The windswept lands of the Orkney Isles lend themselves to limited agricultural practices.

Apart from the raising of beef cattle, the only arable crops likely to be grown in Orkney are Oats, Barley and Wheat.

Traditional Orkney Chair

Ancient crops of Bere barley and black oats were grown in Orkney up to the start of the 20th century.

A cereal crop high in protein, these were mainly grown for animal feed.  The durable straw was and still is used for making the backs of traditional Orkney chairs.

Black Oats (Avena strigosa)
The Scots name for oat is ‘ait’ or ‘ate’.  Black Oats are also known as the Bristle Oats and are particularly hardy plants, ripening from August to October.

Black Oats can be grown in acidic, heavy clay and nutritionally poor soils and once harvested can be stored for several years.

The straw has a wide range of uses including bio-mass, fibre, mulch, paper-making and thatching.

Bere Barley
Pronounced “bear,” this six-row barley, cultivated mainly in Orkney, Scotland, is thought to be the oldest cereal in continuous commercial cultivation in the British Isles.

Grains of such barleys dating back to about 3000 BC have been found at Unstan in Orkney and are thought to have been brought to the British Isles by Vikings. In earlier days it was also called “bygge” or “big,” probably originating from bygg, the Old Norse term for barley.

Bere is adapted to growing on acidic soils. Often referred to as to 90 day Barley, it can be sown in the spring and due to the long hours of summer daylight in the Northern Hemisphere, can be harvested in the summer.

Records from the 16th to 18th century, indicate that Lairds required a large portion of their tenants rent to be paid in Bere Barley.

Field of wheat in Orkney

In the 19th and early 20th centuries, bere provided grain for milling and malting and straw for thatching and animal bedding. It was also exported from Orkney and other ports in Scotland to Northern Europe.

The Agronomy Institute at Orkney College UHI in Scotland started a research program on bere in 2002. Aimed at developing new markets for the crop and  best practices for it’s cultivation.  The crop is also grown on the island of Islay, for whisky production.

Wheat (Triticum aestivum)
Wheat has only recently started to be grown in Orkney.

A collaboration with Barony Mill and JF Groundwater, Baker & Grocer and European TRACE project is researching the potential of growing various wheat varietes with a view to producing a local flour for baking.

More information

Orkney Wine Company – Wine made from local produce

Agronomy Institute at Orkney College UHI

European TRACE project - Tracing the origin of foodSimilar Posts:

• The Orkney Chair
• Rendall Doocot
• Blast is Champion Beer
• Barnhouse Neolithic Settlement
• Whisky – the spirits from Orkney

Mull Head in Orkney is a clifftop haven for seabirds and a great vantage point to watch seals and porpoise.

Only plants tolerant of sea spray can live on the cliff edge.  They often bear thick fleshy leaves and form a ground hugging habit which helps them cope with the salty conditions. Early summer sees the clifftops carpeted in the blue and pink of Spring Squill and Thrift (Armeria Maritima).

Heath & grassland
Much of Mull head has never been ploughed and heathland plants such as ling and Bell Heather dominate.  Sedges and herbs appear as the ground becomes wetter and cotton grass and sphagnum moss are to be found in the most waterlogged areas.

Heathland is bathed in pink and purple heathers

The grassland areas of the reserve are the result of 19th century agricultural improvements, but they have not been subjected to modern day agricultural practices.  This has allowed a variety of wild flowers to flourish, including Grass of Parnassus.

Voles
Orkney Voles are common on Mull head. Their runs can be seen crisscrossing the coastal grassland.  They are an important food source for short eared owls which are often seen hunting over the reserve.

Heathland Birds
The heathland is home to a variety of colonies, some fish feeding birds, but also pirates and scavengers.

Arctic Terns, common gulls and Lesser Black-Backed Gulls are all dependent on the sea for food but prefer to nest away from the cliff edge where the long heather provides ground cover for concealing eggs and chicks.

Great Black-Backed Gulls and Herring Gulls are scavengers, taking refuse from the sea and stealing eggs and chicks.

Great Arctic Skuas are the pirates of the skies preferring to rob other birds that fish for themselves.

silhouetted in the evening sun

Cliff nesting birds
The sandstone cliffs of Mull Head teem with bird life in the summer months (May-July).  Fish feeding birds of the open ocean return to the cliffs each summer to breed and raise their chicks.  This Seabird City has it’s own distinct communities.  Fulmars build their nests near the top of the cliff, while Kittiwakes, Guillemots and Razorbills nest in the middle, perching on sharp, narrow ledges.  Shags occupy the lower levels and can be seen in large groups on the rocks, sitting with their wings spread to the evening setting sun.

Cetaceans
Dolphins, Porpoises and even whales can be spotted offshore with the Harbour Porpoise one of the most common species to be seen.

Common Seal

Seals
Grey and Common Seals are frequently seen along the coast of the reserve, Their inquisitive nature often leading them to follow visitors progress along the cliff.
Greys have the horselike head whilst the Common Seals have little dog-like faces.

Seals are locally known as Selkies and legends which originated in the Orkney Isles will tell of seals which can transform themselves to humans.

May also be of interest

Wildlife Scotland – The official guide to Scotland’s wildlife
Walking Scotland – Details of the Mull Head Circular route.Similar Posts:

• Marwick Head
• Visit the Mull Head visitor centre
• Orkney Seal Rescue
• The Outer Islands
• Orkney Fish