Actualy Royce it is the actual neap itself that is fed to the sheep and kye. apparently they really love them in winter, chewing on them. Goodness knows how! Humans of course will eat the neeps too, one of the main ingrediants in "clapshot". It hadn't occured to me who or what eats the green bits. Will enquire.... Sian ----- Original Message ----- From: "Royce Perry" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Monday, September 17, 2007 7:32 PM Subject: Re: [ORCADIA] Graemsay Economy > > It's surprising the difference between places sometimes. You raise neaps > > for > animal forage and the humans eat the left over bottoms? Over here we eat > both ends. Nothing better than a big bait of turnip greens!! Our friends > if > the Highlands sent a video clip once of her and their son out in the "back > garden" harvesting the neeps. They were cutting off the tops and tossing > them in the composite pile. Don't know which of us was more surprised, > them > at the idea that humans eat the tops, or me at the notion that the tops > were > only good for livestock...<G> > R > > > -----Original Message----- > From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] > On > Behalf Of Sian Thomas > Sent: Monday, September 17, 2007 3:35 AM > To: [email protected] > Subject: Re: [ORCADIA] Graemsay Economy > > If it's a recent picture you would see hundreds of black and green round > silage bales! Half the island is owned by one farmer, who keeps about 120 > head of cattle plus "followers" - calves. His herd is all home bred, 3 > bulls being bought in over the years. He also has about 150 sheep plus > lambs. Three other crofters keep about 10 head of cattle each, plus about > 100 lambs. And another so called "hobby farmer" has about 50 sheep. All > farmers will have some fields which they will cut for winter feed (silage > and hay), and will have fields of "neaps" again for winter feed. A small > field of oats may be grown, but generally no arable crops. > > Due to various Government schemes there are also areas of "set aside" > where > farmers are paid to plant trees and just leave the land. And there are > still some large tracts of natural heathland, very ancient. But the > majority of this is owned by the crofters and may in time be fenced in and > grazed. > > Several others (myself included) have a few acres attached to the house. > I > have a 3 acre field behind my house, leading to the shore. I wanted to > make > > certain no one could build and obscure the stunning view from my > conservatory! I allow a neighbouring farmer to use it for summer grazing > in > > return for delivering my oil (for central heating) and petrol cans, plus a > myriad of other jobs he does for me. I like seeing livestock out of the > window but without the hassle of needing to do anything, apart from phone > the farmer if anything is in trouble or looks sick. I have learned various > bits of useful information - if a cows ears are horizontal all the time, > it > ain't feeling well......! > > Crofting tends to be subsistence living, so additional employment is > needed. > > One crofter is also the harbour master, cleans the waiting room, mows the > grass at the kirkyard and collects the refuse. He is also the local > supplier of calor gas. Another is also the postman, another runs the post > office, while her husband works offshore on a supply ship for the oil rigs > off shetland. I work from home full time as a medical researcher employed > by various Universities throughout the UK. The rest of the folk on the > island are either retired or at home raising the kids and working on the > farm. > > Incidentally the kids go across to Stromness to school. Under the age of > 14 > > they have a "minder" employed by the local authority to sit with them on > the > > boat and deliver them/collect them from school. One child aged 3 goes > over > to Stromness to Nursery twice a week. If the weather is very bad they > stay at home, otherwise they journey on the ferry each day from the age of > 5. > > Sian > > > _______________________________________ > Orcadia Group Photo Album > http://tinyurl.com/28bx9x > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the > quotes in the subject and the body of the message >

I am way behind on my e m - just got back from Pennsylvania Dutch Country - BUT I did pick up on the clapshot. I wish I had some right now! Marion - enjoying beautiful Maine weather. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Sian Thomas" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]>; <[email protected]> Sent: Wednesday, September 19, 2007 3:37 PM Subject: [ORCADIA] Neeps for the kye > Actualy Royce it is the actual neap itself that is fed to the sheep and > kye. > apparently they really love them in winter, chewing on them. Goodness > knows > how! > > Humans of course will eat the neeps too, one of the main ingrediants in > "clapshot".