Space; and time..

Thinking about trying to find the time to write up the May trip to Cairngorms...

Fast receding; thankfully not in memory... Huzzah for photos; and notebooks; but certainly seems distant timewise...

As with all 'non essential' but still itching to get done projects. it might mean staying up late; getting up extra early; or both...

I believe it's a common theme;  among compulsive writers; or journaliers.

That storytellers need; to get ones account down; in words; and perhaps pictures too...

There are always many angles of approach that could be taken. Beyond merely "First here, then there".
But it would appear that bunnets, on summits figure significantly; somewhere in the mix.

And there are also a few other pressing pieces of writing that need addressing too. It's soo very difficult to stay focussed; too many distractions.

But what brought all of this to mind; is an investigative project that I've been invited to take part in next month.

Regarding the barriers to incomers; and would be participants; in agroecological farming...

More demands on time; but an issue close to my heart, so time will be found, or made, somehow...

Mind wandering as it will, I was considering the clearance of the small scale  or subsistence farmers from the Highlands of Scotland... And how there are parallels with what has happened to the same, in more lowland UK...

Starting off down South with the enclosures where large 'show estates' were created, by the 'landed gentry'.... Particularly on the more fertile, easily cultivated areas, of the South East and the Midlands...

Meaning that smaller scale producers, or tenant farmers were tidied away to make room for large tracts of parkland..

Which meant that the South West; and parts of Wales were the primary areas where smaller farms and 'steads continued to exist; and in sometimes prosper.....
And even up until fairly recently it was where new entrants might get a first foothold on the farming ladder.

 Because the more marginal land in these areas was just that bit more affordable.

But recently there has been an upsurge in 'downsizing' where folks with plenty of readies; from selling up in the South East,  or wherever; can come chasing the 'country dream'... 

Thereby quite unintentionally; I'm sure; stymying the hopes of any local persons who might have dreamed of; getting their 'properly gnarly' mitts on a few acres to ' start farming'...

But of course; if those people have spent their years building up the experience in land work; often grafting on other folks holdings, there's no way they've built up a pot of money to rival that of the highest bidder; with cash to splash.....

So those potential farmers, who may have some connection with the locality; or at least have some connection with land work; are priced out if the market... And there are fewer and fewer affordable tenancies available, when a handsome rent can be extracted from some well off 'lifestylers'..

And County Council Farms, are sold off for the apparent benefit of the Council Tax payer... Even though most folks don't even realise that there ever was such a thing as a council owned farm.... And who knows? If asked; those interested citizens might wish such a scheme to be continued.

I have a few; only half thought through ideas; as to how these conundrums might be resolved....

But I'll definitely be very interested to hear how others might be working out a solution to this impasse...

And sooner or later; but hopefully before too long I'll be winding up the 'handcranked country broadband' to recount and picture one version of events; around clearing off to the Highlands, in May... 

A small farm; with a priceless farmsitter; is the only real way; of pulling off a trip like that....

Only slightly wonky water level...Snapped whilst balancing (or obv not) on a rock...
Theme of 'falling over' arose in yoga class tonight; as is so often the case... 'Over-balancing'???  Strange phrase... As really it's a dearth, rather than a surfeit of that ability...