Crofting Strategy Proposal

This is an important and timely opportunity to raise and discuss some of the key issues that are emerging as challenges in rural policy in a fast changing world. Our document defines the policies that we believe are necessary to safeguard and promote the crofting system as the most appropriate model for rural life in Scotland in the 21st century.

To download a copy of the  Crofting Strategy Proposal please click here for 7mb file.

Crofting redirection and redefinition required?

by

John MacKintosh FRAgS

Address given at the SCF Annual  gathering in October 2011

Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen
We have just come through a period of reflection on crofting with the consultation on the Shucksmith Report (1) at its core. One of the issues that have hung about crofting for a long time is that of tenancy versus ownership. Frankly I have never heard a convincing argument that this issue should be discussed at all. Each and every crofter should have the right to choose whether they wish to be a tenant or an owner according to how they wish to develop their crofting land and the activity of crofting on it. I am pleased to say that is now the case but the issue may have been better dealt with by deleting the terms from the legislation altogether.

To read the full address please click here for the PDF.

SCF Housing on Croft Land

Report of the in-depth study looking at the sustainable use of croft land to help meet rural housing needs commissioned by the SCF

Please click here for Houses on Croft Land Study in PDF format (1 MB)

Managing Small Woodlands in the Highlands and Islands

The handbook is presented in a number of sections covering the creation of new woodland, managing small woods, ways of realising the value, and also providing information on learning and support related to woodland management.

The shared experiences cover a range of situations and illustrate how various people have approached the management of small woods. Readers will hopefully be able to relate to some parts of the case
studies.

To download the 6mb PDF file of the handbook     Please click here.

Article comparing photographs of crofts in Skye and Lochalsh

Extract from Rohde, R.F. (2010 in press) Written on the surface of the soil: west Highland crofting landscapes during the 20th century. In R.H. Webb, D.E. Boyer, and R.M. Turner (eds.) Repeat photography: methods and applications in the geological and ecological sciences. Island Press: Washington D.C..

For more information please contact

To read the article please download the the Pdf  (1.7 mbs)

repeat_photography.pdf

A Pictorial Daander Trowe Shetland’s Crofting Culture

With the centenary of the Shetland Cattle Herd Book Society coming in 2010, the group decided to produce and publish a memorial book to celebrate
this occasion. The A4 book, "A Pictorial Daander Trowe Shetland’s Crofting Culture", will be launched in September. ‘Daander Trowe’ means wander
through.

This 230 page edition includes the history of the society and the cattle and shows how pivotal this living heritage was to the very existence of
the Shetland people. From the title you will realize that there are many photographs illustrating traditional crofting life which are not only relevant
to Shetland but all the crofting counties.

The book is available by e-mailing Clare at   and the cost is £25 including first class postage.

Indigenous People

Parallels between highland Crofters and Norwegian Sami and some political implications of indigenous status.

crofters-indigenous-people.pdf (4.2 mbs)

SCF Charter for Crofting

"It’s about the people - making sure they can live here."

Crofting households account for around 30,000 people in the Highland and Islands around 30% of households on the mainland and 65% of those on the islands. Over three quarters of a million hectares of land are under crofters’ stewardship.

Crofting is the glue that binds rural communities across the Highlands and Islands. As well as an important part of our cultural heritage, it is an important part of our future, supporting a unique way of life, a diverse and rich environment, and a rural population in some of the most fragile areas of the Highlands and Islands.

We believe that crofting needs:

• Environmentally sound and economically viable crofting land use

• A well-regulated, well-supported crofting system

• Access to economic opportunities and services

• A strong local food economy

The Scottish Crofting Foundation calls on national and local government to take action to ensure the health of crofting for the future.
 

To download a DPF document (0.6 mbs) with more information on the SCF Charter for Crofting: Please Click Here

Croft Record Book - 2006

The new version of the Croft Record Book is now available from SCF HQ. This contains the forms that you need to maintain your records for SEERAD and QMS as well as some useful information for active crofters and smallholders. All this is held in a smartly bound folder so that everything can be kept in the one place to make life easier and to be ready for inspections.

The book includes forms for

• flock records
• cattle records
• animal movements
• medicine use
• rodent control
• LMC benchmarking
• field spraying

and more . . . .

There is also a list of current legislation, some useful websites and conversion tables for those of us who still think in hundredweights per acre and miles per gallon.

In addition, there is a CD which has the forms in .doc or .pdf formats so that you can print off replacements for yourself or keep your records on computer.

The price has been held as low as possible thanks to our sponsors and advertisers: the book is available at £10 (including postage) to members and £15 to non members.  A copy can also be collected from the SCF HQ in Auchtertyre for £5 ( to save on postage).

To order, phone SCF HQ on 01599 566365

or email:

Sponsored by :

Quality Meat Scotland

The Highland Council

Shetland Islands Council

Comhairle nan Eilean Siar

NON-MEMBERS		MEMBERS
£15		£10