save the crofters

[buzzby]

Hi everyone

For those of you who are not aware, the goverment are closing down scotlands bull hire scheme at Knocknagael in Inverness which provide's crofters in the Highland & Islands with the use of a bull.
If this closure is to go ahead it will result in a dramatic decrease of cattle and affect the crofters livelyhoods.

Please Please Please sign this petition and give us your support

www.ipetitions.com/petition/savethebullhirescheme (http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/savethebullhirescheme)

[EDDIE]

So why does the crofters all chip in to paying for the up keep of the bull if its that important to there livelyhood or even by a bull bull and hire it out themselves

[arana negra]

Point me in the direction of the reasoning behind the decision please, I need to know more before I sign it thanks.

[Torvaig]

This is a nonsensical move on the part of the government. In today's financial climate we should be helping crofters and farmers to sustain their output of food for our communities.

In fact, they should be actively encouraged to pass on their skills to others with any land, no matter how small, to teach them how to sustain a natural source of good food and dairy products.

We have moved so far away from natural products and a grounded way of living that whole generations don't know anything about how to look after themselves if all our modern gadgets were to fail for some reason or other.

With the present recession underway, many of us would be thankful of what they have to teach us. Gone are the days when anyone with just a pocket of land could grow at least some of their food and have a hen or two to produce some eggs. I love when I read on these boards of the folks who are growing their own vegetables and swapping tips on how to make the best of them.

Maybe it is time for the powers that be to court the crofters and farmers and ask them to hold courses, classes or whatever to encourage all the potential small holdings. A whole industry could spring up with offshoots of people employed to teach this generation how to prepare and cook real food from real ingredients, not out of packets and tins.

Many of the farms could have their own farm shops instead of our food being carted halfway round the country before we get our hands on stuff that was probably grown nearby in the first place.

And maybe then we would not be so keen to have all these supermarkets on our doorstep with their loads of packaging, plastic and tin needing to be disposed of in ever reducing quality land.

Rant over; see what you started Buzzby and by the way, I signed the petition! :lol:

[Kenn]

Beggars the question, if they used the money they are currently paying in hire charges could they not purchase a bull of their own?
Does any one know what they pay and if the figures are publicly available?
Whilst appreciating that a quality bull will cost many thousands of pounds surely in the long term it could be more economically viable especially as they might be able to hire it out to others not presently in the scheme.

[buzzby]

it is not as straightforward as simply buying a bull. Many of the crofters groups simply could not afford to buy a bull, others might but could not maintain a bull through the winter due to lack of facilities and inclement climate

[Kenn]

Point noted buzzby but some facts and figures would be good so that cost efficiency could be factored into the equation.Without that information we are all walking in the dark.

[buzzby]

Sorry I would like to give you the facts and figures but they have not been available yet. But I can tell you from speaking to many crofters that they could not afford this .

[Kenn]

Thanks, hope that at some point they become available in the meantime here's hoping that the various crofting associations can continue to exist, would be a shame to see that way of life go into total demise .

[Aaldtimer]

Can't they use "The bull with the bowler hat"? The A.I. man! :lol:

[buzzby]

A . I has been tried in the past but there is not sufficient coverage to produce similar success rates.

[nellie]

dose this mean the man with the bowler hat will be out of a job?:(:(

[crofter]

Hi everyone

For those of you who are not aware, the goverment are closing down scotlands bull hire scheme at Knocknagael in Inverness which provide's crofters in the Highland & Islands with the use of a bull.
If this closure is to go ahead it will result in a dramatic decrease of cattle and affect the crofters livelyhoods.

Please Please Please sign this petition and give us your support

www.ipetitions.com/petition/savethebullhirescheme (http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/savethebullhirescheme)

That's another 2 signatures added. I fully understand the situation and hope they manage to stop the closure.