Crofting for the Future In-person Training Course - Keiss Hall; Friday 6th and Saturday 7th February 2026

Have you been asking yourself:-

• What can I learn from others to adapt my crofting practice?
• How can I prepare for changes in agricultural policy?
• How can I make my croft more sustainable:- economically & environmentally?
• What resources are available to support me?

Answers to these and other questions in our intensive, in-person, interactive two day training course!

Course includes a free download of Sally Crowe's planning workbook - Your Farm, Your Way: Creating a farm life that works for you,
Grown from what matters the most. (RRP £25)

Feedback from other courses:

"I found [the croft planning exercises] really insightful learning about the differences between everyone’s crofts and how we were going to do things going forward”

“The course has confirmed that ideas and plans we have are doable. Some may take more time than others but I now know how and where to find help when necessary”.

“Lots of all round useful information [giving me a] more realistic view of how to move forward with plans and make them work for longer term”

“Excellent staff/trainers doing the course".

Programme includes (full programme details will be confirmed nearer the time):

• Planning sessions - where do you see your croft in five years time and what support do you need to get there?
• Rural Payments & Inspections Division - a representative from the local RPID office will be coming along to talk about what funding is available, how to access it, and changes in the agricultural payment system (e.g. the Whole Farm Plan). A chance to ask all your burning funding questions!
• Talks on habitat management and creating woodland
• A visit to Sally Crowe's croft in Keiss to find out about her many and varied activities.

This course is suitable for both new entrant and experienced crofters.

"It feels right to me to farm with nature and to go back to basics by selling my produce to the end consumer".

Sally Crowe and her family have a 65 acre croft in Keiss, Caithness, nearly all region 1 land.

Livestock
They run 60 hill cheviot ewes and followers and 8 rare breed Irish moiled cattle, and are working towards the cattle and sheep being 100% pasture fed.
Nearly all the wethers and bull calves are sold as beef and lamb boxes, and they also sell mutton boxes

Hens
There are and around 65 Lohman brown hens on the croft and Sally runs a weekly egg delivery of around 35-30 dozen eggs a week.

Working with nature
Sally's family have been following regenerative practices for around 13 years now and are supporting the growing population of the rare Great Yellow Bumblebee; when creating new habitats or maintaining what is already there.
The croft also supports a slowly growing population of wader, curlews, snipe, red shank and lapwings.

Sally lives by Work Smarter, Not Harder, and has put in systems to make her work-life balance easier. 

Keiss Hall: Friday 6th & Saturday 7th February 2025.

Members:- £50; Non-members:- £80
This includes morning & afternoon refreshments and lunch.

Did you know you can save on training costs by becoming a member? Join Scottish Crofting Federation from as little as £3.50 per month and access discounted rates for training. Find out more at www.crofting.org/membership/

NB. If cost is a barrier to you attending this course, please contact us.

Please direct any enquiries to celia@crofting.org

This workshop is 75% subsidised through the SRDP Knowledge Transfer and Innovation Fund (KTIF), funded by Scottish Government.