Programme of events

There’s lots to see and enjoy at the Festival – livestock shows and showcases, equine showcase, talks, demonstrations, a trade hall, craft fair and smallholder market and, of course, the opportunity to catch up with like-minded people! Use the programme below to plan your day, and the Festival plan to find your way around.

TimeEventLocation
9:00amFestival opens to public
All dayOur crafts people will be displaying their skillsRural Skills Area, Main Hall
All dayVarious equine events; details at the Equine AreaEquine Area, Main Hall
All dayGuilds of Spinners, Weavers and Dyers will be displaying their skillsFoyer upper floor
9:00-10:00amRural Skills Competition Tabling of EntriesFoyer upper floor
9:10amScottish GovernmentRoom 1, Foyer upper floor
9:30amSheep judging commencesSheep Area, Main Hall
9:30amGoat judging commencesGoat Area, Main Hall
9:30amThe route to agricultural support payments: Annette Marshall, Scotland's Farm Advisory Service More detailsSRUC Theatre, Main Hall
9:30amGrants for health tests for sheep and cows: Siobhan Macdonald, SAC More detailsRoom 1, Foyer upper floor
9:30amPastured poultry: Colin Russell, Ramstane FarmMore detailsRoom 2, Foyer upper floor
9:30amIntroduction to keeping alpacas: Stuart Ramsay, Velvet Hall Alpacas More detailsRoom 3, Foyer upper floor
10:00amRural Skills competition judging commencesFoyer upper floor
10:00amPig judging commencesCentral Hall
10:00amMini workshop: Strawcraft with Elaine Lindsay, Something Corny More details & bookingRural Skills demo area, Foyer upper floor
10:00amEquine paradeEquine Area, Main Hall
10:30amThe Whole Farm Plan: Annette Marshall, Scotland's Farm Advisory Service More detailsSRUC Theatre, Main Hall
10:30amPower on the smallholding: Robert McKechnie, SRUC More detailsRoom 1, Foyer upper floor
10:30amThe Pigs and the Trees - Sustainable Pig Farming: David Carruth, The Wooly Pig Company More detailsRoom 2, Foyer upper floor
10:30amStarting with goats: Jillian McEwan, Lunan Bay Farm More detailsRoom 3, Foyer upper floor
10:30amHeritage Breed Cookery Demonstrations with Wendy Barrie More detailsCookery Theatre, Foyer ground floor
11:00amSourdough baking demonstration: Alison Ramcharran, Trustee, Scotland the BreadRural Skills Area, Main Hall
11:30amPig Practicals: Emma Baxter & Marianne Farish More details & bookingSRUC Theatre, Main Hall
11:30amManaging a small woodland: Reforesting ScotlandRoom 1, Foyer upper floor
11:30amLow Auldgirth - A journey into nature to create a profitable farm business: Ruth Ashton-Shaw More detailsRoom 2, Foyer upper floor
11:30amGetting going with sheep: Grace Reid, National Sheep Association Scotland More detailsRoom 3, Foyer upper floor
11:30amTaste Experience on Heritage Breeds: Wendy Barrie and Bosse Dahlgren More details & bookingCookery Theatre, Foyer ground floor
11:30amAlpaca fleece workshopAlpaca Area, Main Hall
12 noonMini workshop: Flying Beasties Willow Workshop More details & bookingRural Skills area, Foyer upper floor
12:30pmGoat MOT: Practical tips for goat keepers: Caroline Robinson and Agnes Aitken More details & bookingSRUC Theatre, Main Hall
12:30pmAberdeenshire Sheepdogs: Gary and Michelle Bruce More detailsRoom 1, Foyer upper floor
12:30pmSaving seeds in Scotland: Finlay, Seeds of Scotland More detailsRoom 2, Foyer upper floor
12:30pmStarting up in Cattle Question Time! Thinking about cattle? Just started? Have a few years' experience under your belt? This panel is funded by Scotland's Farm Advisory ServiceRoom 3, Foyer upper floor
12:30pmProducing Food for your Family and Community: Abi Mordin, Propagate More detailsCookery Theatre, Foyer ground floor
1:00pmPig agilityCentral Hall
1:30pmPig Practicals: Emma Baxter & Marianne Farish More details & bookingSRUC Theatre, Main Hall
1:30pmThe importance of meadows and tree hay: Bosse Dahlgren More detailsRoom 1, Foyer upper floor
1:30pmA living from local food and flowers: stories and perspectives from Tomnah’a Market Garden: Catherine Kwella More detailsRoom 2, Foyer upper floor
1:30pmStarting with poultry: What comes first - the chicken or the egg? Jack & Morna Cuthbert, Ardoch Hebridean Sheep More detailsRoom 3, Foyer upper floor
1:30pmHeritage Breed Cookery Demonstrations with Wendy Barrie More detailsCookery Theatre, Foyer ground floor
1:30pmAlpaca health, welfare and husbandryAlpaca Area, Main Hall
2:00pmMini workshop: Oak swills with The Bumbling Basketeer More details & booking
2:00pmSourdough baking demonstration: Alison Ramcharran, Trustee, Scotland the BreadRural Skills Area, Main Hall
2:00pmEquine paradeEquine Area, Main Hall
2:30pmSheep MOT: Practical tips for sheep keepers More details & bookingSRUC Theatre, Main Hall
2:30pmHow I applied the principles of Equiculture to my smallholding in the Borders; Maxine Easey and Bryan Jones, Stonelea Stables, Scottish Borders More detailsRoom 1, Foyer upper floor
2:30pmUsing native ponies on the land: Ruaridh Ormiston, Ormiston Highlands More detailsRoom 2, Foyer upper floor
2:30pmStarting with pigs: Marcus Bates, British Pig AssociationRoom 3, Foyer upper floor
3:00pmArtisan Cheese Tasting with Scottish Cheese Trail: Wendy Barrie More details & bookingCookery Theatre, Foyer ground floor
3:00pmPresentation of Rural Skills competition prizesRural Skills area, Foyer upper floor
4:00pmFestival closes
Scottish Smallholder Festival event plan