Crofting

Lewis: Trees for the Croft

A practical outdoor day with a short introductory indoor session. Suitable for potential contractors and hands-on planters.
All you need to know about:
Planting design and know-how.
Ground preparation.
Planting technique.
Protection and aftercare.

Tea, coffee, soup and sandwiches provided.
Please bring a spade, a strong bag or bucket, a lump hammer
and gloves. And come prepared for the weather!

Local Course Director: Viv Halcrow

Contact training@crofting.org to book your place!

Argyll: Croft Woodland Workshop

Croft Woodland Workshop

A one-day course delivered by Woodland Manager Gordon Gray-Stephens including a short in-door session followed by a site visit to local woods.  The course will cover a variety of topics including woodland establishment, managing trees for timber, adding value to trees and timber,
managing woods for shelter and stock, grants and licences, tree health and managing invasive species. 

Tutor: Gordon Gray-Stephens

Contact training@crofting.org to book your place.
ADVANCE BOOKING ESSENTIAL

Make your voice heard in the future of crofting and the regulation of crofters.

The Crofting Commission elections are coming. Crofters are being urged to stand as candidates and to use their votes. The commission is the regulator of the crofting system, with commissioners responsible for promoting the interests of crofting and advising Scottish ministers.

The postal poll in March is being held to appoint commissioners for the six crofting constituencies:

Farming Scotland Conference

A half day conference including lunch, featuring a range of speakers from different organisations, all of whom will provide their views as they relate to agriculture in Scotland.

Rob Clayton, Strategy Director (Potatoes), AHDB - Growing potatoes in an island nation.

Trudi Sharp, Deputy Director for Agriculture and Rural Development, Scottish Government - Scottish Agriculture Policy - current and future issues.

Marion MacCormick, Meat Buying Director, Aldi Stores - Local sourcing and Scottish consumer expectations.

The SRUC Rural Policy Centre has launched its Rural Scotland in Focus 2016 report.

The report provides a fast-track to up-to-date evidence and commentary on key topics of rural and national importance, in order to inform policy, practice and research.

Rural Scotland in Focus 2016 is the fourth report in the series, and was launched at an event in Edinburgh on 29 November attended by over 90 people.

A new report outlines a plan to increase the number of starter opportunities for new entrants to farming.

The ten-point action plan aims to kick start a new generation of farmers by dramatically increasing the number of starter opportunities on public land.

Grass Matters Scotland Conference

A free conference in Dingwall aims to give farmers and crofters an unprecedented, practical insight into getting the most from their grassland.

The 'Grass Matters' conference is being held by Soil Association Scotland on Friday 2 December. The event is a chance to hear from grassland management experts from across the UK.

Topics to be discussed inlcude:

A free conference in Dingwall aims to give farmers and crofters an unprecedented, practical insight into getting the most from their grassland.

The 'Grass Matters' conference is being held by Soil Association Scotland on Friday 2 December. The event is a chance to hear from grassland management experts from across the UK.

Topics to be discussed inlcude:

New entrants to farming are being offered a free one-to-one mentoring service as part of the new Farm Advisory Service, which launched earlier this year.

The mentoring programme pairs new starters in farming or crofting with experienced farmers to share expertise in farm and business management to help overcome the financial and technical challenges of setting up a farm or croft.

Five Land Commissioners and the Tenant Farming Commissioner have been selected for the first Scottish Land Commission.

The Commission will be based in Inverness and will be operation from April 2017.

The appointments, which are subject to Parliamentary approval, are as follows:

  • Land Commissioners - Andrew Thin, Professor David Adams, Megan MacInnes, Lorne MacLeod, Dr Sally Reynolds
  • Tenant Farming Commissioner - Dr Bob McIntosh

Scottish Ministers have selected Andrew Thin to chair the Commission.

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