Arnish Yard - success story
Posted: Tuesday, 30 January 2007 |
The Fabrication Yard at Arnish is non-operational at present, and no news has been forthcoming about its future. This post is about the Hebridean Seaweed company, which has been set up in a corner of the industrial compound that is the Arnish Yard.
Hebridean Seaweed processes locally harvested seaweed (available in large quantities from the shoreline) into a substitute for the much-maligned trans-fatty acids found in many of our foodstuffs.
The company is now working 24 hours a day, 6 days a week - except for Sundays, out of respect for the Sabbath observance in the island.
I'm not quite sure, but I would imagine that there is plenty of space available for other small businesses like that. It is a success story, and I am looking forward to hearing of many more.
Comments
Have you tried carrageen pudding Arnish? It looks and feels like jelly and tastes like sea-flavoured set custard. Mmm.Mmm. If you don't want to collect the seaweed yourself and dry it in a pillowcase, I think you can get wee taster bags of carrageen in the Tourist Information Centre in Stornoway,
Annie B from the usual
Hope to hear from you again Arnish after you have partaken of it! Seriously, what is the end product of the seaweed processing?
mjc from NM,USA
Is this advertising on the 成人快手? Can I advertise a quality product also? Charley Barley, now Hebridean Seaweed, What next? Laxdale Taxidermi, Specialising in CATS !!
thewhitesettler from mainland
TWS, if you read my piece, it's a story of successful enterprise. It is to offset the story of woe regarding the heavy industry on the Arnish site. Seaweed was a Hebridean industry until just under 200 years ago, when the demise for its demand led to a lot of hardship in these parts.
Arnish Lighthouse from Stornoway
tws: you forgot to mention the main location of Laxdale on Orkney Mainland. Branches in Shapinsay and Scalloway in the near future, I hear. # I understand that McDonald is not cooking its french fries in transfat saturated goo any more. At this rate, we'll all live to be a hundred.
mjc from NM,USA
Arnish, although you are,as ever, correct, it still is an advertisement, you can praise a commercial company, however you can't do the opposite, whatever that is.
thewhitesettler from stillonthemainlandfortheforseeablefuture
Arnish, I thought that on some of the barren islands seaweed used to be brought in and incorporated into the Berneray (eh?!) type soil to render it more organic and productive. What other uses did seaweed have two hundred years ago in the Hebrides? And you mention an "industry" - what was produced? Jello for example had not been invented then or by Hebrideans (to the best of my limited knowledge).
mjc from NM,USA
MJC, seaweed is used to this day as a fertiliser. However, during the Napoleonic wars, the blockade of Britain by French ships meant that the country was cut off from its supply of guano (bird droppings), from which potassium nitrate would be extracted. Potash was used in the manufacture of gun powder. So, they used seaweed as a source of potash. When the war was over, so was the demand for seaweed. TWS: you cannot slander a company, although you can criticise it.
Arnish Lighthouse from Stornoway
Gracias, Arnish.
mjc from NM
Talking about the Hebrides, Arnish, I would like to mention the works of Adam Nicolson (the Nicolsons are known in your part of the world, I understand), particularly God's Secretaries, on the making of King James Bible. The latter book is superb: he writes very well and he displays a sensitivity and perspicacity rare indeed. I am not easily impressed, but this book bowled me over. Wife took the book with her on a trip, and I heard on the phone that she was equally impressed. Altogether, a wonderful achievement.
mjc from NM,USA
That's libellous Tws. See you in court. Grrrrraarr!!!
Flying Cat from in a fluff
We have a care home in Ness for the partially sighted where seaweed is served as Tagliatelle. Beat that.
calumannabel from Seaview Retirement 成人快手 Fivepenny
There's a care home in Edinburgh for the partially witted where it's served as Tagliabue........
Flying Cat from Rolling Acres Resthome 2/6d
I would just like to comment on how great it is to hear of two 'locals' showing such fantastic entreprenurship. They should be very proud of their achievments and I wish them every success in the future. The future indeed does lie in harnessing natures goodness. The possibilities of the seaweed are endless and I would advise anyone who is interested in getting out there and cutting! Does anyone know who these guys actually are?
Suas an Fheamainn! from East of Arnish
I have been in Lewis since late 2004 and am observing life on this fascinating island from an outsider's perspective. I look out at the lighthouse every day - as it looks out over the island and the sea. 
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