Author Topic: potatoes etc (Read 2518 times)

fiestyredhead331 · « **on:** January 24, 2014, 08:48:11 pm »

Dad has given us the use of one of his crofts along the road. I should state now that this ground has been on set aside for the last 5 years and hasn't been used for crops for 50+ years!
this year will be very different, using his old fordson major tractor we have begun work prepping the soil for tatties. Its been a real eye opener, who knew it would be so difficult to get a plough for a start...lol and the tattie lifter we purchased from a friend has one in the scottish museum! Anyway, after ploughing, harrowing several times and me physically lifting clods, we are getting there and ordered the obligatory kerrs pinks and a few golden wonder and duke of yorks to see how they cope with the soil.
the best bit so far is the amount of people that have said how nice it is to see someone taking the time and making the effort to do something with the ground when we are surrounded by miles of neglected grazing.

Fleecewife · « **Reply #1 on:** January 24, 2014, 11:03:34 pm »

By the time you're eating the tatties

you will have forgotten the pain and all the hard work.

oor wullie · « **Reply #2 on:** January 25, 2014, 07:50:05 am »

Good for you. It is brilliant to see hear of someone ploughing in these areas.

So much of the ground in the N and W that a couple of generations ago grew all the food people lived off now gets mistaken for "untouched wilderness". In fact I could go on for ages - during the clearances 10s of thousands of people were cleared off the good land in the interior to the poor land on the coast. Where is that good land that was cleared for sheep? There is little trace of it now that sheep and deer have grazed it for 150 years.

I am one step behind you. I have the not used for decades croft, got a Fordson Dexta last week. Now looking for a plough and harrow........................

Backinwellies · « **Reply #3 on:** January 25, 2014, 07:57:39 am »

must be drier up there ..... paddy rice is the only crop which could be planted down here in south..... as for ploughing... I do that every day ... with quad wheels!!

Enjoy your spuds.

fiestyredhead331 · « **Reply #4 on:** January 25, 2014, 11:09:21 am »

Good luck finding those oor wullie

its ideal land as its on a good slope so should drain well, my own croft resembles a paddy field at the moment.

it looks kind of odd though as there is nothing but grazed rough ground on all sides then a lovely big patch of dirt in the middle so its hard to miss. Next job is to go gather seaweed!