(It was February 2018, and we stood dazed but buzzing with excitement in front of Whitehill Farm with its deed paper in our names. We had ourselves a part of history. The farm had been a part of the Culzean Estates until 1942 and was still one of the prominent estates of Ayrshire.

Our journey to this beautiful piece of farmland started years ago when we decided to move out of our comfort zone. We were enjoying a hassle free life in Dubai, when Suryaveer decided that he would like to live a ‘retired’ life… or more  specifically live our dream life right away instead of wait another 20 years…we had wanted to retire to a farm. The big question was – where? Access to a good education for our young kids was one of main drivers. So, we sat with a map, looking at the world in front of us, trying to decide where we would like to move. Bison farming in Canada was tempting, so was the whitetail deer in the  U.S,  and ostrich or kangaroos in Australia came to mind too… the choice was vast… Eventually, my Glasgow-based sister played a part, as it was she who suggested that as we already loved Scotland, why not move close to her. So Red Deer it was.

And that is how we, the Rathores – Suryaveer who belongs to the Manna Thekana(Rajisthan India), our kids Parisa and Yugveer, aged 13 and 6 respectively, and me, a Chandigarh girl(Its the only indian city designed by swiss-french architect Le Corbusier) – ended up standing here in front of Whitehill Farm, surrounded by silence and snow. We left the wonderful land of sun and ultra-modernity to find out how our love for nature and Scotland would pan out.

The first thing that we needed to get used to was the silence… life on Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai, with its zillion lights and even more cars had left us unprepared for the totally dark and silent evenings at the farm. The second, was boilers! It was alien for us to think in terms of topping oil or running out of it. Ten days on the farm and our water meter froze. Basically, the ‘beast from the east was here.’ According to our locals it was one of the harshest winters after an equally tough wet year and it had converted our running water to ice.

Since then, we have had to deal with broken machineries, suicidal hens, mischievous dogs and a steep learning curve. However, we would not change any of it, because along with the challenges there have been great rewards – beautiful scenery that makes us ever so grateful, a healthier way of life, and the time and the ability to enjoy our daily blessings. We have also over the last couple of years grown from strength to strength as venison farmers and have even been featured on The Hairy Bikers and Landward. Our deer are reared in an all-natural habitat, and we have also been developing venison recipes that have been winning rave reviews from our local friends, neighbors and also from our celebrity visitors.

Venison, is unlike other red meats. It’s higher protein content, lower fat and calorie levels make it the ideal choice for those looking for a healthy meat dish on their dinner table. Venison is rich in vitamin B, iron, zinc and omega-3 fatty acids – all of which makes it a good choice of protein even for people with cardiovascular diseases

Now, a few years down the line, the challenges of the first few weeks make me smile. The initial struggles of setting up a venison farm in a completely foreign environment have given way to a well-balanced, deeply lived life. We live in the midst of nature and have been blessed with an abundance of clean healthy food sources. It is our dream and goal to share this bounty of nature with everyone .