We are very lucky to farm in such a beautiful and fertile area where we can produce the best of crops and livestock. We have been farming organically for more than 15 years growing oats for porridge, feeding sheep and now growing flowers for local pick your own blooms throughout the summer. We are working hard to reduce our carbon footprint by farming organically, we use biomass for heating cottages, offices, and workshops and recently we have installed solar panels to provide clean sustainable electricity.

Our farming year starts in the spring, like everything we do the timing is very weather dependant. Some years we can sow oats in February but mostly it is March and April before the soil dries out and warms up. As organic farmers getting a good seed bed for sowing oats is crucial for the development of the crop. We don’t use any chemicals for weed control so we need the oats seed to get off to a good start and hopefully outgrow the weeds.

Sunflowers and other crops to feed wild birds through the winter are sown in May along with plots of Dahlias, Gladiolus, and summer flower mixes. The flowers are grown for pick your own blooms or as bouquets. River banks are bursting with wild flowers and bees are buzzing. Cliftonhill Farm is a beautiful place for holiday guests to relax and enjoy the beauty of our patch in Scotland.

Harvest is in August when we cut the oats and take them into store for use throughout the following winter. The oats are milled in batches throughout the year into porridge oat flakes in Kelso to supply Nairn’s who make them into oatcakes, and we also bag and sell them as Eden Valley Oats. I am sure that you will find a bag in your cottage or Hideaway!

The oats are followed by sheep that graze the stubbles until the Spring providing fertility for the following crop and maturing into either breeding sheep, for local farmers, or top-quality organic lamb for Sainsburys and local butchers.

Grazing sheep and growing clover and grass through the winter helps the land rest and regenerate ready for the next Spring when we start all over again….

“Live like you are going to die tomorrow and farm like you are going to live forever”
~John Marsden~

BIRDWATCHING AT

ST ABBS HEAD

CLIFFTOP

DISCOVERY

WILDLIFE TOURS

CYCLING IN THE BORDERS

FISHING THE RIVER TWEED

HORSE RIDING IN THE BORDERS (BORDERS FESTIVAL)

HIRSEL GOLF CLUB

KELSO RACES

TWEED GUIDE

WALKING ST CUTHBERTS WAY

ABBOTSFORD, HOME OF SIR WALTER SCOTT
ALNWICK CASTLE
ALNWICK GARDEN
DUNS CASTLE
FLOORS CASTLE
FORD AND ETAL ESTATES
THE HIRSEL COUNTRY PARK
MELLERSTAIN HOUSE
MANDERSTON HOUSE
PAXTON HOUSE
THIRLESTANE CASTLE
TRAQUAIR HOUSE

The cobbled square has a wonderful collection of shops... Hawick cashmere, finest tweeds, kilts country clothes from Archie Hume, pottery, gift shops, pictures and material. Orvis are helpful for fishing and shooting and are a source of local knowledge also Tweed side Tackle. Wyllie’s, the butchers for really good beef and pies, the Delicatessen, Collins an amazing fish shop and there is a unique assortment of gift shops including Itzy Bitzy and Cloud nine, Gifted and Seasons in Roxburgh Street. The Art House for interesting paintings on Bridge Street. Eating places and coffee shops are numerous including The Hoot and Cat. Klondyke has been redesigned and also has a good coffee shop.

Kelso Farmers' Market on Saturday 20th December
from 9.30am till 1.30pm in Kelso Square.