I'm a Scottish crofter ama

[Dbjw]

I live in the Scottish Highlands on a croft. I'm an owner occupier rather then a tenanted crofter, I have sheep, bees, chickens, geese and hoping to get goats and cows next year.
I also work another job but hoping in time to make more income off the croft and make it my full time job!

Can I come and live with you please? I have a bee suit. 😁

Was it passed down through the generations or are you an ‘incomer’?!

Do you have WiFi? (I’m picturing you in a croft a la Higher History on the highland clearances!)

Are you from a crofting family? How/where do you sell your products? Can you say, roughly, where you're located?

Really interesting, thanks for posting!

I'm an incomer, it seems to be swinging more that way at least where I live.

I live on the very NE coast, in Caithness.

I have Internet, slowish and I have a 4g router, much faster!

My family were farmers but not from this area.
Products are sold at some local shops and markets, but I'm hoping to do a website in thr new year and sell some things online and possibly some "experience" days, come collect the eggs, pick the vegetables. pet the sheep then make some food type thing. I live off the beaten track! But hoping some people would travel possible when doing the nc500 to visit and do a day here!

Can I come and live with you please? I have a bee suit. 😁
you would have to turf the dogs out of the spare bedroom!

Do you get away for breaks/holidays much? If so, who looks after the croft?
How did you learn to 'croft'?! I mean, did you teach yourself from books or the internet, go on a course, ask other crofters for advice?

My neighbour (about a mile away!) looks after mine when I go away and I do the same, they have mainly cows and pigs.
Id had some experience growing up as some of my family were veg farmers, but mostly I just look on youtube or various farming blogs if I need to do something I don't have a clue about or ask my neighbour to help, there are also various Facebook groups for crofting and buying livestock groups, that if you need help people will try and help answer your questions!

I haven't had an abroad break in a while, but I enjoy going down to Edinburgh or Inverness for a weekend and touching base with civilisation pizza hut

What are your plans for the livestock? Hens for eggs I assume, but they must go pretty much off lay during the long dark northern winter. Are the geese raised for meat? Sheep for wool?

What is the weather like up there? Is it desperately cold? With lots of snow?

How long have you been doing it?

Very envious op!! Dh is from Oban but we both love The Highlands!!

Do you think that the control the Crofting Commission exercises over what owner-occupier crofters do on their land serves a useful purpose?

(DH is a Scottish rural property lawyer so this is his question!)

Why did the people before you leave?

What sector is your other job in?

If you do ever offer experience days, PLEASE can I come and visit?

I've visited Scotland many times. Do you get snowed in during the winter ? Do you stock up with non perishable food before winter if so what sort ? Do you have beautiful views where you live ? Do you see wildlife where you live ?