Long Island Retreats

21/10/2024

If you haven’t managed to catch us on iplayer yet then this week is your chance to see our episode of Designing the Hebrides on the box:
BBC Scotland Tonight at 10.30pm
BBC 2 Tuesday night at 7.00pm
BBC Scotland Saturday night at 8.30pm

Thanks to everyone who has been in touch or visited since watching it, the response has been amazing ❤️

11/10/2024

“YOU CALLED!”

So much fun and laughter filming with Banjo Beale last year, the stag rut is always a spectacular time of year on South Uist with the stags roaring… and DJ of course! 😂

07/10/2024

Exactly a year ago to the day we opened our home and hearts to the legend that is Banjo Beale!

There was a lot of laughter and a few tears, new friendships made and a love of old things shared!

He took on the blank canvas of our garage and turned it into an amazing space for us to sell our Croft produce. We could never have envisaged the end result, it was so much more than we ever imagined possible.

You can watch the full episode now on iplayer or watch on BBC Scotland and BBC 2 in two weeks time.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m0022zc8/designing-the-hebrides-series-2-episode-6

14/09/2024

This summer was a first for us as we welcomed two litters of piglets to the Croft. Peppa & Miss Piggy both had litters of 7 and as first time mums did a grand job rearing these little cuties! As for the names… can you tell we have a three year old in the family! 😂

13/09/2024

This week we hosted a great learning journey with Agritourism Monitor Farm Project in our role as Satellite Monitor Farm. It was a great couple of days with great company, lots of great discussion and shared knowledge.

The group also visited some other great agritourism businesses Skyeskyns Isle of Skye, Uist Wool, North Uist Distillery, Balranald Hebridean Holidays - Caravan & Campsite and Clachan Sands Campsite.

If you are interested in finding out more about the Scottish Agritourism Monitor Farm Programme or registering to take part see the link below.

https://agritourism-monitorfarm.com

12/09/2024

It’s been a while since we last caught up, we’ve been busy behind the scenes but also just spending time with our gorgeous wee boy in his first few months!

However we are back, blowing away the cobwebs on our socials and we have so many gorgeous photos to share and tales to tell… plus a few exciting announcements to come too!

Here’s a gorgeous sunset over Loch Skipport last week to start us off… it really doesn’t get much better than this!

01/05/2024

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!

22/03/2024

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!

04/03/2024

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.

10/01/2024

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!

11/12/2023

🥩 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.

03/12/2023

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.

24/11/2023

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.

16/11/2023

🐑 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.

11/11/2023

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

28/10/2023

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

01/10/2023

🐖 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.

22/09/2023

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!

20/09/2023

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

29/08/2023

Moooooove along nothing to see here just out exploring the neighbourhood!

06/06/2023

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.

02/05/2023

🐮🥩 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.

01/05/2023

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.

08/04/2023

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 💕

03/03/2023

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! 🐑🍹