About Us
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When Alan retired from the Highland & Islands Fire and Rescue Service in 2007 we moved from Milifiach by Kirkhill in the Scottish Highlands to a smallholding called Glenrootes, which is located on the outskirts of the small village of Surfleet in the South Lincolnshire Fens.
Situated on the River Glen, it is about five miles to the north of the town of Spalding, the 'Heart of the Fens' which is famous as the centre of the bulb growing industry. This is a world where we could be closer to our family, grow food, make things and rely on our own daily endeavours.
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Since our arrival at Glenrootes which was then a very run down and neglected holding, all be it on Grade 1 arable silt land, we have invested in cleaning out and maintaining our drainage dykes (which is vitally important in this part of the country), and have spent a considerable amount of time and finance in fencing the paddocks, also undertaking a planting scheme to restore native hedging in an attempt to create a micro climate by reducing the severe effects of the wind (the notorious Fen Blow).
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The hedging has had a very beneficial effect providing shelter and shade in the vegetable garden, and for our livestock. The holding is becoming a haven for wildlife, and we hope that in years to come the hedges will also form an impenetrable stock proof barrier.
We grow our own fruit and vegetables, in summer make our own hay for our livestock’s winter feed, run a mixed flock of free range poultry, and are trying to make our holding as environmentally sustainable and wildlife friendly as possible.
By selective grazing we have left our paddocks to grow without reseeding, we do not use artificial fertilisers, herbicides or pesticides, our only fertiliser comes from the livestock themselves. This means that we aim to put more into our land than we take from it, which has provided a large variety of plant species in the pasture that is highly suitable for our very attractive Hebredians.
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Milifiach flock register
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Our entry in the Hebridean Sheep Society 2010 Flock Book |
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Dyke clearing and fencing
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