Docu-film puts crofters in the frame

A woman who moved to the Outer Hebrides with her husband and opened an honesty box shack selling seafood meals, homemade bread and cakes is the star of a new VisitScotland docu-style video.  

Julie Olley and husband Steve fell in love with the islands after holidaying in Uist in 1998. Just a year later they moved to the Outer Hebrides, taking over the tenancy of ‘Croft 36’ on the Isle of Harris. After working on croft improvements, they planted vegetables which they sold at the farmers market in Stornoway and from the croft to passing trade.

Fast forward a quarter of a century and the couple have now expanded their culinary offering, selling seafood sandwiches using homemade butteries, as well as soups and baked goods from an honesty box shop outside their house.

VisitScotland has created a series of documentary-style short films to reach international audiences. They aim to tell stories through captivating people and places to showcase the connection that Scotland can give the visitor to nature and the outdoors.

The mini-docs, which sit on VisitScotland’s YouTube channel, tie in with popular tourism themes, such as food and drink and outdoor adventures, and feature unique experiences and organisations found across Scotland.  

Other similar videos spotlight Bunabhainneadar - Scotland’s most unique tennis court, also on the Isle of Harris; and the River Dee Damsels, a female angling group from Royal Deeside, who aim to encourage more women into the activity.

Julie Olley, Croft36 owner, said: “In 2010 we started making and delivering hot seafood-based meals to visitors and residents alike, mainly holiday cottages, campsites, campervans and tents. It proved really popular and we were using local crab, prawns, lobster and mussels – everything that we could get hold of - and making them into a three-course meal.

“Later that year we started selling dressed crab from a kiosk in our car park, which was quite successful. Crab sales were bolstered by homemade bread and cakes. The following year we built the shed/shack which is still in operation today, complete with the original honesty box system, so people could just help themselves.

“We had the small shed to start with, but it became so popular we decided to build a bigger one. It’s a lovely way of doing it and we have added PayPal as a lot of people don’t have cash anymore.

“Every year we have people coming back that have been coming for years and years to see if we have the same frangipane tarts or if we have anything new, and they are always happy that we’re still here.

“Steve and I work together, I do the baking and Steve makes the fillings, stews and curries. We cater for everyone - locals and visitors alike. Visitors are mostly from the UK but also come from abroad.

“We employ one local lady directly and help pay part of the wages of several local fishermen. We hope creating the video with VisitScotland will help us to reach an even larger audience.”

Stuart Brunton, Senior Production & Multimedia Manager at VisitScotland, said: “We wanted to create inspiring content that shows incredible and unique experiences you can have in Scotland, and that reflects our brand proposition ‘Good for the Soul’.   

“Visitors are looking for travel options that connect them to authentic local provenance, as well as nature and the outdoors. We set out to find inspiring stories that can offer just that.

“Croft36 and Julie’s passion for creating delicious locally-sourced seafood and cakes comes across perfectly in this video. Her aim is to highlight their fabulous and quirky catering business to a wider audience and we hope to do that through this video.  

“This is about viewing Scotland from a visitor’s perspective – whether it be in the shadow of our world-renowned mountains or fleeting footsteps in the sand at sunset.”   

For more information about VisitScotland’s destination storytelling, visit: www.visitscotland.org/news/2024/multimedia-team  

To learn more about Croft36 and watch the video, visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQ02uznU474&t=95s

ENDS