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Deer in the woods
Ewe and Lamb on Cormiston Brae
Wrapping hay in the farmyard
Cormiston Farm is surrounded by open fields, grazed by alpaca, horses and sheep.
Alpacas have arrived recently. They are kept for their fine fleece, which makes luxurious warm jumpers and scarves. Each alpaca has its own character, and they are naturally curious.
Although they don't mind the cold (they are used to the Andes), Alpacas are not very happy with wet weather, and come into the barn for shelter. They are shorn in May.
The Georgian Steading was built about the same time as the original farmhouse. The original courtyard had been infilled with more modern agricultural buildings which have been removed. The Georgian buildings are being restored to their original state using traditional materials and techniques. Lime mortar is replacing the concrete used in the recent past, providing a flexible filler more friendly to the large stones.
The buildings will require a lot of work to bring them back to their former glory, and then continual attention. However they are well-suited to the climate, and have lasted over 200 years to prove it.
Wildlife surrounds the farm. If you stay still, and are sharp-eyed, hare can be seen in the fields, and deer on the edges of the woods. There are badgers in the woods, below the farm, on the south facing slopes near the River Clyde. The piercing 'pieuw! pieuw!' of buzzards soaring high over head is unmistakable.
In spring the arrival of swallows and house martins, that nest in the barns and under the eaves, is a sure sign that the weather is improving. At dusk you can hear the warbling cry of the curlew, from higher up the hill on Biggar Common, as it searches for food.
Chickens ranging free at the back of the house provide the eggs for the family and guests. The Black Rock hens provide most of the eggs, and a small breeding programme with Scots Grey chickens provide the early morning call. "Sergeant Ewart" sounds reveille at first light, but is fortunately just out of hearing of the guest bedrooms...
Our eggs are for sale at the farm, and at The Olive Tree in Biggar. Cormiston Farm is a registered egg producer and egg packing station.
Texel Ewe and lambs
Alpacas contemplate the Clyde Valley
The Old Dairy
Fixing the roof of The Hay Barn and Granary
Sergeant Ewart - The Scots Grey Cockerel