The Happy Farmer goes incognito

| January 13, 2020
Early January and the morning skies have been filled with vivid oranges, peaches and purples, as the sun has risen in all its splendour, providing the perfect backdrop to enjoy some gorgeous winter walks. I haven’t quite managed to peel the Happy Farmer away from the farm to join us on the jaunts but whilst [...]

The Happy Farmer’s Ditching Escapades

| January 2, 2020
The Happy Farmer’s services have been in demand over the festive season, and not just his fantastic turkey roasting service. With Persabus now situated as the gateway to the north Islay Distilleries, there has been a lot of ‘ditching’ going on recently, compliments of cars misbehaving. In their enthusiasm to access the Distilleries, they can [...]

‘Tis the Season

| December 18, 2019
It has reached that heady time of year again as Christmas comes hurtling around the corner, firing on all cylinders. The younger clan get the job of designing the Persabus Christmas card each year. A journey our friends have followed over the past twenty years from the innocent and beautiful child art of giraffes hanging [...]

Islay Beach Time

| December 9, 2019
One of Islay’s treasures is its spectacular coastline. The rugged cliffs, where dramatic waterfalls froth and bubble to the seas below. The colourful pebbles worn smooth by the tidal currents. The natural arches and caves in rock faces and then the vast expanses of sand and dunes where seals lull happily on banks and rocks. [...]

Time for Play

| December 2, 2019
It has been a week of falling soundly asleep beneath twinkling stars as the milky way shone brightly across the night skies. In the mornings waking up to the pinks, violets and oranges of a rising sun beaming down across the Sound of Islay. The farmhouse has been treated to a much-needed overhaul. Having spent [...]

Strike a Pose

| November 24, 2019
It’s been a busy week for photo shoots on the farm. Quite by accident in conversation with a couple of customers in the pottery and I find those Highland ladies have been striking a pose for the lens of a passing camera again. With the small single-track road meandering through the farm on its way [...]

Hamish is in the Naughty Books

| November 18, 2019
Waking up to a crisp clear morning in Glasgow then hopping on the plane for the short cruise through the skies back to Islay and we are met with snow-capped mountains as the winter wonderland unfolds below us, golden landscapes and turquoise seas and then the bird's eye views of Ardbeg, Laphroaig and Lagavulin Distilleries, [...]

The Happy Farmer’s Project

| November 11, 2019
We had a very welcome visitor at Persabus this week. With gorgeous sunshine and crisp autumn mornings, the ‘telehandler’ came trundling across from the Rhinns of Islay, courtesy of the Handsome Farmer, and Dolly the driver. The Happy Farmer proceeded to spend his day hoicked up in the air on the safety platform, reaching the [...]

Autumn in the Pottery

| November 5, 2019
With cold, crisp mornings and the first signs of frost in the ground, the wood burning stove has been roaring back to life in the pottery studio. The Happy Farmer heads over each morning after the feeding rounds to get the fire burning and top up supplies of coal and logs, ensuring the workshop is [...]

The Happy Farmer’s expedition

| October 28, 2019
It’s not always easy to coax the Happy Farmer out on a walk, unless there happens to be a cow, sheep or horse needing rescued or fed at the end of it. Walking to the Happy Farmer usually involves working. I was taken by surprise then, when last Sunday, with a spring in his step, [...]