Author Topic: What would you do? (Read 4357 times)

Hermit · « **Reply #15 on:** February 13, 2012, 08:35:01 am »

Before I got my polytunnel I went on a day course for them. The man who gave the talk was from Lewis so he might do talks down by you as well.

Hermit · « **Reply #16 on:** February 14, 2012, 08:17:50 am »

Dont get Shetland mixed up with the west isles. Shetland revolves around money, oil, salmon , mussels ,trawlers etc. It is a rich isle with lots of millionaires The western isles seem more traditional. Shetland is beautiful and I love living here but it is not so much a cute scottish isle as folk imagine. The wildlife is amazing still!The livestock markets up here deal with sheep and cows. There are seperate pony markets but anything else is sold privately. As for a farrier looking for work, well the last one retired a few years back now with a bad back and there has not been one since. The horsey folk have to get one from Orkney or Perth. They scream for one coming up and there are quite a few horses but I dont think a full time job is there. As for some kids having to board, they love it, being in town with the cinema, shops, takeaways etc.It is more the parents worry than the kids. There are two feed merchants and hay and straw is a rarity as it all depends on how much there is to spare down south but Bratahlid has its own hay fields, I even bed my goats on hay as I gave up on getting straw a few years back, you can get shavings though. Pig feed is expensive up here so only a few folk keep them to breed and the buthchers sell Orkney half pigs for a lot cheaper than you can rear them, if you are thinking of selling. If you have good pork people will pay for it but you have to be good and do all the farmers markets,which are not big but folk will go to buy one good product.Goats are more a personal thing which only a few folk do themselves. The only thing you can do is come and have a look and study what is here for you. The school nearest for your kids would be Brae I think, till 6th form when they go to Lerwick, transport for schools is very good. If you come up next year we could meet, Sabrina comes up regularly as well you could both check out Bratahlid it does look lovely but a bit expensive for Shetland property, I think it is aimed at a southerner buying it as it looks cheap to them. I may see you next year

princesspiggy · « **Reply #17 on:** February 15, 2012, 08:11:15 pm »

thanks hermit. is orkney similar to shetland or completely different?
id love to see fotos of ur place chris!

Chris H · « **Reply #18 on:** February 15, 2012, 08:32:33 pm »

Will try to take some pics next week. Seems we have a corncrake which I am dead chuffed about.
We did look at Orkney, but the chance to become a Harris weaver (and be employed) swung it for us

I am looking into getting a polytunnel, but need to take time in working out the best place to site it.
Moving the first lot of animals next week, think of us 15 hour car trip with 5 chickens, 5 pugs and a budgie!!!!!!
Sure the puggies will love the place, once they get used to the wind

Hermit · « **Reply #19 on:** February 15, 2012, 09:32:38 pm »

I have never been to Orkney, but i believe it is more Scottish and flatter than Shetland. I really must go

My daughter has been with work but has not seen much out of Kirkwall which she says is just like Lerwick. Google Earth has done a lot in Shetland recently so you can go on a virtual car tour round the place now!

A corncrake, how lovely. Do you have restrictions on grazing, harvesting because of the flowers and birds on Lewis?

princesspiggy · « **Reply #20 on:** February 15, 2012, 10:06:54 pm »

Quote from: Chris H on February 15, 2012, 08:32:33 pm

Moving the first lot of animals next week, think of us 15 hour car trip with 5 chickens, 5 pugs and a budgie!!!!!!

lol when we came to scotland, we had in our car - a dog, 2 cats, a hamster, sea monkeys, 2 budgies and 2 kids and that was 12 hrs!! lol
is it very windy?

Lesley Silvester · « **Reply #21 on:** February 15, 2012, 10:39:33 pm »

Orkney is very flat and very windy. Had a week's holiday with two kids after a week on Skye so we arrived with loads of washing including bedding. I used the twin tub and hung the washing on the three lines that were on the green, forming three sides of a square. By the time I had filled the third line, stuff on the first line had blown dry.

The only trees grow in the towns where they are sheltered by the buildings and everything grows at an angle in the direction of the wind.
The people I met were incredibly friendly and helpful and I seriously thought about moving there.