Well done Flora, always nice to see a lass taking on the lads! Surprised you can use a five blader up there I can just imagine great big boulders hiding a few inches down!
Not that unusual on the Black Isle, John. The soil here is very good and rich.
Added by Colin on 18 April 2009.
I have never visited that area Colin and was expecting it to be stony, Shetland is my only experience of the far north and I never saw a straight plough blade in my four years there!
The Black Isle's unusual. Physically north of the Great Glen fault, it's soil and farming have much more in common with the fertile soils of Nairnshire and Moray - though admittedly not as flat. There are many explanations for the name Black Isle, but one of these is that it describes the darkness of the soil, which is especially noteworthy when freshly turned.
Added by Colin on 21 April 2009.
Thanks Colin, it sounds like our Fenland soil, its so rich its a sight to behold when freshly turned. Who said there's no feeling left in farming?
Well got 4th place despite having a breakdown of my wheel depth screw going in bits and needing welded - thanks Ches for that. you did a good job. William my son also got 4th place in his class.
Easter Ross Ploughing match 13/11/10 Once again I've come home with the quaich for Best Ploughwoman and also picked up the prize for best work with a lemken plough and the prize for the hardest luck. That one being because I had a problem with the ground sticking to my plough boards roll on The Black Isle on feb 5th 2011
Added by Flora Thomson on 31 March 2009.