H&C

4
Mar
2010

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New sheep, hidden landscape

The Hagglund was the only way to get about in the snow

"I think my hopes that spring was on its way were somewhat premature! We had two feet of snow at the end of last week and since then we’ve had temperatures down to minus 14C. Even people who have lived here all their lives haven’t seen weather like this for 35 or 40 years. I thought that maybe I was being a southern softy!

I went up on to the hill on Tuesday with Donald, my head keeper, in the Hagglund which is our tracked vehicle and the only thing that will currently get up there. We could not see the main burn at all, it was covered in snow and ice for about two miles, and not only that, the snow had filled the ravine in which the burn sits so completely that I couldn’t even tell there was a burn there! The snow is not shifting as the temperature is so cold. The last four days have been beautiful sunny, cloudless days more akin to being in the Alps, but not being able to get on with anything outside is getting frustrating for all of us.

The properties I am having renovated are progressing steadily. They have required much more work than initially thought as one needed totally rewiring, and two of the boilers were so old and inefficient we decided to put new efficient ones in their place. To my amazement none of the houses had been insulated in the attic either. Anyway the first property will be ready by the early April (I am assured) and the other two by early May. I have managed to let the first one already, subject to its completion of course. I just need two more tenants now for the other two!

I have also managed to buy some more sheep to build up my flock. This time from my friend Ben, down in Dumfries in the south of Scotland. He has a very good sheep operation and though they were expensive I felt it was important to build up a flock with good quality stock. That should help command a higher price when I eventually come to sell the lambs. One thing I am currently looking at is the viability of selling lamb meat direct to end users in this area. There is always a good demand for lamb, especially when people know were it’s come from. We already sell venison to end users and there might be an opportunity to build this side of the business into a good extra income stream. Obviously the margins from selling direct are much better, but it is also more involved. I am trying to get a grant to help renovate an old steading we have on the estate to make into a farm office, refrigerated area, and processing area, where we can process orders for lamb and venison, and maybe even have a small farm shop where we can sell both our own and other locally sourced produce. The cost of doing all these things is enormous and it always seems that to get any extra income a huge amount of capital expenditure is required. Though living up here on a lovely Highland estate is financially very challenging at times, one never get bored!"