Farmer James Brown was seen sowing his seed yesterday - some might say he has been doing that for the last 55 years -  but this time in an impressively  huge  field, just this side of  Port Charlotte.

On Islay, the ground is usually too damp and boggy until around this time of year  to get heavy machinery on it.  The late start in the season is made up with longer hours of daylight - 17 and a half hours between sun rise and sunset at midsummer - and only 4 hours of darkness.

The 30 acre field, a different one from last year,  rises  from the road right up to Octomore farm.  The old clay field  pipes have been replaced to improve the drainage. During the process, traces of the original pipeline  for  Port Charlotte Distillery was also discovered, confirming the route outlined in a plan discovered at the Mitchell Library in Glasgow.

James has sown Optic barley. 

The field should  yield about 70 tonnes of barley.