Muirhouse Farm in Kilmacolm is a shining example of modern Scottish hill farming – where tradition meets innovation. The won the Sheep Farm of the Year, before taking the Champion of Champions Award, proving that sustainability, community, and excellence can go hand in hand
Muirhouse Farm is an upland hill farm situated at Kilmacolm in Inverclyde.
With a head of 550 North Country Cheviot ewes in a closed flock, and a thriving agri-tourism enterprise operating for half the year, James and Wendy MacDougall are passionate about making their business sustainable for the future as well as inviting the public along for the journey.
Finding out they had three separate nominations for Sheep Farm of the Year was the first indication that the MacDougall family's farming excellence hadn't gone unnoticed. By the end of the Scottish Agriculture Awards evening, they'd not only won that title but claimed the prestigious Champion of Champions award too, much to their surprise.
A third-generation farm, the MacDougalls have been farming at Muirhouse since 1939. In selecting the Sheep Farm of the Year winner, a category sponsored by Rumenco and supported by Quality Meat Scotland, judges commended James and Wendy on their detailed performance recording, their stockmanship, and their enthusiasm for public and community engagement.
The Champion of Champions title sees winners from across all categories – suppliers, arable, dairy, machinery, and livestock – compete for the evening's top honour. More remarkable still, this year all three judges independently came to the same decision. "The chair of the judges told us that's unusual," says James.
"Sometimes one judge wants one winner, and another wants someone else, but he said all three of them came to the same decision. That was nice reassurance."
Muirhouse Farm spans 435 acres owned plus 200 acres rented, rising to 950-1000 feet with an annual rainfall of 90+ inches – making it a particularly wet area of Scotland. Some 336 acres are designated as Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and Special Protection Area for the Hen Harrier, meaning the MacDougalls carefully balance food production with environmental responsibility. The farm is carbon neutral, with all 550 ewes bred from a completely closed flock – the family purchase only three rams annually at Dingwall.
Performance recording has been central to the MacDougalls' approach for over a decade. James is a member of Abbey Vet group where nine or ten members have been benchmarking flock performance figures for more than ten years. "If you don't measure it, you can't manage it," he explains. The judges noted that the farm had more performance recording data than most pedigree operations, despite running a commercial flock.
The system is deliberately straightforward and low input. The top 150 male lambs are sold store straight off their mothers at weaning in mid-August at approximately 36kg, whilst all other male lambs are finished pre-Christmas at 43kg liveweight. The MacDougalls retain 130 ewe lambs for breeding and sell the remaining 170 to three private buyers who've purchased from them for many years. All store and finished lambs go through live auction markets.
The choice of North Country Cheviot is no accident. "They suit the farm perfectly as they're a hardy hill breed which aren't over-prolific when run naturally, and that suits the geography of the farm," James explains.
"I'm only looking for a lambing percentage of less than 150% because I need at least half of them having single lambs so they can go back to the hill – I don't have enough inbye land to support too many twins."
The breed's later maturity is also an advantage, with lambs not finishing naturally until later in the year off grass or forage rape, when prices are generally at their strongest.
What truly distinguished the MacDougalls in the judging process was their commitment to bringing farming to the public. Since achieving verified farm tourism status in April 2022, they've welcomed over 1500 visitors annually to Muirhouse. The enterprise ‘Kilmacolm Farm Tours’ began with lambing experiences during April – three weeks of tours that accommodate just 14 people per session, morning and afternoon, and are typically fully booked by February or March. Farm trailer tours then run from May to September on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, with visitor numbers increasing by 70% when the family added Highland cows to the experience.
The farm's commitment to sustainability extends to every aspect of the operation, including their wool clip. A local lady spins some of the wool from the farm and knits it into gloves which visitors can purchase, with all proceeds going to charity. Visitors can also buy bags of raw wool to take home. The demand has been such that the amount of wool the MacDougalls hold back for this outlet is steadily growing, adding another dimension to the farm's circular economy approach.
Tourism now accounts for 20% of the farm's total income, a diversification born from genuine passion. Wendy, who is now a Destination Leader for Scottish Agritourism also works as a Scottish Government agricultural officer from October to March and has volunteered for years with various organisations. She was astounded by how little children knew about where their food came from. "Wendy said we need to do something as an industry to address this," James explains.
The farm now hosts visits which include people with Additional Support Needs (ASN), as well as serving as a host farm for the Royal Highland Education Trust to support the ‘farm to fork’ journey for schoolchildren across Scotland.
"We get a lot of visits from school kids, and the teachers generally highlight the ones to keep an eye on," says James.
"Over four seasons of being open, we've had no trouble from any of these kids. They're completely engaged because it's different, and the teachers can't believe it."
The family have also undertaken promotional work for Quality Meat Scotland over the years, including hosting Olympic swimmer Rebecca Adlington for a Scotch Lamb promotion, and most recently welcoming Radio Clyde to spend a day on the farm promoting the sheep industry. Wendy regularly speaks at various community groups and organisations to help inform the next generation about food production and business.
Managing all of this with just 1.5 labour units – James works full-time on the farm including contract spraying and direct drilling, whilst Wendy splits her time between government work in winter and leading tours in summer – is no small feat. They're supported by three self-employed helpers, sisters who've been coming to work on the farm since they were 12 and are now in their mid-twenties, returning for busy periods like lambing.
The awards recognition means a great deal to the family, particularly as both their children – Ailie aged 14 and Kyle who is nine – are deeply interested in continuing the farming tradition. "When we got into the last three for Sheep Farm of the Year, I said to Wendy that even if we don't get any further, it's really nice to be recognised," James reflects. "We've worked away for years doing what we think is right, and nothing is ever said, so it just makes you more determined to stick to what you're doing and do the job properly. This just reinforces that we should keep going forward."
The MacDougalls are now ‘travel trade ready’, opening up opportunities to work with destination management companies and tour operators. With the farm just five miles from Greenock cruise terminal, which welcomes 180,000 passengers every summer, there's significant potential for growth. "Tourism could grow to 50% of our farm income if we can get into the travel trade," says James. "But we'll never become a farm park or petting zoo – this is purely educational. We're a working farm, and that's what makes it authentic."
For now, the family are focused on continuing to do what they do best. Producing quality lamb sustainably, maintaining high welfare and environmental standards, and sharing their passion for agriculture with anyone willing to listen. As James puts it: "We're just trying to keep the business sustainable for the next generation and bring the industry to the public, because they're so far removed from agriculture now.
"It can only be a good thing for the industry to take control and educate people about where their food actually comes from."
Judges Comment
The Scottish Farmer editor, John Sleigh said: "The judges were very impressed with the quality of this sheep business.
"One judge, who is a well-respected sheep farmer themselves, explained that you won’t find a higher standard of livestock farm in Scotland. The business has turned many of its challenges into opportunities and worked hard to build a thriving enterprise. On top of this, the MacDougall family have opened their doors to the public to diversify and promote the sector.
"The judges were unanimous in agreeing that the farm and family are worthy winners of the Champion of Champions title at the Scottish Agriculture Awards."
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