Keeping you in touch...
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Arranged marriages on Bute!
Janet thinks only the best will do for her ewes so she's been quite picky about the boys she will introduce them to. read more... -
Brian gets down on his knees
Brian gets down on his knees with seed specialist Andrew Best of John Watson Seeds to examine the grass read more... -
eatBute09
The sun came out for a fabulous weekend's celebration of local food at Mount Stuart and after weeks of rain read more... -
A Big Burger for a Big Man!
An unusual visitor certainly drew the crowds on September weekend. read more... -
Island of Bute, from space!
Google's satellite map of the Southern tip of the Island see it here... News Archives
A collection of earlier news items read more...
July '09 - Shepherds pie made by real Bute shepherd Janet went down a treat with music fans at T in the Park in July. Queues formed as word spread amongst hungry revellers that the Taste of Bute stand was providing tasty, filling food at a fair price.
Shepherds pie with a smoked cheese topping was a real hit and so were wraps filled with smoked lamb, beef or cheese. A welcome change from the usual fare at such events the stand was busy 15 hours a day for the whole festival.
"The novelty of being served shepherds pie by the actual shepherd really appealed" said Janet"but it was the quality and the quantity of the food that kept our punters coming back!"
August '09 - Young female cows (heifers) are reared from birth through to breeding age on the extensive old grass hills of The Plan farm. Each year those heifers not required for the home herd are sold on to other farmers throughout Scotland who recognise the value of purchasing stock directly from a farm of high health status.
Working closely in association with the local vet Plan Farm cows are regularly tested to prove their disease-free status. Here a group of Simmental x South Devon heifers enjoy the summer grazing at Dunagoil Fort on the western shoreline of the Plan Farm.
August '09 - It never rains but it pours. Fine in moderation but sitting in the Clyde estuary with weather constantly arriving directly from the Atlantic, rain on Bute can sometimes be in excess, hence the importance of drains. A century ago all the grassy fields of Bute would have been drained by digging in clay pipes below the surface, today many of these old drainage systems need renovation - vital for the production of healthy grass and healthy livestock. To assist what better than a new toy in the form a six ton digger for the boss to play with.
Briefly taken over by nephew Sam on holiday from Cambridge, the digger gets to work on sorting drains in a field before ploughing and reseeding.
July '09 - Now their lambs are weaned, Plan Farm mums get a health check and go off for a well earned rest. Lambing certainly takes it out of a girl! So each ewe is carefully checked,dipped to prevent parasites and given a copper, cobalt and selenium treatment to counteract soil deficiencies.
Then the girls go off to the 'high tops' to chill out and get into great condition for mid October when the boys are back in town!
