eòrna – barley

Tìr an Eòrna – Barley Country

‘S ann air Tiriodh a tha an t-ainm Tìr an Eòrna anns na seann òrain– bha an t-eilean aithnichte airson arbhair, ach bhiodh seo ceart cho freagarrach mar ainm air Ros an Ear. Nuair a bhios tu a’ dràibheadh tro Mhachair Rois no tron Eilean Dubh as t-samhradh, chì thu na h-achaidhean làn eòrna, fada nas trice na coirce no cruithneachd.  ‘S e sealladh àlainn a tha ann, an t-eòrna feusagach le a sgleò bàn a’ gluasad anns a’ ghaoith.

Thèid cuid mhòr dheth a chur mar eòrna-brachaidh, dhan ghnìomhachas-bìdh agus, san sgìre againne, dha na taighean-staile, ach cuid dheth airson fodair cuideachd. ‘S e am bàrr-gràin as cudromaiche na h-Alba a tha ann an eòrna, agus tha cha mhòr 30% de bhàrr-eòrna na Rìoghachd Aonaichte a’ fàs ann an Alba, ged a tha am meall-fearainn cho beag an coimeas ri Sasainn is an uiread dheth mì-fhreagarrach do thuathanachas-gràin. Tha sinn fortanach ann an Ros an Ear gu bheil talamh cho torrach againn agus meanbh-gnàth-shìde thlàth.

Seo beagan seallaidhean à Tír an Eòrna Rois an Ear dhuibh.

 

Cromarty Firth from Kilmuir Easter

Tìr an Eòrna – Barley Country

It’s Tiree which goes under the name of Tìr an Eòrna, Land of the Barley, in the old songs – the island was famous for its corn, but it would be just as appropriate as a name for Easter Ross. When you’re driving through the Fearn Peninsula or the Black Isle in summer, you see the fields full of barley, far more often than oats or wheat. It’s a lovely sight, the bearded barley with its pale shimmer moving in the wind.

Much of it is grown as malting barley, for the food industry and, in our area, for the distilleries, but part of it also as animal-feed. It’s the most important grain crop in Scotland, and almost 30% of the UK barley crop grows in Scotland, although the landmass is small in comparison to England, and so much of it unsuitable for cereal farming. We are fortunate in Easter Ross that we have such fertile soil and a mild micro-climate.

Here are a few views of the Easter Ross Tìr an Eòrna for you.