Eight years have passed since Gavin and Marlene Chapman made the decision to move from Tring in Buckinghamshire, to Kinloch Estate by St Fergus, Peterhead.
Despite being desperately keen to move to rural Buchan, Gavin, who has farmed all his days, admits the difference between both farms came as a bit of a shock.
“We had a mixed farm in Tring where we had a herd of 130 Guernsey’s and sheep but mainly concentrated on growing malting barley in the light, chalky ground,” said Gavin.
“The ground here is completely different which came as something of a shock.”
What also makes this 1,148 acre estate unusual is that it not only has more than 700 acres of good-quality arable ground plus grassland and woodland, but also has lochs, ponds and a stunning stretch of private beach and more than 200 acres of sand dunes.
“When we first moved here, the farm was run as an intensive arable unit, but we felt the land needed a bit of a rest which suited our purposes because of the labour we had available, and because we wanted to build up the infrastructure.
For example, the farm had no fences.
“We fenced every field, which worked out about 40 miles of fencing, a lot of which is rabbit proof fencing, mostly down by the sea to keep the rabbits out of the dunes,” said Gavin.
“We also planted native species of trees, mixed soft and hard woods, and put a lot of hedgerows in around the farm too.
“The land was put into five-year grass lays, the idea being to put it into three conservation schemes for wildlife.
“We have and continue to manage it along guidelines set down by the Rural Development Programme, and it’s been very successful.
“We’ve got clover in the grass, which builds up fertility.”
All the grassland is currently let on annual seasonal grazing agreements to three local farmers.
The agreements have been prepared in accordance with the existing SRDP Management Contracts and generate an annual income of approximately £100 per acre.
Now restored, rested, fenced and watered, the farm is on the threshold of a new and productive period.
“The farm has flexibility now as it can farmed – arable rotation with livestock is probably the preferable option – but at the same time it is now much more environmentally friendly as we have some fantastic habitats developing with the trees and hedges, plus natural wet areas and ponds which attract a huge variety of wildlife, birds and animals.
Most farmers try to improve the ground and leave it in a better condition than they find it but the Chapmans have done an exceptional job at Kinloch Estate.
“There’s an old saying that a farmer should live his life as if he’s going to die tomorrow, but farm as though he’s going to live forever,” said Gavin.
But while the farm is on the cusp of a new era, Gavin, 62, feels the time is right for him and Marlene to move on to pastures new.
“Ten or 15 years ago I would have been kicking the door down for an opportunity like this, but the wisdom of age must prevail,” said Gavin.
“Perhaps in the future we will go back to farming, on a smaller scale, as our sons have expressed an interest in farming in the future.
“In the meantime we’ll take on something less demanding.”
He added that they would be very sad to leave the estate as they love living there.
“When we arrived in 2006, we didn’t know anyone within 150 miles of here and we might have been very lonely but for the kindness and support shown to us by our neighbours, be they fishermen, farmers, tradesmen or the folk down the road.
“Because of them, we could not have been happier. The last eight years have been a wonderful interlude in our lives and it has truly been a privilege to live and work here.”
A closing date of noon on November 19 has been set for the estate which is being sold through CKD Galbraith as a whole for offers over £4.5million or in two lots; Kinloch plus 530 acres of land for offers over £2.7million and South Kirkton plus 618 acres of land for offers over £1.8million.
Contact: CKD Galbraith on 01224 724466.