RSABI is a unique Scottish charity dedicated to the relief of hardship and poverty amongst people who have depended for their livelihoods on the land.

Plough Scotland 2008

“Plough Scotland” was an ambitious challenge to plough land in every part of Scotland this autumn to raise awareness of the work of the charity in helping people who have depended on the land, and to raise funds specifically to help such people with the cost of heating their homes this winter.

The challenge got underway on 25th October, in atrocious weather conditions at the Scottish National Ploughing Championships at West Fenton, Drem, East Lothian. The opening furrows were drawn by Andrew Mitchell Snr, current World Champion (Reversible) ploughman (pictured above).

The challenge was completed on 16th December, ploughing at Cullen Home Farm for Seafield Estates. The only county in which the challenge was not fully met was Aberdeenshire where on the first attempt land was really too frosty to plough, and subsequently too wet to try again. Only one acre was ploughed there, rather than target of 12-15 acres which was managed everywhere else. Around 420 acres were ploughed in total.

We would like to thank everyone who was involved in making this possible. Massey Ferguson provided a demonstrator tractor, and a new MF plough loaned by Linklater Engineering, the MF main dealer in Orkney. Additional sponsorship has been provided by, among others, Diageo, AIC(Scotland), Robert Wiseman’s Dairies, Northlink Ferries and Western Ferries.

Very special thanks have to go to Robert Prentice, co-ordinator of the challenge, who took the tractor to all of the venues over the weeks of the challenge. Without Robert's commitment and determination this successful event would not have taken place.

We are grateful to everyone who at a county level came along to help with the ploughing or got involved in sponsorship activity. We are delighted that with sponsorship monies still coming in, the challenge has raised over £11,000 net of costs.