The stackyard at Whitehouse
Photograph of Donald MacLean with his sons Donald and Tom in the stackyard at Whitehouse.
Courtesy of Mr Reg Knapman
Donald MacLean and his sons, Donald on the right and Tom on the left, are finishing off a ‘mulan’ (corn stack) at Whitehouse. Once the stack was about seven feet high, a small eave or ‘calpa’ was made by putting two layers of sheaves back to back.
The stack was thatched with ‘sealasdair’ (iris) or ‘cuilc’ (reeds) or very occasionally hay. The point or ‘toman’ was often finished off with a cockscomb of bound iris or a small sheaf whose seed had been neatly removed. This was called ‘am boideanan’.
When the ‘mulan’ was finished, it was weighted down by three heavy ropes and stones for a few days to allow it to settle. Then ‘sìoman ruadh’ (sisal rope) was criss-crossed over the top and weighted with six stones.
Black and white photograph of Donald MacLean and his sons at Whitehouse.
Donald MacLean, with his sons Donald on the right and Tom on the left, building stacks at Whitehouse.