Smallholdings on the West Coast: Niall Campbell’s farming journey

_{Niall Campbell.}

My journey into actively working a smallholding started quite late in life. I have worked on farms and crofts helping out at peak periods for most of my life and always enjoyed the experience. But as many know, getting started on your own is a much tougher ask due to the availability of land and the capital required on start-up.

My grandparents had purchased 10 hectares of land and a traditional house in Argyll in the 1970s when they retired, but were not agriculturally active themselves on the land. When they passed away, I was able to purchase the house and the land from the family, so have been lucky in that aspect.

When I took ownership, apart from some light grazing, nothing had been done to the land for decades and there was no infrastructure - though we did have a stock proof boundary fence. The challenge therefore, was to take this agriculturally derelict smallholding and create an agricultural system that produces a realistic financial output and manage the land in a sensitive and sustainable manner. It’s a challenge that I thoroughly enjoyed and I continue to find fascinating.

I am a great believer in keeping things simple and, like all part time farmers or crofters, my livestock system has to fit within and around other work and family commitments. I therefore opted for a small flock of 20 Shetland Cross Cheviot ewes, producing store lambs. Tups (usually Texels) are hired and ewe replacements are purchased each year from a nearby farm. This means that I have just one management group to keep an eye on for the majority of the year.

The experiences I have had have been very useful to my role as an agricultural consultant. It’s been fascinating to see how the land has developed over time, using grazing techniques to bring the ground back into agri-production, while still maintaining high quality biodiversity and producing a good quality saleable store lamb.

My advice to anyone starting up is to invest capital at the start on key basics. In my case, this was a good set of livestock handling facilities and a mode of transport to get tools, equipment, and livestock around the unit. These do not need to be flash or new - there are plenty of options out there but having the basic tools for the job saves time, is less frustrating, and ensures you can manage your land and livestock better to meet your own aims.

Crofts and smallholdings are an essential part of the fabric of a vibrant rural community as they ensure people remain in these communities. It’s the people that are key here - people bring innovation, they invest in the locality, they create that patchwork of landscape and high quality biodiversity that we all enjoy. Not to mention, they also put food on our plates.

I do really enjoy being an active part of the rural community in Argyll. It’s a beautiful part of the world, with great people and deep roots and traditions in farming and crofting. I get a real sense of satisfaction from the food I produce, the landscapes I manage, and I remain optimistic about the future too. Like in all industries, there are challenges ahead but there are always ways over or around these hurdles. I intend to focus on what I can control and continue to enjoy my smallholding experience.

Niall Campbell

Regional Development Manager

North West Scotland

Posted by SAC Consulting on 15/11/2024