This Farming Life 2023 Episode 1 – Spanning an entire year, this captivating series immerses viewers into the day-to-day lives of five distinct farming families scattered across the picturesque landscapes of Scotland. As the golden hues of autumn fade, the bustling sales come to a close, heralding the approach of the frosty winter months. Nestled within the breathtaking Cairngorms National Park in Newtonmore, we find Robert MacKenzie, a seasoned farmer, at a pivotal juncture.
The pressing task at hand for him is to round up all his expectant cows and bring them back to the heart of his croft, ensuring they undergo crucial pregnancy tests. With the price of essential resources like feed and fertiliser soaring unexpectedly this year, the stakes are high. If an insufficient number of cows are pregnant, Robert might confront the heart-wrenching decision of discontinuing cattle farming.
Further west, on the shores of North Uist, a unique saga unfolds on the MacDonald family’s croft. The sandy Machair soil, exclusive to this part of Scotland, cradles their thriving potato crops. This very land has been lovingly tended to by Angus MacDonald since the 1980s. But as seasons change and time marches on, Angus is gradually entrusting the future of the croft to the next generation: his diligent son Fraser and the passionate daughter-in-law Carianne.
Switching scenes to Thorabella Farm in Moray, a modern farming tale emerges. Nikki and Ollie Lake, a dynamic duo who embarked on their farming journey in 2017, stand out from the crowd. Fueled by a fervent dream of achieving complete self-sufficiency, they’ve adopted unconventional farming practices. However, even the best-laid plans can face hurdles. When one of their cherished cows faces complications during childbirth, they find themselves relying on the expertise of a veterinarian. Each of these narratives, interwoven with traditions, ambitions, and the indomitable spirit of the Scottish people, promises to captivate the hearts of viewers.
This Farming Life 2023 Episode 1
Filmed across a year, this new series of This Farming Life follows the lives of five farming families across Scotland as they face the ups and downs of agriculture. The autumn sales are over, and winter preparations are underway. Costs have risen, calving seasons have begun, and crops are being harvested. Let’s take a look at what’s happening on three Scottish farms.
Testing Times on the Cairngorms Croft
Tucked away in the breathtaking Cairngorms National Park lies the hill farm of Robert MacKenzie. This hardy crofter has been raising cattle on his land for over 4 decades. Now in his 60s, Robert knows his remote farm like the back of his hand. But with cattle prices volatile and costs spiraling, he faces a testing winter ahead.
Robert’s main priority is gathering in his herd of pregnant Highland cows for pregnancy testing. With hay and fertilizer prices soaring this year, Robert needs a decent calving rate to make his cattle enterprise viable. If too few cows are in calf after a long summer at pasture, it may be time to cease farming beef cattle altogether.
“I’ve put my life and soul into building this herd up,” says Robert stoically, “but farming isn’t getting any easier. If I don’t get enough in calf, it’s just not sustainable anymore.”
Robert spends long days on his trusty ATV, scouring the windswept hills and peat bogs for his far-roaming cattle. Once corralled into pens, each cow is scanned to check for signs of pregnancy. It’s a tense time, with over 40 years of livelihood hanging in the balance.
With relief, the scans show most are in calf. Robert lives to farm another day. But with predictions of a long winter ahead, he still has challenges to overcome. Hay supplies must be built up to feed the cattle through the cold months. And with fertilizer costs spiraling, tough decisions lay ahead on crop rotations.
This farming life is certainly not getting any easier on the Cairngorms croft. But Robert’s commitment to his cows and the land remains steadfast.
Machair Harvest on the Island Croft
On the Isle of North Uist, the MacDonald family are harvesting potatoes grown in the unique machair soil of Scotland’s western isles. This sandy, shell-rich soil creates some of the best potato growing conditions in the world. And the MacDonalds’ croft has benefitted from this lush land since the 1980s.
Patriarch Angus MacDonald first moved here over 35 years ago. Since then, he’s expanded the croft’s potato production and become a pillar of the island’s farming community. But now in his 60s, it’s time to slowly hand over the reins to the next generation.
His son Fraser and daughter-in-law Carianne are gradually taking over the day-to-day farm work. They’ve already started innovating, experimenting with new potato varieties and ways to boost the fertility of the machair soil.
The harvest is a crucial time of year on the croft. The potato crop not only provides income but also secures a vital food source for the winter months ahead. The island’s supermarkets can often run low on fresh produce in bad weather, so having farm stores is essential.
The family work together digging rows of potatoes, their practiced hands filling baskets in fluid motions. There’s a sense of camaraderie as grandparents, parents and kids chat and joke across the ridges. Neighbors also lend a hand at peak times, repayment for other acts of island kindness.
It’s tiring but rewarding work, seeing the fruits of a year’s labor. The potato harvest allows the MacDonalds to maintain their cherished island way of life. While change is afoot with the next generation taking charge, the crofting tradition lives on.
Calving Crisis on the Self-Sufficient Farm
Over on mainland Scotland near Elgin, farmers Nikki and Ollie Lake are taking a very different approach on their farm. The couple bought Thorabella Farm in 2017 with big ambitions – to live entirely off their own land. They keep cows, sheep, chickens, grow fruit and veg, and even produce their own power. The goal is to be as self-sufficient as possible.
Now in their third lambing and calving season, challenges remain. Their small herd of cows can be tricky to calve, and they lost a calf last year. “I just hope things go smoothly this time,” says an anxious Nikki, heavily pregnant herself. “I couldn’t bear to lose another.”
Things initially look promising, with their first cow calving unaided. But as a second goes into labor, complications arise. The calf is large and gets stuck during the birth. With the cow struggling distressfully, Nikki calls in emergency vet assistance.
The vet skillfully maneuvers the trapped calf out using ropes and a foothold in the womb. It’s a huge relief as a strong male calf is finally delivered safely. “That was a close call,” admits Nikki, calming the exhausted cow. “We can’t afford to lose cattle on our small farm.”
The successful calving has special significance for Nikki and Ollie. “It’s amazing to have bred our own calf given our self-sufficient ambitions,” says Ollie. “Hopefully the start of many more births to come.”
There are always ups and downs on an intensive farm like Thorabella. But Nikki and Ollie remain committed to their sustainable living dream, come rain or shine.
The Vet’s Vital Role
Vets play an absolutely essential role on modern farms, never more so than during lambing and calving season. When livestock run into birthing difficulties, the vet’s expertise can prove invaluable.
Specialized techniques allow vets to safely reposition calves to ease problematic labors. Pulling gently with ropes attached to the calf’s legs, or creating space using a “foothold” device in the womb, the vet can maneuver a stuck calf out of the birth canal. It takes years of training and experience to rescue distressed animals in this way.
For remote farmers like Robert MacKenzie, the local vet also provides invaluable pregnancy scanning services. Checking which cows are in calf allows the farmer to better plan winter feed rations. Catching non-pregnant cows early also means quicker rebreeding.
Beyond birthing issues, vets also treat sick farm animals, advise on nutrition programs, and perform routine procedures like deworming. With profit margins tight, preventing losses through good herd health is imperative.
While some larger farms employ on-site vets, most farmers develop close relationships with local practices. The vet acts as partner, helping them care for their animals and ensuring welfare standards stay high.
So next time you tuck into a tasty steak or milkshake, spare a thought for the vets working behind the scenes. They enable farmers to produce the meat, milk and eggs we love in a responsible, sustainable way.
Continuing the Crofting Tradition
For hundreds of years, crofting has been a way of agricultural life in Scotland’s rugged landscapes. When Angus MacDonald first moved to North Uist in the 1980s, he was continuing a tradition dating back centuries.
Crofts are small tenant farms traditionally focused on subsistence agriculture. Early crofters raised livestock, grew vegetables, and cultivated the peculiarly fertile machair soils of western Scotland. This lifestyle provided essential food and income for families in challenging environments.
Over the 19th and 20th centuries, crofting evolved and adapted, but remained an anchor for island and highland communities. Plots were passed down through generations, with a deep connection to the land.
Today, around 18,000 crofts still exist across Scotland. And while more modern influences have arrived, many core traditions continue. The MacDonald family’s potato harvest sustains them through winter while preserving the cherished crofting way of life.
And by slowly passing responsibility to his children, Angus MacDonald ensures the cycle carries on. His son Fraser brings new ideas on varieties and soil management but values the croft’s legacy.
Scotland’s landlords once tried to eliminate crofting during the violent Highland Clearances. But this resilient lifestyle persists centuries on, integral to Scottish heritage.
Winter Preparations on the Cairngorms Croft
As the year rolls on, farmers have to think ahead to the cold months. On his Cairngorms croft, Robert MacKenzie faces the annual tasks of managing cattle and preparing winter feed. But with spiking costs this year, his preparations involve tricky decisions.
Once the cows are pregnancy tested, it’s time to start building up winter feed supplies. The cattle will depend on hay and silage through the long highland winters. With over 40 years experience, Robert plans ahead shrewdly.
But volatile fertilizer prices are complicating matters this year. The nitrogen boosters are essential for growing grazing crops to turn into silage. “I can’t afford to spread as much this year,” Robert explains. “So I’ll have to reduce my silage acreage.”
He’ll grow more hay instead, needing less nitrogen. But this means buying in more straw to provide bedding. It’s all about balancing costs and practicalities. “You never stop learning with farming,” Robert reflects philosophically.
Even after a lifetime on the land, challenges continue as markets fluctuate. The winter preparations are bringing tough decisions this year.
Yet Robert’s not deterred. He remains staunchly committed to the cattle and croft he’s tended for a lifetime. The breeding cycles and seasons continue as routines provide reassurance.
“As long as I have my health, I’ll keep going,” Robert asserts, breathing the crisp highland air. “There’s always next year.”
The Machair Spud Harvest
The unique shell-sand machair soils on Scotland’s western isles create some of the best potato growing conditions in Europe. For North Uist crofter Angus MacDonald, the autumn potato harvest is the culmination of long months of work.
“Tattie harvest is the payoff for all the graft earlier in the year,” explains Angus, his weathered face breaking into a smile below his bunnet hat. The ‘tatties’ sustain his family through winter and provide vital income.
He began preparing the machair soil way back in early spring. Seaweed from the island’s beaches was carted up and spread over the fields. This provides essential trace elements. Farmyard manure also plays its part, alongside chemical boosters like potash and nitrogen.
Angus sowed his preferred Kerr Pinks and Arran Banners back in April, planting the seed potatoes carefully in drills. Through summer, the burgeoning potato plants were earthed up and cultivated to allow the tubers space to swell.
Harvesting is in October, before the winter frosts arrive. The family use a tractor-drawn ‘rummager’ to lift each plant, exposing the potatoes below the soil. These are picked into baskets before being dried and stored in sheds.
The tatties will reappear on the dinner table all winter long, roasted, mashed or fried up into tasty chips. Come spring, the very best are kept as seed potatoes, closing the seasonal circle on the croft.
“Tattie howkin’ is hard work, but I love it,” says Angus. “There’s real satisfaction in gathering what you’ve sown.” That satisfaction sustains the crofting tradition on North Uist, harvest after hardy harvest.
FAQ This Farming Life 2023 Episode 1
What are the key challenges the farmers face this episode?
The farmers face various challenges as winter approaches including volatile cattle prices, rising agricultural costs, unpredictable weather, calving difficulties, and the need to harvest crops and prepare winter feed supplies. Key challenges include Robert Mackenzie getting enough pregnant cows, Angus MacDonald starting to hand over farm duties to the next generation, and Nikki and Ollie Lake dealing with calving problems.
Why does Robert need to pregnancy test his cows?
Robert needs to pregnancy test his Highland cattle herd to see how many are pregnant after the summer grazing season. With spiking costs of feed and fertilizer this year, he needs a decent number to be in calf to make his beef enterprise viable. If calving rates are too low, he may need to stop farming cattle.
What makes the machair soil so good for growing potatoes?
Machair is a fertile sandy, shell-rich soil found on the western coasts and islands of Scotland. The shell sand provides a lime boost, while seaweed fertilizes it. This creates ideal free-draining, nutrient-rich conditions for potatoes and crops like barley.
Why are Nikki and Ollie so set on being self-sufficient?
Nikki and Ollie bought their farm in 2017 with the goal of being self-reliant for food, power and income. They grow and rear their own produce, generate their own energy, and aim to live off the land as sustainably as possible. The aim is to be less reliant on external food supplies and inputs.
What is the vet’s most important role at calving time?
The vet plays a vital role in helping farmers deliver calves safely when cows have difficulties giving birth. Using ropes and foothold devices, the vet can reposition stuck calves to allow them to be born safely. This is essential for minimizing calf and cow losses.
Conclusion
This first episode of This Farming Life highlights the resilience required to farm in Scotland’s often unforgiving landscape. We see Robert persevering in the face of adversity on his Cairngorms croft, while Angus MacDonald harvests the fruits of his labor on the fertile island machair. Meanwhile, Nikki and Ollie represent a new generation determined to make a self-sufficient farming dream a reality.
All face challenges as the winter looms. Costs are squeezing margins, the weather conspires to hinder plans, and calving problems threaten livestock. Yet traditions persist through the generations, from well-honed harvest techniques to community cooperation on the islands.
Farming remains a cornerstone of rural Scottish life. As we follow the fortunes of these families over the coming year, we’re sure to see values of grit, ingenuity and connection to the land shine through. Whatever the weather throws their way, they embody the resilience of farming folk who tend the land through good years and bad.
