Heather Billington has been doing an outdoor crops production course, which was offered through Lantra Scotland and the Scottish Government’s Women in Agriculture Fund.
She explains how it has benefitted her:
“I live on a croft in Banffshire with four-acres of diverse land, and am developing a kitchen and market garden, a willow patch for basket weaving and expanding an award-winning bee keeping business.
I also manage a small orchard, soft fruit growing area and rough pasture, following sustainable practices which involves encouraging healthy ecosystems and reducing the need for chemical pest control.
The outdoor crops production course I have been doing through the Women in Agriculture Fund is allowing me to develop my knowledge and skills for the croft, upsizing and diversifying my knowledge whilst developing a small business.
Producing organic raw food and creating preserved and cooked produce are big interests of mine, and I now have much more knowledge about what I can grow successfully as part of my sustainable business.
Researching outdoor production in my area has taught me so much, and I can now plan with a greater level of confidence, which is entirely down to the course material.
The main focus for the course, and the aspect I have got the most from, is the mix of practical planting with visiting and researching producers that are local to me.
I am loving the learning aspect and putting my new knowledge into my smallholding”.