As the 2024 harvest season comes to a close, we’re reflecting on what has been a particularly challenging year for farming here in Scotland. A late and wet spring, following a damp winter, put a strain on our crops and livestock. At Carmichael, we grow around 120 acres of spring barley and 50 acres of sheep feed, including kale and turnips, to support our animals alongside grass foraged throughout the summer. Unfortunately, the difficult weather conditions have meant that our yields are much lower than usual this year.

With the harvest now complete, we’ve managed to bale everything up, and the team is busy storing the feed for the winter months ahead. While the harvest may be smaller, we’re grateful to have everything safely in, and now our focus turns to carefully managing our supplies to get through what we hope will be a kind winter.

Each farming year brings its own set of challenges, and 2024 was certainly one of the more difficult ones from a weather perspective. However, as always, we’re looking ahead to 2025 with hope and determination. The land will be carefully assessed as we plan next year’s crops, aiming to keep our system balanced and efficient despite the unpredictable nature of farming.

Farming requires resilience, and while this year hasn’t delivered the results we had hoped for, we remain optimistic for the future. With a bit of luck and better weather, we’ll see stronger yields in the seasons to come.

Thank you for your continued support of our farm, and here’s to brighter days in 2025!

*** The Clan Carmichael International Gathering had been postponed to June 2022 ***

To view preliminary details of the Clan Gathering in 2022 and to book your spot please place a  deposit on our secure site.

The 12th Clan Carmichael International Gathering 

Monday June 29th to Friday July 3rd 2020

The latest in a series of International Carmichael Gatherings – each organised by Chief Richard and his family since 1983 will be held at Carmichael Scotland in late June early July 2020. Previous gatherings have been held at the rate of three a decade and this year’s event will be the third hosted by Chief Richard with son Andrew, supported by Lady Patricia, daughter Sarah and grandsons Fraser & Aidan.

As well as marking the new decade ahead for the Clan the Visit Scotland theme this year will be to celebrate the year of Scotland’s magnificent Coast and Waters. We have created a busy and exciting program that will keep everyone enthralled.

The schedule is subject to change as arrangements become formalised.

 PRE-ARRIVAL DAY SUNDAY JUNE 28^TH

(Please note this day is not included in the Gathering pricing) 

• Church Service Carmichael Parish Church Community and Clan
• Traditional Sunday Lunch in Carmichael Bistro
• Afternoon & evening to rest and relax, shop in the Carmichael Clan Shop or climb Tinto Hill

MAIN GATHERING SCHEDULE

Monday June 29^th                   Arrival Day     

• Uplift from Edinburgh and Glasgow airports with deliver to your Clan lands accommodation or hotel
• Official Opening of Clan Gathering 2020 at the Welcome Dinner

Tuesday June 30^th                  “Coasts” Day

• A celebration of the Carmichaels of Dundee
• Tour the magnificent coastline of the East Neuk of Fife
• Visit Scotland’s youngest distillery
• Dine out in a castle

Wednesday July 1^st                 Carmichael Day

• March to source of the Carmichael name
• Clan Speeches at Castle Caput of the barony
• Enjoy a Carmichael Estate Farm Meats BBQ Lunch
• Participate in the Clan Carmichael Mini Highland Games
• Dance the night away at Clan Ceilidh and Tartan Ball

Thursday July 2^nd       “Waters” Day

• Visit the Falls of Clyde
• Lunch out and afternoon tour in the West of Scotland
• Dress up for the Clan Gathering Gala Dinner

Friday July 3^rd             Farewell Day

•  Enjoy your final Carmichael Breakfast Club
•  Transfers to Edinburgh and Glasgow

Pricing: As with all our previous events the 2020 international gathering is priced fully inclusive of all transportation, meals, entry fees, banquets, tartan balls, taxes at 20%, gratuities and accommodation for all four nights at £690 per person. Children 8 years old and under sharing a Clan lands cottage receive a ¹/₃ discount – £460 per child. Single cottage supplement £50.  If you would like to stay in a local hotel instead of a Clan lands cottage there is a supplement of £150 per person. Cottage reservations are on a first come first served basis.

If you would like pre-arrival day support please ask.

For those wanting to join the gathering for a lesser period and arrange their own travel and accommodation the cost for attending the Carmichael Day on Wednesday July 1^st including BBQ lunch & Ceilidh dinner is £75.

A deposit of £150 per person is due to secure a place at next year’s gathering.  The deposit is non-refundable. You must insure yourself for any possible reason you may have to cancel. The final balance is due April 30^th 2020 and this is fully refundable for cancellation by June 1^st.  Non-refundable thereafter.

Please follow this link to our secure shopping cart to book you place 

Carmichael Farm Shop is now a Rice n Spicy Click and Collect point.

If you haven’t tried a Rice n Spicy curry or pakora then it is time to give it a go. These delicious Punjab  curries are hand made and use Carmichael Estate meats as their sole red meat supplier. For more information on Rice n Spicy and to order click and collect please go to their website.

Well the snow has been and gone and the Easterlies have arrived… why do we worry about our wee sheep who are more than capable of braving the elements?! All we feel like doing is bringing them in to snuggle down!

WIndblown

After much discussion, watching and waiting, both gimmers are now in lamb. The proof will be in the pudding, as they say, next Spring!

It’s proving tough to keep the Ryelands wool free from foliage and tangles so we just mainly concentrate on making sure that they can see properly! We have had to trim back some wool from their eyes, especially Windblown’s, which he has dealt with pretty well really!

Velvet

When the snow came, Windblown helped Aidan sledging by gently headbutting him down the wee run! No pictures of that unfortunately!

Well a Merry Christmas and Happy Hogmanay to all from our fluffy friends and we’ll be in touch with more updates in the New Year!

Well it has been a busy busy time here at Carmichael with 100% occupancy across the self catering cottages, some great customers in the farm shop and tearoom and a special Commonwealth themed Glasgow Partick Farmers’ Market on Saturday 26th July.

What a great sporting event Glasgow 2014 was!  We are really glad that our guests managed to benefit from being ‘close enough to the action but not too close’.

We’d just like to say a big thank you to everyone who came to Carmichael over the last few weeks and haste ye back!

We are pleased to announce that our tearoom at the Carmichael Visitor Centre & Farm Shop will be open 7 days a week from Saturday 5th July.

We have an extensive menu of delicious hot and cold meals and snacks using our own meats and other local produce. The Tearoom is open from 10am to 5pm daily.

Specialties include our own venison, beef and lamb burgers as well as daily specials.

The tearoom also has free wifi internet, toilet facilities and a comfortable sitting area in the foyer.