An Lot

The Croft returns for a new series as we catch up with young crofter Donald ‘Sweeny' MacSween on his croft in the Isle of Lewis, a croft that has been in his family for over 100 years.

Sweeny first captured the imagination of BBC Alba viewers in 2015 in the first series, as he tried to turn his passion for crofting life in to a full-time occupation. Over the last four years there been many challenges as he strives to fulfil his dream. Now in his second year full-time, Sweeny is always on the look out for something new to maximise his income from ‘An Lot' as we find out.

In the first of five programmes he looks at different ways of using wool, gets ready for 600 new hens, and builds a new shed shop for the tourists. He also heads to the bright lights of Edinburgh for the Scottish Rural Awards, where he is nominated, before heading back to the realities of crofting life and lambing - and early mornings. Definitely not Sweeny's favourite time of the day!

Recent years have seen more and more tourists visiting the islands. The increase of cruise ships coming in to Stornoway has played its part, with many of the visitors keen to experience life on a Hebridean croft, and Sweeny is more than ready to welcome them with some typical cheeky charm.

After a tour of the croft, he goes in to sales mode, with some novel new wool products for his visitors to check out in his newly opened shop. He also reveals how a somewhat surprising job provides him with moments of inspiration - cleaning out the hen house!

Sweeny heads to Shetland for the first time to find out more about crofting life in the Northern Isles. The main purpose of his trip is to check out a new type of building that could make a big difference to his future plans in Lewis. With the crows and ravens a threat to his sheep and lambs, this could provide a safe place to be, as well as protection from the weather. Designed by a Shetland company, it has a strong green ethos at its core, and is similar to a polytunnel but much stronger, and able to withstand 120mph winds!

Sweeny continues to strive to make a living from crofting full-time. This year Sweeny is upping the game with his wool, as he reveals his ambitious plans to create his own Harris Tweed. Weaver Rebecca Hutton shows him how it's done, and he also has a go himself. His jumper, knitted from the wool on his own sheep, is also ready to be collected, and Sweeny is really looking forward to seeing the end result!

This week, Sweeny welcomes a new calf to the croft. Since taking his wool production to the next level by creating his very first batch of Harris Tweed, he is excited to receive the finished product from the mill, which he plans to sell far and wide.