2016 presentations
Here you will find PDF versions of the slides from all of the presentations and seminars at the 2016 Festival, and the speaker’s contact details. While it’s not quite the same as being there we hope it gives a flavour of the content. We have provisional plans to video all the talks at the 2017 Festival, so those who are showing or otherwise unable to attend will be able to view them after the event.
| Time | Title | Location | Download |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9:30am | Pasture is best Christine Page, Pasture-Fed Livestock Association Grassland forms a vital part of the Scottish countryside. It is an iconic symbol of our rural landscape, and for centuries has been the principal food source for cattle and sheep. Christine will talk about the benefits of adopting a pasture-fed livestock system. | Symington Suite | PDF - 3MB |
| 9:30am | Bee aware Lanarkshire Beekeepers Group members will be making a presentation on aspects of beekeeping and will also be on hand throughout the day to answer questions about bees and beekeeping. | Ring 1 | PDF - 7MB |
| 9:30am | Pig nutrition Jos Houdijk, SRUC, Head of Monogastric Science Research Center Ross Mackenzie, SAC Consulting Many smallholders keep pigs – either breeding or fattening – and many of us have waste fruit and vegetables, hay, haylage or silage. Could the two come together and in what proportions? We’re all familiar with the general rule of 1lb feed per month of age, but on what basis should we substitute these “free” feeds? Jos Houdijk and Ross Mackenzie are here to explain all. | Ring 2 | PDF - 5MB |
| 10:30am | Small-scale dairying Christine Page, Smiling Tree Farm We’re delighted to have Christine Page from Smiling Tree Farm in Shropshire join us to describe her small scale dairying enterprise. Christine milks a handful of Jersey cows once a day, leaving the calves with their dams. Her cattle are entirely pasture fed and she sells this special raw milk direct to the consumer. With the conventional dairy sector in a difficult position, perhaps the future lies in local, small scale enterprises. | Symington Suite | PDF - 6MB |
| 10:30am | Protecting your rural property James Higgins, Police Scotland Rural crime is a growing problem and Police Scotland are making a welcome return to the Festival. James Higgins will be explaining how you can protect your rural property. During the day, James will be available to chat about individual issues. | Ring 1 | PDF - 6MB |
| 10:30am | Growing veg in Scotland without chemicals Collen McCulloch, Soil Association Scotland A look at some of the factors which can make the difference between success and failure, if you’re growing vegetables in Scotland and would like to use fewer or no chemical inputs. Colleen will explore how natural soil fertility, crop nutrition, crop rotations, and choosing the right crops/varieties for your situation, can all improve the success of your horticultural crops, whether you’re growing outside or under cover. | Ring 2 | PDF - 5MB |
| 11:30am | Making cheese Denise Ferguson , Drumturk Cheeses Denise bought her first goats in 1979; and there began a passion for the Pure Toggenburg. Recently, Denise has resumed her craft of cheesemaking and established Drumturk Cheeses, in Northeast Perthshire. Using goat milk from her herd, and with plans for a milking cow, she is building a new rural small business. We’re delighted to welcome Denise to the Festival to describe her business and the cheesemaking process – and if we’re very lucky, there might be a wee sample to taste. | Symington suite | PDF - 3MB |
| 11:30am | The Butchery Demonstration Gordon Gibb, QMS We know many of you have been waiting for the return of Gordon Gibb to the Festival – we missed him last year – and his wonderful demonstrations of butchery. This event may be participatory. It will certainly be entertaining and informative. | Ring 1 | PDF - 450KB |
| 11:30am | Explaining permaculture Carole Egner and Permaculture Scotland Many smallholders want to make productive use of their landholding in a sustainable way and for a growing number, permaculture is the way forward. Not sure what it is? Well, Carole Egner from Permaculture Scotland will be explaining all and giving practical tips as well. | Ring 2 | PDF - 2MB |
| 1:00pm | No foot, no sheep Caroline Robinson, SRUC Caroline Robinson, from SRUC, will be reprising her informative Conference talk on sheep foot health and foot care. The saying “No foot, no horse” can also for applied to sheep – aside from the obvious welfare issues, a lame sheep will inevitably less productive than it could be so we want to keep our sheep’s feet in tiptop condition. | Ring 1 | PDF - 3MB |
| 1:00pm | Small Farm Grant Scheme Janette Sutherland and Chloe McCulloch, SAC Consulting Aimed at small farms between 3ha and 30ha of eligible land, the Small Farm Grant Scheme provides grants to part-fund capital projects such as building construction, land improvement, fencing, and handling facilities. A similar scheme for crofts has existed for many years and has been a popular support scheme with grants of up to 80%. Janette Sutherland and Chloe McCulloch from SAC’s offices in Portree and Dumfries make their first appearance at the Festival to explain both schemes - what’s eligible, what’s not, the grant rates, the pros and cons of grant funding and how to apply for the best chance of success. | Ring 2 | PDF - 3MB |
| 2:00pm | Selling and marketing online Dan Champion, Champion IS Many smallholders have something to sell – produce, livestock, craft, their time and skills. If you’ve got more capacity or supply than demand, selling and marketing online can be a great way to earn extra income (or even a main income). Dan Champion is both a smallholder and a webby person and he’ll be looking at the pros and cons of some of the popular options for marketing your enterprise online. | Symington Suite | PDF - 8MB |