Communal planting of potatoes on Skye; storage of potatoes a...

Original Track ID

SA1988.23.B2; SA1988.23.B3

Original Tape ID

SA1988.023

Summary

Communal planting of potatoes on Skye; storage of potatoes and turnips; acreage of vegetables on a croft.

When people grew potatoes in larger quantities, they were stored in piles two or three feet high on raked ground at the edge of the field. Rushes or straw were packed on top, then the heap was covered with earth. This was called in Gaelic 'sloc-buntàta'. Potatoes were taken from the sloc as required around February, with the small ones being put aside for seed, then the pit was covered over again. Potatoes for immediate use were stored in the barn. Margaret Bennett's uncle, Murdo Stewart, tells her that her seanair [grandfather] grew about an acre of potatoes. In those days neighbours planted potatoes communally, with the woman of the house providing food. This was the usual everyday food, such as potatoes, herring or salt fish, and eggs. Scones and tea were eaten at the house, not outdoors as at haymaking. There is some talk of where the potato fields were.

Turnips were shawed, i.e. the tops were removed, and they were stored like potatoes, but did not need a covering of rushes. The tops were left in the field and fed to cattle and sheep. Most of the turnips were used as cattle feed. Margaret asks about turnip slicers, which some people used to shaw turnips, though others just used a knife. Margaret's grandfather grew about half an acre of turnips and half an acre of marrow-stem kail, also for cattle feed.

Item Notes

On the next track on the same tape (SA1988.023), Mr Stewart estimates the area under turnips at an acre.

Recording Location

Item Location

Language

English

Genre

Information

Collection

SoSS

Source Type

Reel to reel

Audio Quality

Good