Uradale, a Slow Food Farm at the Viking Crossroad between the North Sea and the Atlantic

Rolling Hills in the Northern Ocean

Shetlands Islands is the northernmost region of the United Kingdom, lying between Orkney, the Faroe Islands, and Norway. Its population density is very low, just 16 people per km² on a total area of 1,467 km², where only 16 of about 100 islands are inhabited.

The archipelago has an oceanic climate: windy, cloudy and often wet with long but cool winters and short warm summers. Due to its location, it is accessible only by ferry or flight. Landscape is shaped by a complex geology, rugged coastline, and many low, rolling hills. Uradale Farm covers acres of naturally challenging land with grazing available right from the hill tops down to the shores, located in the surroundings of Scalloway, the largest inhabited settlement on the North Atlantic coast of Mainland Island, with a population of about a thousand.

According to Ronnie Eunson, the owner of Uradale Farm, “Shetland has been described as a Viking crossroad between the North Sea and the Atlantic, actually it’s a lump of rock on which persist a fairly intriguing history of 5000 years of mankind. Few other places hang on to the indigenous breeds of antiquity, perhaps we’re just fortunate.”

Shetland Sheep, a Priceless Resource of Wool, Meat and Soil Maintenance

Today, Shetland sheep are mainly kept in the Shetland isles and a handful of other places. This is because of their ability to survive on infertile land that would otherwise be agriculturally useless. Their good-natured temperament is also a major attraction in keeping them. They are most commonly farmed for their prized wool, but they also are kept for their meat.

The sheep are hefted to their own hills and forage from the heather summits down the valley sides right onto the seaweed at the tideline. The flock of 500 ewes are remarkable weather forecasters: when the wind blows, they know where to go for shelter. The ewes lamb themselves without any need for intensive supervision. Lambs start appearing at the end of April and are very quick on their feet and suckling.

Native Shetland Kye, a Perfect Breed in Adverse Conditions

Uradale is also home to a herd of Native Shetland cattle. Once an endangered breed with less than 30 animals in the 1980s, numbers have slowly recovered from the edge of extinction. The cattle range over large areas like the sheep and like the sheep eat a very diverse diet. The wide muzzles of cattle cannot graze selectively like sheep, nor can they crop pastures so closely, thereby, protecting the wide range of ground hugging wildflowers and herbs such as wild thyme, violets, orchids, primroses, self-heal and bird’s foot trefoil. Cattle do an important job in breaking up a mat of dead vegetation creating the opportunity for colonization by wildflowers. Furthermore, they are less likely to damage the soft ground since they are lighter with broad hooves. Most of the cattle are housed during the five dark months of winter and fed on grass silage. Like the sheep they are much smaller than their modern counterparts – with horns.

Not Only Flocks and Herds at Uradale Farm

Grains suitable for the oceanic climate are also grown in Uradale. Crops raised include oats and barley; however, the cold, windswept islands make for a harsh environment for most plants. Ronnie, together with his son and partner Jakob, actively integrates traditional agroecological practices to restore natural habitats and enhance biodiversity. By setting aside areas for tree re-establishment and fostering the growth of flowering herbs, orchids, and red clover, the farm provides an ideal environment for pollinators like bumblebees and increases populations of breeding birds, including curlews, plovers, snipe, and oystercatchers.

The farm’s sustainable resource management includes rainwater collection for irrigation and efforts to incorporate renewable energy sources. More than 75% of the animals’ diet comes from pasture grazing, minimizing the reliance on external feed. The farm is also committed to reducing antibiotic use to maintain animal health naturally.

Jakob Eunson, Ronnie’s son, tells: “I work alongside my father on our family farm. We provide “from field to fork” produce of pure native Shetland lamb and beef organically. I trained as an apprentice butcher leaving school at 16 and then went on to do another apprenticeship in agriculture where I won LANTRA’s agricultural apprentice of the year in 2017. During my last years at the farm I have expanded the business with my butchery trade by taking our own animals through the local abattoir and butchering them myself for restaurants, cafes, shops or customers.

A Successful Business Model

Beyond livestock, Uradale Farm has developed a diverse business model, selling products directly to consumers every day, participating in local food festivals, and collaborating with food co-ops, restaurants, and chefs nationwide. The farm also operates a wool production business, offering uniquely organic and unbleached native Shetland sheep yarns.  Visitors are drawn to the farm to learn about yarn production and knitting patterns, making it a hub for education and heritage preservation.

Ronnie sums up in these few words an entire philosophy of life: “To be a successful farmer any point in the world you really need to realize that you must farm with Nature rather than against Nature.”

Wendy Barrie is a cook, food writer and campaigner for local sustainable produce. Creator of Scottish Food Guide, Cheese Trail & Farm Shops, Wendy is also Leader for Slow Food Ark of Taste and Cooks Alliance in Scotland, and co-author of “Meadows: The Swedish Farmer & The Scottish Cook,” with her husband. She was the one who nominated Uradale as a candidate to be among the first Slow Food Farms in the UK: “Uradale Farm is a living example of Slow Food principles, balancing traditional farming, environmental conservation, and economic resilience. Through its commitment to organic practices, indigenous breeds, and community engagement, the farm preserves Shetland’s agricultural heritage while fostering a sustainable and biodiverse future”.

By Paola Nano

Pictures related to this story are part of a joint campaign by Slow Food and TerraProject Photographers, a collective of documentary photographers founded in Italy in 2006. Its members are Michele Borzoni, Simone Donati, Pietro Paolini, and Rocco Rorandelli. With a focus on both Italian realities and the most pressing social and environmental issues, the members of TerraProject have produced numerous individual and group projects, experimenting with an original collective approach to storytelling.