Just four days to go before we find out the winners of this year’s Scottish Agriculture Awards. Here’s what the finalists of the Agroforestry and Contractor categories had to say.
Best Agroforestry Award
Michael Alexander, Cantyhall Farming Partnership
“We are a small farm in Fife and have been here over 10 years. We have been working slowly away at improving the environmental conditions. In the last five years we introduced more hedges, tree cover, and shelter belts. This has improved wildlife habitats as well as the general flora and fauna.
“We also had the opportunity to introduce agroforestry which included 10 acres of apple trees, this adds another diversification to the farm with the apples going to a local cider maker.
“At Cantyhall Farm, we are continuing at working to improve the business and we are delighted to be shortlisted for the award. The nomination was certainly not expected but we are honoured to be recognised and look forward to the ceremony in October.”
Michael Alexander, Cantyhall Farm
Andrew Barbour, Mains of Fincastle
“At Mains of Fincastle we are a 500ha upland beef and sheep farm on the Bonskeid Estate, near Pitlochry. As a business it is run by my family with my wife Seonag and daughter Catherine.
“This year we have 55 to 60 suckler commercial cows that will be put in calf. They are first put to a Whitebred Shorthorn bull to create the base cow with a Limousin bull being used as a terminal sire.
“On the sheep side we run 700 ewes using a mix of North Country Cheviots, Lleyns, and Texels for producing lambs for the store and prime rings.
“We have established woodland on farm including shelter belts and woodland grazing in small blocks. We have always run a regenerative model, using the regenerative abilities of the woods; using seed fall to restock, and designing felling areas to make sure we’re never too far from any seed source. This results in very diverse forest.
“Our nomination is primarily based on our development into integrating a Silvopasture model into our current business. We have never been nominated for an award before and we are surprised and touched to be shortlisted.”
The Barbour family at Mains of Fincastle: Andrew, Seonag, and Catherine
David Carruth, The Woolly Pig Company
“I am the sustainable farming manager at Brodoclea and I work the farm alongside Ken Porter who is the agroforestry lead at The Future Forest Company. Last year I was awarded a Scottish Finest Woodland award for young farmers. I grew up dairy farming in Renfrewshire and Ken worked in organic farming for over thirty years before joining us.
“We are a 430 acre woodland unit farming Mangalitsa Pigs in the hills of North Ayrshire. We sell our forest raised pork online to individuals and restaurants all over the UK through our shop The Woolly Pig Company. We are one of the largest agroforestry plots in the UK and an example of how agriculture can continue in an upland reforested landscape. We farm the pigs in a way that creates new opportunities for increasing biodiversity and also environmental benefits. There is also a big community aspect to the work we do with the woodland being open to the public, a number of community groups using the woodland and the project being used as an educational tool to help others learn more about agroforestry.
“It’s really fantastic to be picked as a finalist for this award for the second year running but it’s even better to be selected alongside two other fantastic examples of agroforestry. It goes to show the strengthening diversity in practice taking place within this growing sector in Scotland. Each adding something unique to our agricultural landscape.”
David Carruth, The Woolly Pig Company
Contractor of the year
Drew and John Watson, Drew Watson Agri-Services
“We are a family run Agricultural Business established by father and son Drew and John Watson over 50 years ago. We have built up the skills, equipment, manpower and ability to complete most agricultural work. As a business we are always looking at the market to upgrade our equipment and closely monitor new products that can assist us in supporting our customers. A vast majority of our work is carried out within Dumfries and Galloway, and across the border into England. We pride ourselves on the quality of our work and the ability of our staff to be reactive to any task in order to meet our customers requirements.
“It is a great honour to be nominated for this award. It’s been a very busy and challenging 50 years, we are very proud of what we have achieved so far and we find it great that we have been nominated.”
John and Drew Watson, Drew Watson Agri Services
Richard Murray, W Murray Farming
“We are farmers, haulage and agricultural contractors based at Redden Farm, Kelso.
“We specialise in the supply and spreading of differing high value organic manures and lime. Working with farmers and landowners to help improve their soil and in turn increase yield potential and reduce their reliance on artificial fertilisers.
“It really was a privilege to be nominated for the contractor of the year award, great recognition of the hard work that goes into providing a good service in what is a very challenging and demanding industry”
Richard Murray, W Murray Farming
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