Ardnamushrooms

Smallholding

Surrounding the Manse are about 7 acres of farmland known as Ranachan Glebe. Traditionally the Glebe was the land which accompanied the Manse, used by the minister to supplement his meagre salary. Robert and Justine now own this land and are in the process of developing a smallholding.

Fruit and Vegetables There is a substantial area of vegetable beds close to the Manse. This area is being expanded each year with the aim of becoming self-sufficient in vegetables and fruit in the near future. At present most of our vegetables are provided by the vegetable garden during the summer months, and a small proportion during the winter. A greenhouse and poly tunnel have recently been erected, thus extending the available growing season and hopefully providing a vegetable surplus to store for the winter. Several fruit trees have been planted and we plan to develop a large area of blueberry and lingonberry bushes soon. Behind the main vegetable garden, on an area of hillside that the pigs have turned over and fertilised, we are creating a terrace system using old car tyres following the contours of the hill. The tyres will be used as mini raised beds which warm up quickly in the spring on the south facing hillside, while helping to prevent erosion of the slope.

Chickens There are currently 6 laying hens and a cockerel who live in a large pen with a strong chicken house into which they are locked each night, away from the pine martins and foxes. The hens provide the family with eggs, which are usually very large and always delicious.

Pigs In October 2004 we collected two young Tamworth female pigs from Oban Rare Breeds Park. Tamworths are a traditional breed of pig covered in red hair and are hardy, slow growing and great diggers. Patsy and Edina soon settled in. They are very friendly and like nothing better than to lie with their tummies being tickled. In March 2005 they went to spend some time with a local Tamworth boar and in August 2005 each had a litter of piglets. It was such fun to see the piglets running around the field in a huge group, moving like a shoal of fish! Five of the piglets went to new homes at 12 weeks old (weaners). The rest stayed to grow some more. Five of the piglets and the two sows became yummy bacon and pork last year. (In a study by Bristol University Tamworth pork and bacon scored as the tastiest by a wide margin over all other pigs.)The three remaining girls continued to plough and fertilise the back field for us until January 2008 when they too became bacon, pork and huge numbers of sausages. We will have a rest from pigs this year and probably get some again in 2009.