Kailyard

A group of Bailies volunteers look after the Shepherd’s Lodge kailyard. Sited just next to Shepherd’s Lodge croft, the kailyard is a recreation of a small 19th century croft garden that helps us imagine what the Bennachie landscape would have been like in the past. We have been raising varieties of fruit crops that might have been grown in the past and looking after the area surrounding the kailyard for the benefit of everybody. 

The aim of the Kailyard being to help discover what life might have been like for the Colonists. What were their methods of farming, were they influenced by the “improvements”, what did they grow, and what problems may they have encountered? Following research our cultivation methods are similar to those we believe would have been used by the Colonists and the chosen plants are mostly heritage fruit bushes from the 19th century. 

During 2017 volunteers cut back and removed unwanted herbage, dug, tested and manured the soil, erected a fence and planted a number of fruit bushes. During 2018 the fruit bushes put on good growth, even offering a small amount of fruit. Since then, the kailyard has continued to thrive.    

We have learned a little more about the Colonists, which in turn is presenting us with new topics of research that could have influenced their lives. We know the soil is much deeper in the Kailyard than other parts of the croft and of a good quality, showing the amount of skill and effort put in by the Colonists. Evidence that they were using their midden to fertilise this plot comes from the considerable amount of 18th/19th century pottery unearthed.  With the bushes now providing us with fruit, we are trying out recipes and ways the Colonists could have used their harvests, with some interesting theories. 

During 2024 we tried a further experiment in growing kale, using locally sourced kale seeds. They germinated and grew on very well and were planted out in May. Unfortunately, by July, it appeared that a deer had entered the kailyard, munched the kale down to its stumps and helped him/herself to some raspberries at the same time. We created a broom barrier to protect the much diminished plants and we were delighted to see them regrow strongly – only for pests unknown to take them again by late autumn, when they would have been ready for picking. We can say it was a wholly successful experiment in learning about the importance of probably daily pest control for the crofters of the past.  

Visitors are always welcome, so if you are visiting Bennachie pop along and view our progress. 

While volunteers have continued maintaining the Kailyard, a diary has been kept:

• For the latest Kailyard volunteer diary reports see 2024 Kailyard Diary Report
• For the 2023 volunteer rota diary reports see 2023 Kailyard Diary Report
• For the 2022 volunteer rota diary reports see 2022 Kailyard Diary Report
• For the 2021 volunteer rota diary reports see 2021 Kailyard Diary Report
• For the 2020 volunteer rota diary reports see 2020 Kailyard Diary Report
• For the 2019 volunteer rota diary reports see 2019 Kailyard Diary Report