Sisters who carried on 150 years of tradition to honour dad
WHEN Bryden Budge died in a tragic accident, it looked as if his family’s 150 years on their farm would end.
But instead of giving up on the windswept 740 acres on Shetland, Mr Budge’s daughters taught themselves how to farm.
Kirsty and Aimee Budge didn’t know where to start when they took on Bigton Farm, with little idea of how to operate machinery or what to feed the livestock.
But their hard work and determination paid off, and they have even been chosen to teach other budding farmers.
The sisters’ father, Bryden, 46, died in
‘We were determined to do it for him’
October 2014 when a tractor’s loading frame collapsed on him.
Kirsty, who was 21, was at Aberdeen University training to be a teacher and flew home with her other sister, Hannah, when they heard of their father’s death.
Kirsty said: ‘I was numb with disbelief. You hear about tragic accidents happening to farmers but you don’t think it’s going to happen to you.’
On the day of the accident Aimee, who was 17, was working in a shop near the farm when she heard an ambulance rush past.
She said: ‘I went up to the farm and my granny, Nancy, ran to me and told me what had happened. I was heartbroken.’
But only a few days after their father’s death Kirsty and Aimee discussed taking control of the family farm in his honour.
Kirsty said: ‘We knew it was what he would have wanted so there was never any doubt in our minds. He lived and worked on the farm all his life and we were determined to do it for him.’
The early days of running the farm themselves proved to be difficult. Kirsty, now 24, said: ‘There was so much we didn’t know, so much we hadn’t asked him about.
‘We didn’t know how to work the machinery, or what to feed the calves, or when to bring them in. We were starting from scratch so it was really daunting.’
Aimee, 20, said: ‘Being young and female in a male-dominated sector we are constantly being questioned about our ability.
‘But the people here are so friendly and the farming community is incredibly supportive of us.
‘We’ve learned over time and that’s what farming is about. We’ve done it for our dad.’