As a teenager in the late 1960’s I can remember many happy holidays spent with my family on the Lleyn Peninsula in North Wales. It was on one of those holidays that I first read the book ‘I Bought a Mountain’ by Thomas Firbank.

It tells the story of life on a North Wales sheep farm in the 1930’s, and what a hard life it was to be sure. Fighting the elements on a daily basis, your life, and that of your animals being ruled by the weather.

Then in 1972 Yorkshire Television introduced us to Hannah Hauxwell, living alone at her family home of Low Birk Hatt Farm in the North Riding of Yorkshire, with no mains water or electricity, subsisting on an income of £280 per year. Life doesn’t get much harder than that.

In our garden I have had many disappointments and disasters over the years, but at the end of the day what do I lose? If a crop fails we don’t starve. I may have wasted a few pounds or a few hours of time and effort, but no-one is in danger of dying. Unlike Thomas and Hannah who lived on the edge and were never far away from disaster. Whose lives and livelihoods were sometimes out of their control and often at the mercy of the British weather.

Thinking about farming in the 21st century it’s easy to assume that we have moved on, that things have changed for the better.  More enlightened times, better communication, vastly improved technology, surely the plight of Thomas and Hannah is a thing of the past.

Sadly not. Let me introduce you to ‘GentleOtter’ author of the blog ‘The Farm at the Back of Beyond’.

In short she is a 51 year old farmers wife living and working with her husband and 3 children on a remote farm in Perthshire.

They are tenant farmers and are about to be evicted through no fault of their own. From what she says in her blog they seem to have no rights, or protection whatsoever under Scottish law.

Please read her blog here as I’m sure she will explain their situation far more eloquently than I can.  ‘Awful News’ dated 30.08.2011. will give you an idea of what they are facing.

I don’t know this lady from Adam, but have been following her blog for some time now. Anyone who writes with such feeling and good humour about a life that most of us could not cope with, (and who owns a pet called PieDog) must deserve our support.

Just because something is legal, doesn’t always make it right. So, Scottish government, in the unlikely event that you read this. Please do the right thing and give this family the break it deserves.

Other lesser mortals who might be reading this please lend your support in whatever way you can. Thank-you.