June is one of the Scene & Herd team's favourite months. Light evenings spent in the garden, warmer weather, delicious Scottish produce (mmm...raspberries!). Of course, it's not all fun and games - the sheep farmers in the team are kept busy preparing for clipping, watching grass think about growing and wishing lambs would hurry up and get to 42kg whilst the trade is good. What we're really looking forward to after a break of two years(!) is attending our respective local county shows - and of course the Royal Highland Show. We now understand how the cows feel when they're turned out!
READ MOREHello! We hope this finds you well and enjoying some good weather. Rain or shine, the Scene & Herd team are all outdoor enthusiasts and share their tips on making the most of your time out of doors: Anna likes to pack a backpack with a picnic blanket (we love these recycled wool blankets), some local produce and a pair of binoculars.Monty suggests combining a work phone call with a walk in the fresh air. The Scene & Herd team are always happy to arrange walking meetings to discuss any aspect of marketing or PR for your rural business. Sarah is a fan of Slow Ways, an initiative to create a national network of walking routes connecting all of Great Britain’s towns and cities as well as thousands of villages.
READ MOREWe hope this finds you well and tucking into some Easter eggs, hot cross buns or the last of some Scotch lamb (we like these recipes for leftover lamb). The Scene & Herd team have been kept busy juggling family life with lambing and sowing - and of course, helping rural businesses be seen and heard.
READ MOREAs we send this from Scene & Herd's HQ in East Lothian, known as 'Scotland's Breadbasket', desperate scenes are unfolding in the breadbasket of Europe prompting the leaders of the UK's four farming unions to send a message of solidarity to the Ukrainian National Agrarian Forum and the Finance and Economy Secretary to pen an open letter to Scottish businesses urging them to withdraw from trading with Russia.
READ MOREAre you keen on, and up to speed with, various social media channels, most specifically Facebook?Do you enjoy writing content for social media?Do you have a passion for rural Scotland and the food and drink it produces?Would you like to work with Scotland’s rural PR and marketing agency, helping rural businesses to grow?Here at Scene & Herd, we are looking for someone to work with us on a part-time freelance basis to help us manage a range of social media accounts on behalf of our lovely clients, most frequently Facebook accounts.
READ MOREAnd just like that, we're over halfway through the shortest month. February may be the shortest month but it has been a particularly busy - and blustery one. We hope you've been unaffected by storms Dudley, Eunice and Franklin. Fingers crossed we have a bit of a break before Gladys, Herman and Imani pay us a visit!
READ MOREBrrrr.....January is here! This time, two years ago, in blissful ignorance of what lay ahead, the Scene & Herd team were having a New Year get together at the wonderful Scottish Cafe. Over delicious local, seasonal food, we blethered about our new OnFARM podcast, sustainability and our favourite books, films and (Scottish) words. Some of those words were "coorie", "dreich" and "outwith" - none of them was "Covid", "Delta" or "Omicron".
READ MOREAs the end of the year grows near, our thoughts inevitably turn to what we’ve achieved...or not! It's worth remembering that we are still living in a global pandemic and, with the shortage of food-grade co2, container port delays and labour shortages, 2021 has been every bit as challenging as 2020 for some businesses. So, if you've been thinking about tasks that remain outstanding, don't be too hard on yourself! Many of the supply chain issues are set to continue into 2022 and this is likely to be exacerbated by rising energy costs, so what do we have to look forward to in 2022?
READ MOREIn the twenty months since the first UK lockdown, new behaviours have been formed around online shopping. This is particularly true of older e-commerce converts who would not have shopped online without the pandemic and who are likely, to some extent, to continue doing so. Just as shopping habits have irrevocably changed, so must your marketing. Why not try the following:
READ MOREAt this time of year, lower light levels, unpredictable weather and less colour in the landscape can leave many people feeling tired and downbeat. In this special wellbeing edition, we look at ways to keep your energy levels up and to take care of your mental health.Our main source of vitamin D is sunlight. From October to March when light levels are lower, we need to rely on dietary sources (such as oily fish, eggs & fortified breakfast cereals) to maintain good bone and muscle health.Many people find light therapy useful in the darker months. Consider sitting in front of a lightbox for an hour or using a dawn-simulating alarm clock which gradually gets brighter and can be helpful if you find it hard to wake up on winter mornings.As tempting as it is to go into 'hibernation mode', it is really important that you get some exercise as it is a real mood booster and any activity is better than none. See some tips here.
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