August/An Lùnasdal

Hay making continued - weather permitting - through August. Whilst hay was cut by the scythe, a dry summer and autumn paved the way for numerous beehives. The banks were full of bees and there were two varieties - the brown and the black ones. The black bees were less easily aroused, and so their honeycomb was easier to get your hands on. The brown bee was a different story, and if you came away with the comb, the chances were you had a couple of stings to boot.

After the first fortnight of August, the sheep and lambs were taken from the hill to the fank where lambs were separated from their mothers. But prior to this, the animals were treated for the fluke worm. This process was called ‘am pileadh’. The method of administering the treatment was via a ‘gun’ which had a piece of rubber on the top. The pill was stuck down the animal’s throat. It was a largish capsule that went into the gun and there was a kind of plunger. Many’s a poor bodach lost many’s a poor sheep through choking. It was at Suarbaidh that this method was first employed. The ewes were sent back to the hill, and the lambs were dipped and taken to a walled or penned enclosure. One such place was Tobhta Seonaid in Stenscholl. Equivalents were Achadh Bhrogaig in Brogaig and Cnoc na Croiseadh in Sartle (this side of the Dùn Beag). Each township had a secure pen or tobhta (dwelling ruin) capable of holding their lambs during the hours of darkness. It was common following separation from their mothers to pen the lambs nightly for a period of up to three weeks. Children were often given the responsibility of keeping an eye on the lambs.

Suarbaidh was situated near Stenscholl’s common grazing - very near to the border of Maligar and south west of the common grazings of Stenscholl. In common with the Sartle fank, it is easy to recognise where the homestead, the yard and outbuildings were. When the people of Suarbaidh left, the situation became useful for the people of Stenscholl as their fank. You can still see the walls and the green land within. Apparently, it was here that Ben Iain Bhàin was born and raised. She had been an orphan and was the mother of Mairead ‘an Bhàin, the teacher who was in Dìg. According to Aonghas Ruairidh ‘c Rail, there was a place up there, this side of the fank which was called Tobar Bual Eòrna. It was the well for the people of Suarbaidh. There is green area called Lòn Shuarbaidh, though some know it as Lòn Ghlas. It is not far from here that the Martins of Marisiadar were lost (see Songs).

Midges were the ever-present companion in calm August weather. Children ran around without shoes, and feet were sore at night when they were being washed, often bleeding from all the outdoor activity. The skin on the soles of the feet became like leather. After a while going barefoot, you could walk on any surface without feeling it.

Hay is soft, but corn is very soft. When you’re working the corn your arms are full of scratches because the corn is so strong. When you were harvesting the corn, you were bent double the whole time. You took a long few thin strands of corn and wrapped it round the sheaf and moved onto the next one.

When you put your cows into the byre overnight, cows would go to their own stalls. They all knew their own stalls. You tied them with a special safety knot so that they wouldn’t choke, and you had to leave enough rope so that they could lie down. Children were always warned to be careful about horns.

When corn was ripe, before the end of August came, it was time to cut the corn. Everyone was very busy at this time. People would work day and night to get the harvest ready. Hay and corn were carried to the stackyard on your back - in a rope for the corn, and in a narrow net for the hay to save from losing it. Portree’s Games Day was a highlight of the summer calendar for Staffin children. It was always held on the last Thursday of August, and everyone aimed to be there. People aimed to be finished of the harvest and have it stacked in the yard to be free for the Games Day. In the run-up to Games Day, parents could guarantee children would be on their best behaviour as no-one wanted to jeopardise their chances of being there.

Is fearr barr mor, ach fognaidh barr beag

While you would prefer a big harvest, often a small one will meet your needs.