THE HAY family have celebrated 100 years at Panlathy near Carnoustie with a party for friends and neighbours, writes Ewan Pate, farming editor.

Very few farming families can claim to have been on the same farm for a century but the Hays have managed it with only two occupiers in the farmhouse.

Tom Hay moved there from Easter Rhynd in 1953 where he had been farming with his brother Chuck. He married Sheena Currie soon afterwards and Panlathy became a busy family home for the couple and their five children.

John Hay, a bachelor and Tom’s uncle took on the tenancy of the 411-acre farm, then belonging to the Earl of Dalhousie, in 1908. Thanks to his dedication the farm become one of the best known in Angus.

Now Panlathy is owned by the family and is part of a larger business including Ethie Barns and Raesmill at Inverkeilor. There are now three generations farming, with Tom being joined in the 1970s by his son Charlie and now by his grandson Allan.

“When I came here in 1953 there were nine men working on just over 400 acres,” said Tom Hay.

“Now we are working 1400 acres with two men and my grandson. It is a huge change but we are fortunate to be able to bring in extra help from the machinery ring at busy times.”

The farming business is all arable now, mostly potatoes and cereals, with no cattle kept since BSE hit the industry in 1995.