. Apologies were received from Carole Russell, Alison McLeod, Ann Brown, Catriona Burnett, Mary Muirhead, Mary Woods, Eleanor Muir and Norma Brewster (congratulations for a special birthday!) – everyone is either recovering but healthy or otherwise committed this evening! Just as well really, as otherwise we could have exceeded the Thornhill Hall occupancy limit!
Helen confirmed that there had been no transitions so all quiet on the finance front; it was agreed that the funds from the raffle this evening will be donated to the Red Cross Ukraine Fund. Anne reminded everyone that this time last year we were starting our seed potato competition (written up beautifully by Isobel in the SWI Magazine) – she encouraged us to do it again this year and that there would be lots of help available if anyone needs it.
The SC&WP Federation Quiz was held in Cumbernauld and we are delighted that Drymen won and we’ll be heading there next year! Another quiz will be held in Gargunnock on 25 March to raise money for the flower show, and we will send a small team. The Spring Business meeting is on 23 April in Victoria Hall, Dunblane with competitions for a jam jar of spring flowers and a sewn pot holder (Morton Pairs) and a jar of any fruit marmalade (Newforge Trophy); and a great speaker (Pat Archibald).
Anne then introduced Alison Younger of Old Leckie Farm, who started by checking the farming heritage of the members, before assuring us she would teach us how to ‘suck eggs’ as she was not born into farm life but interviewed for it for ten years before marrying her husband! She took us on a journey around her farm on the shaded side of the carse which is focused on agri-tourism – to connect people to the land and also produce food. The farm is situated on the Old Military Road – a historic farm on land which has been managed by people for over 500 years – Leckie Farm was owned by a bodyguard for Mary Queen of Scott’s and granted the barony and grounds at Leckie until 1648 when they lost the farm in the reformation to the Moirs who came through the uprisings unscathed and built the larger Watson House. The Youngers came along in the 1900s and busied themselves with salt panning, and sweetheart stout. The farm has only been owned by tree families in five hundred years! The farm is 300 acres traditionally of mixed livestock – and on International Womens Day the three daughters will be fourth generation female farmers on this land. The business has slowly been diversifying, starting with some tourist accommodation, before the Smiddy opened and we initially supplied their eggs, beef, pork and lamb which was a learning on both sides for retail production of meat. The eggs continued, along with salad leaves and were the start of the home delivery business of small scale local produce using quality feed for consistent production. After six years we have 1300 hens which is just right, and can be managed by rehoming older birds – with special green boxes that feature silhouettes of the children. Alison and her husband are passionate about the quality of the end product and taste which has led to a focus on highland beef which is an amazing meat but are smaller and take longer to finish. The Tamworth pigs which are raised are rotated through the farmland as the family focus on regenerative farming to naturally grow what is possible on the land they have with the weather we have and as little external input as possible. The Leckie leaves project is Alisons vanity project which is not profitable but produces a fabulous salad!
During the pandemic supermarket supply chains could not cope but there is resilience in local produce. The farm offer a local delivery service as well as serve local businesses. The online shop allows people to sign up for easy home delivery on a regular basis, or create a one off order. The feedback from customers is positive and reminds people of how food used to taste!
When the family took the farm on then subsidy was a large part of the income but now there is a diverse and mixed portfolio – this makes for a busy life but flexibility to respond to changing circumstance and spread the risk. Rebecca McEwan ad Arnprior is an inspiration for story telling on what we are doing on social media and our ethos – the team are learning (mostly from the children!) Scottish Agri-tourism is also a great support to help tell the story and connect with people directly – every farm has it’s own story (although we may not dwell on Gallowhill!) There is a real interest in farm tours and authentic sustainable tourism – the story of where the farm sits in the local community is very important, both exciting and terrifying as the family builds confidence in the product. There is demand for high end tourism which is interesting. The family have just invested in an electric van and is certified fully renewable for energy and very conscious about environmental impact and won an award for UK Farming Diversification (alongside Jeremy Clarkson!) – it is possible to make connections in a meaningful way! It is also easy to subscribe to the newsletter from the website.
Alison closed her passionate story, proudly sharing that the farm has gone from 30% subsidy, down to 13% which means the business is viable even without government funding which is very reassuring and important to understand the importance of diversification. The family started out to develop resilience and has been embraced but the community which is a fabulous result. Alison took questions on chickens, subsidies, creating employment, bookkeeping, farm tours (and catering for them!) – all of the elements of running a successful diverse farm business.
The competitions were judged by Alison and Muriel (a guest, and independent judge!). The winner of the 85th Birthday Cup (FRIENDSHIP poem) is Lesley Gentles, runners up are Alison Smellie and Isobel McGuire. The winner of the favourite animal ornament is Anne Artis, with runners up Christine Hamilton and Pamela Deans
Before the meeting closed the raffle prizes were distributed and we enjoyed a cup of tea, a biscuit and a long blether together before heading home! What a wonderful evening and a welcome step towards getting back to normal!
