The Isle of Canna is a working farm, comprising 1,126 hectares of mostly hill ground with some good fertile land on the inbye (the inner land away from the sea). As of 2024, the farm runs 600 North Country Cheviot ewes and approximately 50 cows – mostly Shorthorn cross and Aberdeen Angus cross, alongside a small herd of pedigree Highland cattle.
The farm operates a zero-cropping policy, meaning that no fodder is made on island. This means that the farm doesn’t need any large and expensive machinery, saving on maintenance and labour costs as well as space. High quality feed is bought in and delivered by boat.
The farm and land management on Canna is conservation- and wildlife-led, with several areas shut off from March to September to provide cover and safe breeding areas for ground-nesting birds, including the corncrake – a very important seasonal visitor to Canna.
The National Trust for Scotland farm is currently managed in tandem with several small traditional crofts.
There are 10 crofts covering just over 82 hectares and supporting 30 sheep and 17 cows. The crofting land includes key habitats: the only piece of machair on Canna – a very important habitat that supports many species from birds to wildflowers; shingle beaches where healthy populations of rare oyster plant grow at the mercy of winter storms; and wetland/boggy areas where we have recently found water rail.
The Belted Galloway cattle grazed on these lands have been bred for the unique environment, thriving on very little and treading lightly. Along with the careful management of the land by crofters, this has led to a very species-rich area of common grazing land.
