It’s been a busy month.
The silage was made in some of the best conditions we could have wished for, the clipping was unhindered by weather and ewes and lambs are away to the hill looking well.
However, as a wise auld Morayshire farmer extolled to me: “Don’t talk about your victories because you distance your friends, and talk little of your defeats either as you distance yourself”. Sage words indeed.
As has been my lifelong wont, I’m aye at the coos tail (there’s no place I’d rather be) and I pen this in the wee small hours hearing reports about great trade at Quoybrae and Lairg . It’s good to see the hill farmers of the North get a reward for their hard work and good stock.
Of course it goes without saying it’s all needed!
As one part of our rural jigsaw enjoys success my thoughts turn to the grouse shooting which this year it will be a quiet affair. The hard winter and overdue spring was hard on man and beast alike and this year the grouse have struggled.
My father tells of how in one hard winter in the 1960s, around 1500 grouse would flight off Schiehallion across to South facing Beinn a Chuallaich in the morning, returning the afternoon. What a sight it must have been.
For my own part the golden plover migrated from our low ground to the high scree in their usual manner this year only to return around a fortnight later looking forlorn.
The financial impact of a diminished season will be hard felt at many kitchen tables and hearth sides. However nature kens her airt, the rowan tree at the back door is “hingin wi fruit” and remarkably so too are the cherry trees – surprising considering the bloom was blown from the bows like a January blizzard before I thought the bees had done their job.
I haven’t wandered to look on the blackthorn yet but hopefully there will be enough to flavour a drop gin.
Another breed that must be enjoying a bumper season is caravan/camper van/tent sales folk along with the people who buy them.
However, as our friends in the north found to their cost with the NC 500, if there’s no infrastructure to support the influx then there will be ill-feeling.
In this patch of Perthshire we have had our trachles too. Tents pitched in silage fields, fires left unattended, too much of the deoch (and other substances) and of course the toilet issue.
We relish the chance to welcome visitors, but serious issues need addressing. Rural communities throughout Scotland have been let down by local councils and Scotgov on this issue.
Two highlights of my yearly calendar happen in August and this year they will again be sadly missed.
Firstly Aberfeldy show – the greatest show on earth! The quality of sheep, cattle, horses and produce offered by the locals is unsurpassed anywhere. The community spirit in the set up and take down is also heartening.
The other blank in my calendar is Rannoch Highland Gathering which is always held on the third week of the month in the Weller Poley park. The preceding week involves evenings of set-up, hoots and the odd dram to keep the midgies at bay.
On the day a relaxed atmosphere sees locals, semi-professionals and visitors compete for silverware named in memory of local characters who are gone but not forgotten.
But folk are resilient and well the stroopach will be all the better appreciated next year!
