The Croft (An Lot)
Overview
Documentary following Donald MacSween as he tries to make it as a full-time crofter.
Seasons
Season 1 (2015)
Donald MacSween - or Sweeny as most folk know him - is a Lewis crofter with a dream. A proud Ness man, he is currently working part-time but aims to change all that so he can spend more time in what he considers to be the best place in the world, Ness, and be a crofter full-time. We follow him over a year in this six-part series as he tries to make his dream become a reality. Sweeny has had an interest in animals and crofting from a young age and spent a lot of time with his grandfather on the family croft. Since taking over the croft in 2005, he's juggled the demands of the day job with crofting, but in July 2014 he embarked on the next stage of his ambitious plans.
6 episodes
Episodes
Episode 1: Episode 1
2015-12-07First in a six-part series following Donald MacSween as he tries to make it as a full-time crofter. While the sheep might be Sweeny's first love, episode one sees him take a new direction as he prepares to go into egg production with 300 new chickens. But as the day of the chicken's arrival looms with a trip to the mainland for Sweeny, the hen house is far from finished. Can Sweeny sort things in time?
Runtime: N/A minEpisode 2: Episode 2
2015-12-14Second in a six-part series following Donald MacSween as he tries to make it as a full-time crofter. In this episode, we see how the new hens are settling in, and Sweeny picks up his first home-produced pork and sausages and gets a visit from a chicken inspector.
Runtime: N/A minEpisode 3: Episode 3
2015-12-21Third in a six-part series following Donald MacSween as he tries to make it as a full-time crofter. In this episode, he gears up for egg production, but crofting's many challenges are all too apparent when the first major winter storm hits and there is a death on the croft.
Runtime: N/A minEpisode 4: Episode 4
2015-12-28Fourth in a six-part series following Donald MacSween as he tries to make it as a full-time crofter. In this episode, the first lambs appear, and Sweeny sells his first eggs. But there are some unwanted visitors in the hen house.
Runtime: N/A minEpisode 5: Episode 5
2016-01-04Fifth in a six-part series following Donald MacSween as he tries to make it as a full-time crofter. In this episode, a downpour threatens the local Gala day, and Sweeny makes his show debut with some of his beloved sheep - and some of his hens. As the summer comes to an end, Sweeny prepares for another winter and gets the peats home.
Runtime: N/A minEpisode 6: Episode 6
2016-01-11Last in a six-part series following Donald MacSween as he tries to make it as a full-time crofter. A year on, Sweeny looks back at how things have gone. Is he any nearer his dream? What have been the successes and what failures have there been? What would he do differently now looking back, and what does the future now hold?
Runtime: N/A minSeason 2 (2016)
A year on we return to the croft to see how his plans for year two are being put in to action. Sweeny who was given his grandfather's croft as a 21st-birthday present, has had an interest in animals and crofting since he was a wee boy, and spent a lot of time with his grandfather and his parents on the family croft.
6 episodes
Episodes
Episode 1: Episode 1
2016-12-12As we join him in March, he's gathering the sheep in from the moor ahead of lambing, having expanded his flock from 60 to 80. We also hear about how things are going with his chickens and egg production, and his plans for more pigs! Mum and dad are again at the centre of much on the croft in supporting Sweeny, and Donald also repays his dad's help by returning the favour with one of his dad's one passions. With many more new ideas planned by Sweeny, The Croft once again is a fascinating place to be as he continue with his plans to make a diverse, full-time living off the land.
Runtime: N/A minEpisode 2: Episode 2
2016-12-19It is late spring with summer on the horizon as we follow Lewis man Donald (Sweeny) MacSween fulfilling his dream of giving up his day job and becoming a full-time crofter. Lambing is fully underway as he plays host to a group of teenagers who provide a willing helping hand. His winter fuel is taken care of with the help of a mechanical peat cutter and one of his sows produces her first litter of piglets on the lot.
Runtime: N/A minEpisode 3: Episode 3
2016-12-26It's mid summer and it is a busy time on the croft for Sweeny! This week there are more new arrivals as 300 chickens are delivered to replace his old stock, he takes a trip to the mainland in order to increase his sheep flock, two more of his sows are ready to give birth and he takes ownership of his first ever cattle on the lot.
Runtime: N/A minEpisode 4: Episode 4
2017-01-02It's early autumn and time for the sheep sales again, but will the lamb prices meet Sweeny's expectations? A new income stream is in the planning as Sweeny heads off to Skye to check out progress. And Sweeny's brother Innes is home again, but he needn't think that he is on holiday as there is far too much to be done around the Lot!
Runtime: N/A minEpisode 5: Episode 5
2017-01-09Its autumn on the lot and Del Boy, the local bull, arrives to visit Sweeny's new cows, and his rams are let out to the sheep. A trip to the butcher proves profitable as he collects his very own home-reared pork sausages, and its all hands on deck for himself and Innes as they prepare for the Ness community bonfire and fireworks display despite the wild weather!
Runtime: N/A minEpisode 6: Episode 6
2017-01-16In the final episode of the series, Sweeny reflects on how year two on the croft has gone. It's been another busy one that's seen him diversify in new directions, and with the addition of cows and more pigs to his livestock things have gone well. After investing so much time in building his business though is he any nearer his dream of crofting full-time? This week he reveals another new venture which might well be just what he needs to achieve his goal.
Runtime: N/A min
