August is a very busy time for Orkney, not just thanks to summer visitors. This month is a peak time for another very important Orkney industry – farming.

The Importance of farming 

Farming is deeply significant to the Orcadian culture and has been for millenia. The most famous site on Orkney, Skara Brae, represents the beginning of agriculture on these isles over 5000 years ago.  

Today, of the 99,000 hectares which make up Orkney, 90% of the land is used for some form of agriculture. The main use is grazing for livestock. There are 100,000 more sheep than people on Orkney! Why? Because grass grows so well in the Orkney climate with its frequent rain and long daylight hours in the summer. 

County shows 

August is the final summer month. Before the busy harvest time begins there is a chance to celebrate. The shows are a hive of activity including animal competitions, games, tractor and equipment displays and stalls from charities and businesses. Sanday, East Mainland, Shapinsay, South Ronaldsay and Burray, Dounby had their own shows. The month of events ends with the Orkney County Show which is one of the biggest events of the year. 

I was lucky enough to go along to the Dounby show. I couldn’t believe how busy it was! I’ve never seen so many Orcadians in one place. Amongst the hustle and bustle of stalls was a performance arena. Here I enjoyed seeing the parade of prize winning horses, cows and even a lone goat. My highlight was seeing the young horse riders compete in high speed games. Very impressive. 

Horses and ploughing 

Down in St. Margaret’s Hope one day a year you can hear the jingling of bells. This merry noise signals the beginning of the Festival of the Horse. For over 200 years the children of this village and the surrounding farms have dressed up as show horses. These elaborate costumes are black suits decorated with ribbons, charms, pom-poms, rosettes and wool. The “ploughing harnesses” are often family heirlooms. Bagpipes accompany the children’s costume parade. Then the costumes are judged by local experts. 

Unfortunately photos don’t do them justice. Seeing the “horses” as they are called march out was truly  a sight to behold. Each costume was incredibly detailed and creative. I was really impressed with the craftsmanship. 

The Festival of the Horse is followed by the boys ploughing match. The adorable little ploughs are also handed down over generations. The boys are around 9 years old when they compete on the beach. 

Both traditions celebrate the agricultural heritage of the region. I was glad to see how popular the parade was. It’s great to see the tradition thriving after all this time.

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I love museums. I have been incredibly privileged to visit many in my short time on this planet. However, last week last week I may have visited the best museum ever?

Honorary mentions

To be fair those other museums I have visited (and to demonstrate I’m no newbie to the museum world), they deserve a honorable mention . The National Museum of Scotland will always be dear to me. With its soaring glass ceilings in one and the  labyrinthine hallways and rooftop viewpoint of the other building, it is certainly impressive. It showcases many fascinating items, even some of Orkney’s neolithic artefacts. Another great museum is the Vasa Museum in Stockholm. Points for the niche-ness of having one exhibit – to be fair a preserved 391 year old ship deserves a whole museum.  

As for one with impressive recreations, the National Crafts Museum in Delhi is outstanding with its authentic handicrafts and recreations of traditional building techniques. Each region of the astonishingly diverse nation is represented in someway and the level of skill demonstrated is beyond amazing.

However, all these fascinating and well designed museums can’t stand up to the time travelling powers of the winner.

The winner – Corrigall Farm Museum

Driving up the farm track, I had no clue that the biggest journey i’d make that day was one back in time. As we arrived, I was greeted by a line of shiny ploughs and the friendly custodian, Brian.

Upon entering the low doors of the humble farmhouse I was amazed to find myself in the late 1800s. As my eyes adjusted to the gloom I made out a grindstone with a dusting of flour, wooden barrels and a rabble of products on the shelf. On closer inspection the products seemed to be, unlike the customary plastic replicas, originals.  As the peat smoke reached my nostrils I felt as if any moment a victorian farmer would stroll in for their dinner.

With each room painted a picture of the past. The enthusiastic custodian, Brian, revealed the backstory of not only the building but the pieces it contained. I was amazed to learn I was standing in a room of original period furniture with a storied history.

The museum is unlike any I’ve ever experienced before. It is truly a gem of preservation, the extent to which is rarely found these days. I highly recommend it to visitors and locals alike.

You can experience Corrigall Farm Museum for yourself on our Undiscovered Past Tour.

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