Farm Hack is a regular gathering of about 100 small-scale food producers to explore the tools and techniques needed for an ecologically sustainable future for farming in Scotland. The event is organised by a team of volunteers from across the food sovereignty movement and supported by charity Common Good Food. We hosted them most recently in 2019. Our flexible and spacious facility and room for a marquee meant everyone could be in the same place for the keynote sessions, while there were ample locations to use for breakout sessions, presentations and demonstrations, inside and out.
Some of the sessions included: Horse-drawn field equipment, Biochar making, blacksmithing, Scything, Sausage making, Engine maintenance, Green woodworking, Fencing, 3D printing of replacement parts.
Brian & Kate had a small wedding for 25 guests. They exchanged vows on the beach, but had the hall in reserve for bad weather. They hired a caterer to prepare food in the kitchen, dressed the tables and chairs for the occasion and held the reception in the hall, prior to music and dancing into the evening. Some guests stayed in local hotels, B&B and self-catering accommodation while others camped on the lawn.
Graham and Sophie's wedding needed space for 90 people. They hired a marquee with extra tables and chairs, plus a couple of portaloos. They exchanged vows in the marquee with windows overlooking the loch. They hired caterers and the reception was served in the marquee, which later became a ceilidh space. The hall housed their bar, along with quiet space for folk to chat. If this is more your style, we can put you in touch with local supplies and caterers.
Fi and Emma are two local yoga teachers. Together with their friend, who is a wild swimming teacher, they hired the entire building one weekend in September to host a retreat for 15 participants.
The guests were able to camp on the lawn and share the showering and laundry facilities in the building. Everyone was able to cook and eat together using the fully equipped kitchen. The water in the loch is warmest in the late summer and they walked to the farm’s own beach to swim. They were able to use the studio for reflexology and massage sessions, and the hall for yoga. Because the Big Shed has yoga kit for 15, campers didn’t even need to pack their own mats! In the evening everyone enjoyed making music and drinking gin around the firepit.
Our low prices meant Fi and Emma were able to make a profit for their businesses without overcharging their participants.
For the carnivores, the kitchen is equipped for butchery. During the annual cull, you can purchase half a deer, or even a whole one, from a local game dealership. It will be delivered from their deer larder to the Big Shed kitchen, where you can butcher it to take home and fill up your freezer. Contact us for more information.
StepUp Scotland helps improve the well-being of minority communities in Glasgow through access to the natural environment and introduction to outdoor adventures. They visited us in a 60-seater coach (!) to relax with a barbecue in the sunshine after trying out white water rafting on the River Tay.
Despite the wintry weather Mettje Hunneman aka ForestVideolab cycled all the way from Edinburgh to Loch Tay, with her camera and mobile projector, on this electric all-terrain bike.
She stayed warm in the studio on the dull, dreich days – yes we do get a few! On the perfect winter days - crisp, clear and sunny, she took some fabulous photos like this one. She also made excellent use of the dark evenings, sometimes in the worst of weathers, to create light projections incorporating features of the landscape and the buildings.
Ellie is a regular hirer, who sells her bakes through our local NeighbourFood market. She hires the kitchen for one day a fortnight to bake her range of delicious brownies (also available in the farm shop).
