Women in Agriculture, Argyll: Motivate & Inspire

In this webinar we heard inspirational women tell their stories about how they are involved with farming and crofting across Argyll and the Islands.

Four very different backgrounds and routes into agriculture, with challenges, ups and downs but also with buckets of success and exciting businesses between them!

Speakers:

• Rhoda Meek is living on the Isle of Tiree and learning about crofting on the job. Working remotely by day, as an IT Consultant for software companies, she also runs a Tea label called Tiree Tea, and during lockdown set up the innovative isle20.com website.
• Claire Simonetta moved to Scotland in 2012 from a non-farming background in Switzerland and now lives and works on a hill farm on the Isle of Mull. As a part-time self-employed agricultural consultant she provides advice to farmers across the Highlands and Islands. Over the last year Claire has also been involved with the farmer-led group work to help advise Scottish Government on future agricultural policy.
• Geraldine MacKinnon is a native to the Isle of Canna. After a spell away, she returned in 1996 and has been involved in managing Canna Farm for The National Trust for Scotland since then.
  Geraldine is also a crofter in her own right, runs self catering properties and is chair person of the Isle of Canna Community Development Trust.
• Jane Isaacson was brought up on a remote estate in the Highlands and always dreamt of having her own farm. When the opportunity arose of a tenancy in Argyll a few years ago, Jane jumped at the chance. Hand milking highland cattle and making ice cream using the milk along with ingredients grown and foraged on the farm, Highland Fold Ice cream was created.