News from the field

Image courtesy of ORganic Rapeseed oil

Rural Britain is a wonderful assortment of farms, estates, hamlets, villages, forests and moors, lochs and valleys. Our stunning scenery, close communities and wonderful rural businesses provide an idyllic lifestyle for many, but rural life can also throw up some pretty unique challenges.

The Rural Scene (the Scene & Herd rural blog and news updates) looks at what’s new, what’s relevant, what’s tasty, what’s fun and what’s challenging about life in the Great British Countryside. We offer an insider insight into rural Britain, highlighting some of the exceptional people, businesses and innovations we believe that everybody should know about.

Are you bored?

My husband has a saying that “only boring people get bored”. I used to think he was right and encourage both myself and others to keep busy all the time, but I’ve been thinking about it a bit recently and, I hate to say it, but I actually think that – shock horror – my husband might be wrong!‍

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OnFARM Podcast: Fashionable Forres: Christine Ann De Agostini

A less typical episode of OnFARM this week, as we chat with fashion designer and keeper of two clothing stores - one for gents and one for ladies - Christine Ann De Agostini. However, it will become more than clear why we are spotlighting Christine's work and business - her two clothes store businesses are located in Forres in rural Morayshire, and cater to a broad range of fashionable country living folk!

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October 2024

As we say farewell to the remaining swallows and welcome the sound of incoming geese, this time of year, with its lower light levels, unpredictable weather and less colour in the landscape can leave many people feeling tired and downbeat. The Scene and Herd team members have some suggestions to take care of yourselves:

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It might never happen!

I’m sure most of us have experienced somebody either rude, insensitive or simply lacking in social awareness who has said to us: “Smile, it might never happen...” I know I have. In fact, someone said it to me the other day. It got me thinking...

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OnFARM Podcast: After berries, where next? Dreaming a new future for a Blairgowrie fruit farm

Maddie Thomson learned her skills in digital communications in London - but has returned to Scotland, to create a new future for her family's Perthshire fruit farm.Maddie tells Anna how her farm - Thomsons of Blairgowrie - is a blank canvas, and that she is being encouraged by her family to dream big!

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