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Family Farmingunited kingdomin the scottish highlands small Family-run Farms, called croFts,have centuries oF tradition behind themguardiansoF the enviRonment pam RodwayLinkswww.crofting.org www.croftingconnections.com www.soilassociation.org/scotlandStemming from the Highland clearanc- es, crofting is a unique social system in which small-scale food production and care of the environment play a uni- fying role. Crofting is a way of life that is intrinsically linked to the land, with a tradition of community working and strong cultural ties, where community languages are still alive.Small farmSand local biodiverSityA croft is a small agricultural unit situ- ated in the crofting counties in the north and west of Scotland, held sub- ject to the provisions of the Crofting Acts. These include Argyll, Highland, the Outer Hebrides, Orkney and Shet- land. Since 2010, Moray and the Isleof Arran have also been added to the crofting areas.Many of the Slow Food Ark of Taste products in Scotland come from these crofting areas: beremeal – a landrace barley still grown in Orkney and Shet- land; the North Ronaldsay sheep – a rare-breed from the Orkney Islands; peasemeal – once common in Brit- ain, but now only milled in Golspie Mill in Highland; and four products from Shetland – Shetland cabbage, Shet- land black potatoes, Shetland cattle and Shetland sheep.Many crofts are on estates. One land- lord may have several crofts on his es- tate. The rent paid by the tenant crofter, except in fairly rare circumstances, is only for the bare land. Housing, agricul-72 almanaC