You know how these days farmers cannot just be farmers, they nearly always have to have another string to their bow. Naively perhaps, we believed that farmers should always be able to earn enough to live on just by farming. That no longer seems to be the case, however, so perhaps we should be grateful. Many of them have chosen to open farm shops and cafés like this one at Saline Shaw. After all, each one presents another scone opportunity.

Saline Shaw is a perfect example of how to do it well. Not only do they have nice clean premises but they seem to have been able to foster a great team spirit among the staff. We were looked after by a young lass called Rebecca who was very busy looking after all the outside tables but still managed to be very attentive and friendly. 

The whole enterprise was begun in 2020 in the midst of the COVID pandemic . Not the easiest of starts but they certainly seem to have found their feet now. Rebecca soon had us fixed up with some fruit scones and tea and coffee. We liked what they did with the jam and cream … both in little refillable jars, no packaging wastage here! Although not a topscone they were very enjoyable. It was lovely to sit outside in the sunshine looking over to the Ochil Hills in the distance. We felt far removed from the horrors about to present themselves over the next six weeks in the run up to the General Election. 

4th July

The only advice we can offer is “don’t watch the news”! That is not unless you want to be bombarded  with enthusiastic but vacuous statements from each of the parties. They will be explaining how they alone can guide us all to vast sunlit uplands where everything in the garden is just rosy. With the UK’s astronomical debt levels, don’t expect any similar statements indicating how this miraculous state of affairs is going to be achieved.  One is as bad as the other. For Scotland, the 4th of July date of the election has been seen by many as an opportunity for Scottish Independence, just like America’s. However, there is a fundamental flaw in this comparison.  America, of course, should quite rightly celebrate gaining its independence from Britain. Scotland, on the other hand, is merely trying to regain its independence.

Couldn’t have found a better place than Saline Shaw to reflect on all this. We bought some herbs from their plant section and headed for home. Okay, okay, we watched the tv news only to find that Sunak has promised to bring back National Service for all 18 years olds. Nothing like teaching folk to kill other folk to regain some backbone and  give the country a sense of pride. Oh, and replenish the military numbers so devastated by his own government’s cutbacks. Or, are we being too cynical?

KY12 9UG          tel: none           Saline Shaw

///universes.published.slope