In this episode, Donna and Eilidh chat with Dr Lucy Beattie.

Lucy is from Leckmelm, close to the village of Ullapool. She has over 28 years of hands-on experience managing her own farming business and has also worked in education, teaching rural skills at Ullapool High and managing education projects for the Scottish Crofting Federation all over the Highlands and Islands. Lucy took a break from work to complete a PhD focused on public engagement with science. She is currently employed by the James Hutton Institute as a researcher in sustainable farming systems and she was recently appointed as a Commissioner for the Scottish Land Commission.

Music credit: Peatbog Faeries

In this episode we talk all things woodland crofting with Jamie McIntyre.

Jamie is a freelance forester and community development worker based in Ardnamurchan, though most of his time is spent supporting the Woodland Crofts Partnership (of which SCF is one of 4 partners). He's had a long interest in smaller-scale, rural development forestry and in particular ‘family forestry’ models such as woodland crofts & woodlots. He was, for a time, woodland crofts officer for HIE/FCS when the model gained ‘official’ support following the 2007 Crofting Reform Act, but has been self-employed for the last 13 years. His wife was raised on the family croft and they have 4 children, though only 1 is still in school. In his spare time Jamie is involved in various community projects including a hydro scheme, a community-owned school building and a community woodland.

Music credit: Peatbog Faeries

In this episode we chat with Rhoda Meek.

Rhoda is an entrepreneur, digital consultant and crofter based in the Isle of Tiree. Running Isle Develop CIC, and her own business, Meekton Enterprises, keeps her busy most of the time. From time to time she contracts for US Tech Startups, managing Customer Experience. At the moment she is doing Comms & Gaelic Development for the Tiree Community Development Trust. You'll also find her column in the Sunday National each week.

We explore Rhoda's thoughts on the crofting system, good and bad, thoughts on the future and what some of the barriers are to new entrants.

Music credit: The Peatbog Faeries