Until the high water subsided after the floods at the turn of the year, it was not until mid January that we were able to assess the damage.

Not content with dumping 6inches of rain on us just after Christmas, the bad weather returned and did the same immediately after the New Year.

Although later than the norm, harvest eventually started with a flourish and the usual flurry of activity on 8th August, with KWS Cassia Winter barley producing a very pleasing 8.9 tonnes per Hectare. At 17% moisture we thought harvest would be easy! Then the rain started and it was three days before we could harvest again, surprisingly the quality remained excellent with lovely bold bright coloured grain although the moisture had crept up to 20% and the straw was still quite green.

The Curate's egg would describe this year's fishing both at Stracathro and countrywide.

In October the Minister for the Environment. Climate Change and Land Reform visited Stracathro Estates, accompanied by Hugh Dignon and Linda Murray.