The Clackmannanshire Bridge - The Accidental Smallholder

Posted: Wednesday 26 November, 2008

by Rosemary at 8:39pm in Anything goes Comments closed

The new upper Forth crossing, the Clackmannanshire Bridge, opened last week. Our local Council had campaigned to have the Bridge named after the County, to put us on the map.

On Sunday (this is kind of sad), Dan, Lorna and I drove down to see the bridge and drive across it. The views of Clackmannanshire on the dive in over the bridge are just lovely - Clackmannan Parish Church and Clackmannan Tower silhouetted against the Ochil Hills.

Today I had the opportunity to use the bridge for real. Carol and I met with a representative of Oatridge College in West Lothian to try to set up some training opportunities ofr members of the smallholders' association. We were very happy to find that the College were very keen to help. Our first venture will be a lambing course in January, followed by a grassland management event in March. I'm sure if these are supported, further events will follow.

Oatridge College has had significant investment in both its lecture facilities and its workshops. It runs a wide range of land based courses - horticulture, agriculture, equestrian, engineering, farriery, green keeping. It's also the location of the Scottish National Equestrian Centre. The farms are run on a commercial basis ie they are not subsidised and have beef, sheep, pigs and arable enterprises, although more intesively managed than most smallholders. We hope that it will turn out to be a profitable relationship for both parties.