Sharing the beauty and tranquility of our island of South Uist with you. Whether you join us for a Hello from our Island shores of South Uist.
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We are Donald John and Lindsay, an Island crofting couple who would like to welcome you into our lives to experience and learn about crofting and the way it has shaped our Islands; the people and the place. DJ is a 6th generation crofter, born and bred on South Uist, I’m a 6th generation farmer who has embraced the crofting traditions and working practices. Crofting isn’t a job it’s a way of life,
it runs through your veins. Our passion for the land and animals is what fuels the long days and nights and makes it all worthwhile. Long Island Retreats offer Croft and Island tours from our home in Loch Skipport, South Uist. We want you to have an authentic Island experience, where you can meet the locals, hear tales of yesteryear, learn some Gaelic, get up close with our animals before leaving with unforgettable memories!
It’s May and Scottish Agritourism month, join us in celebrating the great crofts, farms and estates throughout Scotland who offer amazing accommodation, food and drink, experiences and events.
In the meantime pop across to Go Rural Scotland to find out more!
If you’ve been wondering why things have been a little bit quiet around here, we’ve been busy expanding the flock! The maternity ward officially opened on the Croft earlier this month with the arrival of Ewan, swiftly followed days later with the first lambs and calves of 2024.
We start back with tours on the Croft this week and online bookings open this weekend for the Summer season, thanks for all your patience in booking while we waited for our new arrival!
If you would like to find out more about the unique eco-system of the Island Machair then tune in tonight to BBC ALBA at 9pm as we harvest our silage crop on South Uist.
We are sliding into 2024 the island way... slowly! We have been treated to the most amazing colours in sunrises and sunsets with a spell of beautiful settles weather, hopefully a sign of what is to come this year.
We are super busy working away behind the scenes with lots of new experiences, products and partnerships. We can’t wait to share all the developments with you and welcome lots of you onto the Croft in 2024!
🥩 ABERDEEN ANGUS BEEF BOXES - AVAILABLE NOW 🥩
We are delighted to have our beef boxes from our Aberdeen Angus Herd available again in time for Christmas. Born, reared and finished on the fertile machair ground of South Uist. Matured slowly - the island way.
Our meat is matured for 21 days to enhance flavour and tenderness. Each box contains:
4 x steak mince (500g)
2 x diced beef (500g)
1 x roast choose from topside/silverside/brisket
2 x choice of steaks fillet/sirloin/ribeye
2 x rump steaks
2 x minute steaks
2 x packs of sausages
2 x pack of Lorne sausage
📦 Boxes are £130, meat is blast frozen and vacuum packed.
📩 Limited availability, please pop us a message to order and arrange collection/delivery.
We’ll be at the Lochboisdale Christmas Market from 2-5pm today with a selection of free range pork and Aberdeen Angus beef and some lovely stocking fillers for those Croft mad kids.
You can also order your Aberdeen Angus Beef Boxes, which make a great Christmas present or tasty treat for the holidays.
📩 Pop us a message if you want us to keep anything aside for collection so you don’t miss out.
Today’s stock includes:
🥩 Ribeye & Rump Steaks, Minute Steak, Steak Mince & Diced Beef.
🐖 Pork Belly, Pork Steaks, Pork Spare Ribs, Pork Sausages, Pork & Apple Sausages, Pork & Apple Burgers & Pork, Apple & Black Pudding Burgers.
Delighted and very humbled that a wee croft on the Outer Hebrides has been chosen to be a key part of the Scottish Agritourism Monitor Farm Programme as a Satellite Monitor Farm. Great news for crofting and island communities.
The programme runs over three years and we look forward to sharing our journey and bringing Agritourism Monitor Farm meetings to the Outer Hebrides. A huge congratulations to all other Monitor Farms Fearn Farm, Kinclune Estate and Organic Farm, Westerton Farmers, Ernespie Farm, & Cairns Farm Estate.
🐑 LAMB BOXES - SOLD OUT 🐑
Thanks for all orders and enquiries.
Local fresh lamb produced on South Uist
• Cheviot cross Texel lambs
• Grass Fed
• Low Food Miles
• Full Traceability
• High Welfare
• Hung for 10 days to enhance flavour & tenderness
📦 Whole & Half Boxes available - butchered & vacuum packed.
🛻 Delivered direct to your door (Eriskay, South Uist, Benbecula & North Uist)
📩 Limited availability due to pre-orders, pop us a message to order.
The ever changing autumn weather on the Hebrides. Sunshine is never far away and the rain is always followed by the colours of the rainbow
We are looking forward to today's food market with Tagsa Uibhist Community Gardens, we'll be there with lots of beef and pork so be sure to come and say hello!
We are looking forward to seeing you at our Halloween food market today and don't forget your spooky costume!
It is our biggest food market yet with over 20 producers and food businesses!
Pop down for all your local produce - fresh fish, shellfish, venison, beef, mutton, veg, eggs, honey, pizza, home baking, jams and chutneys. Lochmaddy Bay Prawns will also be there with their tasty lunch menu.
In addition Island Dreams and Otter Mountain Uist will have a pumpkin patch and Halloween crafts. Storytelling with Ishi Maclean. Music from Ceòlas/ UHI students. Uist Community Riding School will be offering 30 minute Halloween pony rides for £20 (Booking is advisable). Chrissie's Magical Faces will also be there from 11am - 12.30.
We look forward to seeing you all.💚
Salar Hebridean Smokehouse Ltd. Isle of South uist
Long Island Retreats Meats
Helen MacIntosh - Jams & Home Baking
Strome Eggs
Gramsdale Eggs
The Croft Kitchen, Isle of Barra
JOAN PIZZA
North Uist Estate Venison
Bee Bharraigh
Rubh' a Chlachain
Ronan MacPhee Bakes
Mullach Orchard
Brian Miller's Lamb and Mutton
NeighbourFood Tagsa produce available too...
Barratlantic Ltd
Stòras Uibhist Venison
Hebridean Kitchen
Hebridean Charcuterie From Croft No.9
Isle of Skye Sea Salt Company
Honest Oats
Foragers Chillies & Herbs
🐖 SOUTH UIST PORK BOXES - AVAILABLE NOW 🐖
We are delighted to be offering our first pork boxes from our outdoor reared pigs. Matured slowly - the island way.
The meat is hung for ten days to enhance flavour and tenderness.
1 x Leg Joint
1 x Rolled Shoulder Joint
2 x Pork Sausages (8-10 in a pack)
1 x Pork & Apple Sausages
1 x Pork & Black Pudding Sausages
1 x Pork & Apple Burgers (4 per pack)
2 x Pork Steaks (2 per pack)
1 x Pork Belly
📦 Boxes are £100, meat is frozen and vacuum packed.
📩 Limited availability, please pop us a message to order and arrange collection/delivery this week.
A great insight into some of the fabulous food & drink producers here on the Outer Hebrides, you can listen now to DJ chatting to the team from The Scotsman’s SCRAN Podcast.
Local food and drink at its best!
Delighted to be Chairing a session at this years Scottish Agritourism conference with such inspirational speakers. It’s a great event for networking, sharing ideas and being inspired by others in the sector.
Tickets are available to buy now https://bit.ly/3Pjz9gW
Moooooove along nothing to see here just out exploring the neighbourhood!
One of the new members of the herd loving a wee scratch from our visitors today. A great day of chatter and laughter in the island sun.
🐮🥩 ABERDEEN ANGUS BEEF BOXES - AVAILABLE NOW 🥩🐮
We are delighted to have our first beef boxes from our Aberdeen Angus Herd. Born, reared and finished on the fertile machair ground of South Uist. Matured slowly - the island way.
Our meat is matured for 28 days to enhance flavour and tenderness. Each box contains:
4 x steak mince (500g)
2 x diced beef (500g)
1 x roast choose from topside/silverside/brisket
2 x sirloin steaks
2 x rump steaks
2 x minute steaks
2 x packs of sausages
1 x pack of Lorne sausage
1 x pack of 4oz burgers
📦 Boxes are £125, meat is frozen and vacuum packed.
📩 Limited availability, please pop us a message to order and arrange collection/delivery.
It’s May and it’s Scottish Agritourism month! Join us as we celebrate all the great farms, crofts and estates throughout Scotland who offer amazing accommodation, food and drink, experiences and events.
We thought it was a great opportunity to reintroduce ourselves to all our new followers. DJ is the 6th generation crofter who loves to share his knowledge of crofting and the islands with all our visitors. I’m Lindsay and the person you will be in touch with before you visit our island shores. We both know that Cara is the boss!
Head over to Go Rural Scotland to find out more about all the amazing agritourism businesses.
The mini crofter, aka the boss turned two this week! She’s been a huge part of the journey, a wee grafter out feeding the animals and supervising the workers. She also plays a big part in our motivation to create a sustainable future on the crofts for the next generation.
Born to Croft 💕
Grab a cuppa and head over to listen to our own development story of Long Island Retreats & Larder and how important Scottish Agritourism was to that journey!
Thanks to Scotland's Farm Advisory Service - FAS for inviting me along to chat about everything from crofting to cocktails! 🐑🍹
Hello March, please continue to deliver such beautiful beginnings and ends to the day. A month which see’s new life all around us as we welcome calves and lambs into the world and start to see the first signs of spring on the crofts.
When the sky dances for you!
We had the most incredible display of northern lights last night, were you lucky enough to find some too?
You may have noticed we’ve been hibernating... wrapped up cosy weathering the wild Atlantic winter but these gorgeous light mornings have reawakened the soul and we are back!
We are super busy behind the scenes with lots of new and exciting developments which we can’t wait to share with you all.
We’ll also be sharing lots of newborn photos as we continue with calving and start lambing next month... cuteness overload in progress!
Merry Christmas from all of us, we hope you have a lovely day!
Lachie here has been busy trying out for Santa’s Squad so if cuteness points are awarded we think he’s on the team next year! 🎅🏻🎄🎁
What can we say about the last two days at the Scottish Agritourism Conference in Perth, it’s been the most amazing, inspiring and motivational two days. Catching up with old friends and making new ones, all with one common goal... driving forwards the Agritourism sector in Scotland.
With new funding announced and huge ambitious plans in place, this is one of the most exciting sectors to be a part of right now. Very honoured to have been asked to share our story with everyone and we are so proud to be part of what feels like an amazing Agritourism family.
Tattie lifting this year was a real family affair! Her quality control skills need some refining but you can’t fault her enthusiasm!
🐑 LAMB & MUTTON BOXES - AVAILABLE NOW 🐑
Local fresh lamb & mutton produced on South Uist
• Cheviot cross Texel lambs
• Grass Fed
• Low Food Miles
• Full Traceability
• High Welfare
• Hung for 10 days to enhance flavour & tenderness
📦 Whole & Half Boxes available - butchered & vacuum packed.
🛻 Delivered direct to your door (Barra, Vatersay, Eriskay, South Uist, Benbecula & North Uist)
📩 Limited availability, pop us a message to order.
Halloween South Uist style! 👻
Delighted to have been asked to speak at the Scottish Agritourism Conference in Perth on the 6th & 7th December.
If you are a croft, farm or estate owner and looking to diversify into Agritourism then this is an event you will want to attend. A packed programme of inspirational industry speakers and stories, lots of networking opportunities and updates on whats happening in the sector across Scotland and Internationally.
You can book tickets now, with a fab early bird discount over the next week... did I mention the cocktail drinks reception!
Full details of Scottish Agritourism Conference 2022. Industry speakers, supplier exhibition, Growth Tracker break out sessions, networking.
This is what our pony experiences are all about! The smiles, the connection and the memories! We’ve loved welcoming everyone onto the crofts this year, the ponies have loved the extra cuddles and pampering too!
We’ll still be doing tours and pony experiences throughout the winter months, with an indoor space for those wild winter days. We are also busy planning ahead for next year, with new experiences and facilities it’s an exciting time for us here at Long Island HQ!
The new girls on the block.... everyone meet Ceanag & Searlaid. They have settled in so well and we can’t wait to see their first calves in a few months time.
Long Island Retreats And Larder
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