The Farming Life
Farming Life on the Buchan Coast
Cruden Bay and the surrounding Buchan region boast a farming heritage as rugged and enduring as the coastline itself. For generations, families carved out a life against the relentless North Sea winds, cultivating the land and tending livestock with perseverance and ingenuity. Coastal farms faced the dual challenges of harsh weather and salt-laden soils, demanding resilience and resourcefulness. Farmers relied on intimate knowledge of the land, weather patterns, and seasonal rhythms to thrive, often living off what the soil and sea could provide.
This connection between people and land created a distinctive culture of practicality and self-sufficiency. Every tool, seed, and animal had its place and purpose. The landscape itself shaped the rhythm of daily life: long hours in the fields during planting and harvest, tending cattle and sheep, and ensuring the survival of both family and farm. Many of these coastal farms remain family-run today, preserving traditional practices while adapting to modern challenges.
A contemporary example is Nethermill Farm, where Harry Smith and his father Davie have continued the family’s farming legacy while creating the Nether Mill Path, a network of walks recently opened on the outskirts of Cruden Bay. These paths allow visitors to experience the land as farmers have for generations, connecting people to the rhythms, beauty, and resilience of the Buchan countryside.
The story of Buchan’s coastal farmers is one of quiet heroism: ordinary people living extraordinary lives through skill, persistence, and an enduring connection to the land. Families like the Smiths show that this legacy is alive today, inviting others to share in the simple, enduring joys of rural life.
Inland Farming: Life on the Rolling Lands
Just a few miles inland from the coast, Buchan’s farms occupy gently rolling land that stretches far across the horizon. The soil here is fertile, allowing for more diverse crops and larger herds of livestock than along the windswept shore. Life was still demanding, with long hours of physical labor from dawn to dusk, but the open landscape offered opportunities for growth and abundance.
Families cultivated potatoes, oats, and turnips while rearing sheep, cattle, and poultry, forming the backbone of local rural communities. Skills were passed down through generations: plowing, crop rotation, animal husbandry, and repair of tools and buildings were learned through observation and experience rather than formal instruction. Neighbors relied on each other for support during planting or harvest, and local fairs and markets were central to both economy and social life.
Farming here was deeply connected to the rhythms of nature, with every season bringing its own responsibilities and rewards. While modern machinery has replaced much manual labor, the values of hard work, careful stewardship, and respect for the land remain. Visitors to these inland farms can experience a landscape shaped by generations of dedication—open fields stretching into the distance, working animals, and farmsteads that bear the mark of human care and persistence.
Jimmy Cantlay: A Life Rooted in the Land
Few embody the spirit of Buchan farming better than Jimmy Cantlay of Ogston Farm, Slains. Remembered by his daughter Jill on the Doric Future website, Jimmy’s life reflects a deep connection to the land and a dedication to the simple, essential rhythms of farming life. His days were shaped by the needs of his animals and the seasons, rising early to tend to cattle, sheep, and crops, all with a quiet diligence that left no room for complaint.
Jimmy’s insight and knowledge were rooted in experience, observation, and respect for the natural world. He lived sustainably, wasting nothing, and making use of every part of the land. Despite failing eyesight and the physical toll of decades of hard labor, he never lost his commitment to the farm or the lessons it taught. His wisdom was understated, given in moments of importance rather than freely, reflecting a life lived fully and attentively.
After Jimmy passed, his family often raised the Canadian flag on their “wee bit but and ben” located on Errollston Road in remembrance of their father and his fascination with pioneers setting off from Scotland to Canada. Jimmy’s story is a testament to resilience and contentment, illustrating the enduring values of Buchan farming culture, and the quiet legacy he left in both land and family.
Jill Cramphorn (Jimmy’s daughter) unfurling the Canadian flag in as she remembers her father at the family’s ‘wee bit but an’ ben’ near Cruden Bay.
The Flag Still Flies
Farming Traditions and Tools of the Trade
Buchan’s farmers relied on a combination of practical skill and simple tools honed over generations. Wooden plows, hand-forged implements, and horse-drawn carts were once staples of every farmstead. Knowledge of the land—where to plant, when to harvest, and how to preserve crops through the winter—was passed down orally, forming a living library of rural expertise.
Traditional practices extended beyond the fields. Cattle and sheep breeds were carefully selected for resilience, barns and dykes built to withstand coastal gales, and crop rotation ensured the soil remained fertile. Every season demanded meticulous attention: planting, weeding, harvesting, and storing. Communities celebrated milestones with fairs and gatherings, exchanging not just goods but also stories, songs, and techniques.
While machinery and modern methods have transformed agriculture in recent decades, echoes of these traditions remain. Stone walls, barns, and cottages still stand as markers of a heritage built on persistence and ingenuity. Understanding these tools and customs allows visitors to appreciate the depth of human effort that shaped the open, gently rolling landscapes of Buchan and sustains the culture of farming to this day.
This image details the close proximity of the Nethermill Path to the Village of Cruden Bay
The Legacy of Buchan Farming
The farming heritage of Cruden Bay and Buchan is not just about labor or production; it is a cultural identity, rooted in resilience, resourcefulness, and connection to the land. Generations of families, from coastal stewards to inland cultivators, have shaped the fertile fields and influenced local life, creating communities that honor both tradition and innovation.
Visitors exploring these areas can witness a living history: working farms, timeworn cottages, and landscapes that bear the imprint of decades of human endeavor. Whether it is the stories of individuals like Jimmy Cantlay, or the work being carried out by Davie and Harry Smith on the Nethermill Path, they remind us that farming is more than a profession; it is a way of life, defined by care, knowledge, and deep respect for nature. Experiencing this heritage offers a profound connection to the past and a greater understanding of the land’s continuing role in shaping community and character. Buchan’s farmers leave a legacy of quiet courage and steadfast commitment, reminding visitors that even in the modern world, there is great value in simplicity, hard work, and the enduring bond between people and the earth.