Eight Years

January 29, 2018

Eight Years

When I sat down and wrote my first Working for Grouse article at the end of January 2010, I could hardly have guessed all that would follow. Eight years later, this blog continues to attract new visitors every month, and it has been a crucial means of keeping in touch with old friends and connecting with new ones.

I have no clear remit with this blog, and the various threads of narrative simply follow behind simple curiosity and a (sometimes chaotic) instinct to be practical for conservation. I sometimes look back through old articles and cringe at my initial silliness, but I think it’s important to keep this material alive so that I can measure how far I’ve come, particularly when it comes to failure and ignorance… the best responses I’ve had from readers often come after revelations of my own mistakes.

I write a great deal here. When I occasionally meet visitors “face to face”, I reassure them that it’s not compulsory to read it all. There are some laudable diehards who assure me that they trudge through every sentence (these readers deserve a medal), but most dip in and out and take their pick according to what interests them. That’s how it should be, and I often write with this idea in mind.

But most importantly, I’m proud that Working for Grouse is so well received. Thanks as always for your support with this blog, and here’s to many more adventures in farming, conservation and wild game in the ninth (NINTH!) year of writing!

Posted by:

gallowayfarm

5 responses to “Eight Years”

Gordon Bulloch

January 29, 2018 at 4:22 pm

Keep the blog articles coming – I very rarely comment on the articles, but I always enjoy reading them!

Reply
Robert Dick

January 29, 2018 at 6:22 pm

Patrick – it is you who deserve a medal for the quality (and quantity) of your writings over the past nine years which have, I feel sure, given such great pleasure to others as they certainly have to myself. Your ability to convey to your readers matters of nature, of agriculture and of conservation (to name but a few of the areas covered) is quite sensational and I suggest unique and we should be truly grateful that we are able to share those outpourings on such a regular basis – how privileged we are – and do please keep up the good work.

Reply
jonathan pointer

January 30, 2018 at 7:07 am

Always enjoy (and read) the posts Paddy. It’s very much a soap opera with the places, animals and characters (yourself) something your readers become quite invested in!

Reply
Ade Bird

January 30, 2018 at 10:58 am

Patrick, I feel sorry for the readers who do not read every post, they are missing out! I often save a few articles up to read at a time. I wish pseudo conservationists (Avery et al) would read your blog they would learn a great deal from a shooting man doing his best for conservation and from his own pocket!! Keep up the good work and really enjoy the Instagram photos as well.

Best wishes
Ade

Reply
Shaun C Gelling

January 30, 2018 at 11:25 am

It really is a great blog Patrick. Thanks for sharing your passion for the hills and all that goes with it.

Reply