THE FARM

Derek and Fiona have brought up their family at Carry Farm for the past 25 years and divide their time between the 66 acre coastal small holding and running Tighnabruaich Sailing School during the summer months.  The land is a mixture of rough grazing, heathland, bogs and native woodland.

Carry farm is a pretty special patch of land. Species-rich grassland dominates the pastures with a rare fragment of ancient woodland bounding the land to the west. Within the woodland, old sessile oak trees, hollies, hazel, and hawthorn provide a canopy for the red squirrels to leap about their business. The open grassland areas with wildflowers provide abundant foraging opportunities for bumblebees and butterflies.

To ensure Carry Farm thrives and continues to contribute to an ecologically-restored landscape we are in partnership with Northwoods Rewilding Network.

The lack of intensive farming has enriched the flora and fauna, assisted by a small flock of Hebridean sheep. Hebridean’s have a reputation as the ‘go to’ breed for delicate ecosystems and thrive on vegetation with poor energy values, making them a unique management tool for the farm. Derek and Fiona aim to be responsible custodians of Carry Farm’s flora and fauna, whilst simultaneously sustainably harvesting wool from their Hebridean sheep for Fiona’s textiles.

As well as the Hebridean sheep, Carry Farm is home to Barney and Louis, two characterful donkeys who love the attention of passers by, especially if they happen to have a carrot! They also help out with the control of the rashes and gorse bushes. Pablo and Gus are our pygmy goats whose main role is to entertain. Watch them as they jump in and out of their field when no-one is watching, because as we all know, the grass is always greener on the other side!

Free range hens and ducks mill around the farmyard and beyond, and provide fresh eggs for sale, with the odd surprise clutch of chicks when the hens are feeling a little broody!