It seems a strange way to begin the story of a new ‘eco house’, with the tale of felling a tree. But in terms of construction, building out of wood is one of the best things you can do for storing and absorbing carbon, and I did hug this tree first… Read more
Workers at Angus Soft Fruits, mostly from Eastern Europe, gather strawberries from dawn on a farm by the sea. © Angus Blackburn, Scottish Field
Over the past year, in a series of columns published in Scottish Field, I have explored an ethical issue about a fruit or vegetable grown in Scotland every month. It has been a privilege to meet the farmers growing our food and I hope to go into more detail about some of the challenges of feeding the world without destroying the environment in my next book. If there is a subject you would like me to explore please post comments below. Read more
Aspen planted in 1.8m tubes by Loch Torridon.
Over the past year I have been involved in a project to plant 3,500 native trees on Ben Damph Estate in the Highlands of Scotland. It was a part of a Forestry Commission Scotland grant to improve woodland in an area previously infested with rhododendron ponticum. This blog is an attempt to exchange knowledge on the challenges of planting in a landscape shared with red deer and rhoddies, and a little bit of philosophy about the joys of planting trees…
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Rankins’ in Tollcross in 1978. The year I was born! Can you remember any Rankins’ greengrocer shops in Edinburgh? © The Scotsman Publications Ltd.
The first step in my new project is to consider the history of the fruit and vegetable trade. I am particularly interested in my Great Grandfather’s chain of shops Rankins’ greengrocers in Edinburgh and would like to hear from anyone who can remember the shops. Read more
Louise Gray investigating fruit and veg at Blochairn Fruit Market in Glasgow © Angus Blackburn, Scottish Field
I have officially started a new project, and it’s all about where our fruit and vegetables come from…. Read more
A pine marten looking for danger – and peanuts.
A few weeks ago I spent a very enjoyable evening in the hide at Aigas Field Centre, where BBC Springwatch is filmed, watching a pine marten happily munching peanuts – until a badger came along… Read more
This 8-pointer stag is in the height of the rut, roaring to demonstrate his willingness to fight for the chance to mate with the hinds.
If you have already read chapter 14 of The Ethical Carnivore, you will understand this is a little bit of a postscript… Read more
Tagging gannets on the Bass Rock.
I was lucky enough to visit the Bass Rock with Leeds University scientists to tag gannets. A short piece has already appeared in the Guardian Country Diary so I just wanted to add a few photos here and note my family connection to the island.
A roe deer skull I found on Glen Clova. The back of the antlers were black so I wonder if it was running from the muirburn? Or died before the heather was burnt off?
Lobsters caught and eaten off North Berwick. Sorry, but I didn’t share it with the seagull…
In North Berwick it is now possible to see baby lobsters in a hatchery, take a boat trip out to haul creels from the sea and finally enjoy the catch safe in the knowledge it is sustainable. Here is my photo diary of the best lobster I have ever tasted. Read more
