FIRST-GENERATION FARMERS are combining sustainable farming and social media to inspire future generations of eco-friendly land users.

Now celebrating a decade promoting permaculture ecosystems at Tap O’ Noth farm in Aberdeenshire, James Reid and Rosa Bevan have been using their online influence to highlight the possibilities of land use to young people in Scotland.

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The duo have more than 19,000 YouTube subscribers – a platform on which they share videos documenting farm life with the aim of inspiring budding farmers to make the most of Scottish land.

The eight-acre farm sits at the foot of Tap O’ Noth hill near the village of Rhynie in rural
Aberdeenshire – the farm produces ecologically grown fruit and vegetables and is also home to chickens, geese and a small herd of dairy goats.

The couple generate most of their living from operating a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) vegetable box business as well as focusing on agritourism in the form of farm tours and renting their shepherd’s hut. They also offer online permaculture consultancy and residential courses.

James Reid said: “We want to inspire people about the life they can lead if they look at land a little bit differently. To have been able to work towards that for the past ten years has been extremely rewarding.

“We want to continue to grow our social platform to expand the outreach we have. It’s mind-blowing what you can achieve with a small bit of land and a lot of people don’t know that.”

James and Rosa practice permaculture, which is a method of sustainable farming used to create self-sufficient agricultural eco-systems. This self-sustaining model has allowed the couple to truly live off their land for the past ten years.

Rosa Bevan said: “We haven’t looked back since starting this project a decade ago and it’s been inspiring for us to see the benefits Tap O’ Noth farm has had on the environment, our local community and on our lives as well.

“It’s been an incredible ten years at Tap O’ Noth farm and we’re really looking forward to what the future has in store for our Aberdeenshire home.”

Tap O’ Noth’s eco-friendly success is being showcased as an inspiring project in the Scottish Land Commission’s MyLand.Scot campaign, an initiative aiming to highlight the many benefits that land brings to communities around Scotland.

Hamish Trench, Chief Executive of the Scottish Land Commission, said: “James and Rosa at Tap O’ Noth farm have done an incredible job in bringing together permaculture and land use with social media to create an informative and interesting hotbed for inspiration.

“By developing the farm in the way they have, the couple are a great example of how land in Scotland can be transformed to benefit the environment, people’s livelihoods and communities.“We hope by sharing their story and other important stories as part of the MyLand.Scot campaign, we can inspire people in Scotland to start thinking about land differently. Land can play a crucial role in everyday Scotland, spanning from housing and homes, to giving people the means and confidence to build businesses.”

James and Rosa also feature on a brand new podcast ‘The Lay of the Land’ talking about their experiences and love of the land.

The Scottish Land Commission works to create a Scotland where everybody can benefit from the ownership and use of the nation’s land and buildings.

Launched in 2021, MyLand.Scot is an initiative designed to increase the Scottish public’s participation in land reform through a series of case studies, information pages and podcast, The Lay of the Land.

For more information on MyLand.Scot visit: https://myland.scot

To watch James and Rosa in action at Tap O’ Noth farm, visit their YouTube channel at: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCb9UTvg1MEbLrAOS1bGEX1Q