Rosemary Fletcher | December 12, 2018
The festive season is here. I love the glitter and sparkle of all it brings. Getting shopping done, presents wrapped, Christmas cards posted, mince pies, cakes and puddings baked. Christmas parties and nights out are in order with visits to pantomimes and shows. Carols, concerts, Christmas fayres and festive lunches are hosted as the Islay [...]
Rosemary Fletcher | December 5, 2018
Back in May a team from Wild About Argyll arrived at the farm to shoot photos for their new ‘Heart and Soul’ campaign. They needed a ‘stile’ and wanted to take some photos in the Pottery and Ceramic Café at Persabus. I immediately set about photographing every stile I could find in the local area [...]
Rosemary Fletcher | November 28, 2018
I always refer to the Happy Farmer as part of the fixtures and fittings of Islay. He is from one of the oldest families on the island. The Fletchers have been farming on Islay close on 500 years. If you have ever had the pleasure of meeting him, you will know what a character he [...]
Rosemary Fletcher | November 21, 2018
The Happy Farmer has been ‘heuching and cheuching’. We’ve been away for a short break of mainland living. Shops, restaurants, trains, mountains, museums, galleries, Christmas lights, fireworks and rugby. It was lovely to get away and lovely to return home. When you step off the plane the crisp cold air envelopes you. You can breathe [...]
Rosemary Fletcher | November 12, 2018
Sunday morning was interrupted by the sound of a beeping horn coming up the road. Beeping horns on the farm usually mean there is an animal on the loose. Today the forester was following last year’s tup lamb, Haggis, back home to barracks. Haggis had taken himself off for a quick visit to the neighbouring [...]
Rosemary Fletcher | November 6, 2018
We waved goodbye to our lovely group from South Africa. The week went well. The Happy farmer took them out on his morning rounds, with feeding duties for the livestock forming part of their week of team building activities on the farm. The Happy Farmer quite enjoys this new way of life. He could get [...]
Rosemary Fletcher | October 31, 2018
I exit to the mainland, leaving the Happy Farmer to ‘sail the good ship Persabus’. There are the usual tasks, changeovers to be organised. Breakfasts to be cooked. Pottery orders to be posted out. Kiln firings to be completed, together with farming duties, oh and a shelter to be built for the horses. In my [...]
Rosemary Fletcher | October 23, 2018
We had a gathering of the ‘clans’ on the farm last week. The sheep, young and old were rounded up in the old sheep fank and placed into lots for our annual livestock sale. The Happy Farmer needed to check the sheep were ‘correct’ above and below before separating them. Cheeky, crabbit and obstinate were [...]
Rosemary Fletcher | October 16, 2018
The lobster pots that were residing in the front field have long gone. They have been busy collecting a plentiful supply of lobsters deep beneath the sea all summer long. The ‘lobster pot rent’ for their short stay at Persabus appears to be ongoing though. It is rumoured we missed out on one of the [...]
Rosemary Fletcher | October 7, 2018
Seasons don’t end at Persabus, they just change. Summer visitors often ask me what an Islay winter is like As the summer months fade to a happy distant memory, Autumn is upon us and our guests can look forward to a very different island experience. Our ‘whisky visitors’ are back staying with us on the [...]
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