Surprise Visitors at the T & T

[Seventhseil]

CORNCRAKES!.....CORNCRAKES!!...scourge of the crofter and employee of the home counties RSPB devil! Begone CanU, why must you mention the East European flying rat plague..!!

As for the old "Local" stuff again....I to miss the old days but we must look forwards as if we all were old local our gene pool would be rather small.

[Seil Sally]

Usmell - It's really very quaint that you feel all this lost sentiment - perhaps if you cut the power lines down and ban any oil-derived fuel from the island we will, once again, be able to have a yarn, sitting at the fire with the driftwood we gathered from the shore earlier lying nearby, the hens roosting on the back of Grannys old armchair (she's 91 you know!) whilst Nancy, the old collie dog sits at the back of the room, far enough away from the candle that nobody actually saw her enter.

Aye - they were the days!!

[canUsmellthat]

It wasn't long ago that it was like that here, but you won't remember...

[canUsmellthat]

Now listen, you mustn’t blame our declining wildlife for the state of our crofting industry. Actually the reverse is true of most agriculture, nay, human activity in general. Conventional farming methods are only good for maximizing output and for government hand outs. Our methods of agriculture are putting many organisms at risk of extinction and we must be alarmed at this.

I know crofters who are quite happy to have Corncrakes on their land as they get extra money from the government to croft in Corncrake friendly ways, more had outs eh!

There are no true crofters left anyway (or very, very few). Crofts are only good for supplementing the two or three other jobs that the crofter has.

[Seil Sally]

Crofts are only good for supplementing the....... other jobs that the crofter has

It's really quite laughable!!!!

So,Smelly, are you telling me that crofts or small-holdings are designed to provide a full-time income???

Crofts are supposed to offer limited income and not be a commercial unit!

[canUsmellthat]

You obviously don't know your history or science for that matter or much at all. How do you think people survived in yesteryear? There’s just too much scope for me to make a proper retort, and you probably wouldn’t understand it all anyway.

Cheerio chippy pants and if I were you I’d read up on the history of the croft boyo!

P.s. sorry you got such a roasting last night!

[Eric the Viking]

Yes Seal Silly - Keep the oiks and proles in their place.

Can't have them making too much - or next they'll be getting ideas above their station !

Aye - my how we laughed as we scratched at earth with our bare hands, hauled the kelp from the beach to the machair, and picked whelks in freezing December sleet to give the kids a Christmas.

Crofting plays a vital role in sustaining fragile rural communities, a unique culture and a richly varied natural environment. It is a way of life that demonstrates a unique cultural richness and an overall appreciation of the environment.

Perhaps the definition of "local" should be broadened to include those with a certain sybiosis for the community in which they live.

Not all people that move to Argyll from southern climes are tarred with the 'white settler' brush - Why ????? Because they make an effort to interact positively with their both community and environment - have an appreciation for the unique history and culture, know that people in fragile areas have to make a living as best they can, at least try to pronounce local place names the way they were meant to be instead of some bizarre anglified bast*rdization.

Wake up Salster - Smell the coffee (roasting)!

[moonraker]

i till yis run short of money and sell yer land for housing

[Eric the Viking]

Poltroons, cowards, skulkers and dastards.
Eustache Deschamps

[NickB]

First prize for thread drift goes to this thread, which I think was started by a friend to let people know that Kathy and I were back from our travels. Seems to have degenerated into a slagging match, although the bits about what crofting is/was are quite interesting . . .


..........[THREAD DRIFT AWARD


I must admit that I thought crofting referred to a lifestile where the crofter had many small income streams - livestock, veg, fishing, maybe a handicraft or two (spinning, weaving etc) and perhaps a paid job or two into the bargain.

The government sez:

Crofting plays a vital role in maintaining population in remote rural areas of the Highlands and Islands and provides a secure base for the development of small businesses.

(http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Rural/Crofting)


Technically the Scottish croft is a small agricultural landholding of a type which has been subject to special legislation in the United Kingdom since 1886. A crofter is one who has tenure of it. In 2004 there were 743 crofting tenancies in Argyll and Bute, many of which were large units which once represented a whole township.

People who own croftland or hold crofting tenancies in the Highlands and Islands today have a wide variety of lifestyles, and although many of them may still derive a portionof their income directly from the croft the 'crofting lifestyle' as remembered by those forumites wearing rose tinted glasses to correct their hindsight is probably only practised by a handful of aging hippies (incomers of course) these days - and often onland that is not legally a croft. I would probably be one of these myself if I could afford a piece of land . . . but who can these days?

(And of course we are always seeing planning applications to 'decroft' pieces of land in the Highlands these days as owners find the constrictions imposed by this type of tenure incompatible with their ambitions).

How many crofting tenancies were there on Seil in days gone by, and how much of the island was owned and run in the usual feudal/industrial manner? I doubt if many of the slate workers led idyllic crofting lives!

Here's a quote from Wikipedia:

Cyber-crofting is a term coined and used since 2001 by residents of the Scottish Highland village of Clashnessie. It refers to the incorporation of web-based income-generation into the classic range of crofting activities which can include, but is not limited to: fishing, agriculture, keeping cattle or sheep, jobbing building, bus-driving, caretaking and cleaning. This combination of different activities is characteristic of many permanent residents of the Highlands and is not limited to those working land that has been officially designated as a croft.

So - I would say that from this definition there are quite a few 'crofters' still on the island.

NickB

[Seventhseil]

I think Seil and luing were cleared very early on....late 16th century to make way for cattle.....due to the geography I can't imagine there would have been that many crofts although the Island is dotted with wee townships.
Still it means there are few places for the great unwashed to get a toe hold and it means those who want to retire here and devote their life to gardening and being middle class (like Seil Sally)can do so generally without to much bother.
I think I will take a leaf out of Seil Sallys book and go off on one.....The reason all the young folk are leaving is not that they are lazy it has more to do with the f***ing useless social housing.....the fact that any proper development has to go through a mangle to actually get any where and there are too many retired f***wits lazing around with f*** all to do but complain and be a burden on the local health service.
Indeed why bother staying so you can live with your parents or be shifted around from fetid caravan to stinking chalet while trying to keep a job that barely pays enough to keep on top of the f***ing rent!!!!!!!!

[Seil Sally]

USmell - I hope you noted NickB's response! - I suppose that means I'm right and you're wrong then !!!

[dubhsgeir]

Balvicar and clachan had athriving small fishing fleet before slate quarries came relying on sail boats would use the sheltered east side of island for weather protection. I think the breadalbanes started quarrying bringing more employment to the islanders and men brought in from all over britain, its funny to think that traditional names on luing and seil might come from wales or Yorkshire some things don't change. Industry has gone on for centuries and it should continue at a level that gives people choices, nimby ism is the scourge of the west coast stopping or delaying good ideas using every kind of excuse , if seil ends up in a state of suburbia i hope you all enjoy it.