Smoke gets in your eyes

Father and son duo Ronnie and Alasdair Graham run Barony Country Foods in Lockerbie, an artisan smokehouse that produces a range of award-winning products including smoked poultry, meats, fish, and cheeses. They use hot and cold techniques to imbue their range of foods with its distinctive oak-smoked flavour.

After school in Penicuik, Ronnie, enrolled on a fish farming course at Barony Agricultural College in Dumfries. He worked on a trout farm in Ae near Dumfries before working elsewhere with salmon smolts. He was sadly made redundant but got a position at Pinney’s Smokehouse in Annan. He says, “I went from an outdoors job to working indoors, which was a heck of a change for me. I was primarily involved with smoking salmon.” He spent four years developing products, and began to realise, “I would love to be doing this for myself.”

Twenty-five years ago, he took the plunge and opened his traditional smokehouse on the grounds of Barony College. In 2015 he moved to larger premises in Lockerbie where now he and one of his sons work together.

Alasdair his son, fondly recalls the old smokery, “I remember Barony as being an idyllic place. I helped my dad as soon as I fitted into a white coat. My earliest memories are watching him fillet fish, loading the kiln or vacuum-packing fish. He also showed me how to skin and butcher deer.” He describes the all-pervading aroma of smoke as being homely, saying, “Ever since I was born, I always remember being surrounded by the smell.”

Working with his father hasn’t always been easy. Alasdair admits, “We get on now, but we maybe rutted our heads together a wee bit in the younger days.” He first began helping his dad out when he was at Lockerbie Academy. This continued part-time when he went to college to study fish farming. He explained he wanted to pass his driving test and leave the area to work in fish farming on the west coast. He said, “That was the way I wanted my future to go. But by the time I passed my driving test, I realised that I was enjoying working with my dad and I could see that we were going to take the business to bigger places. We have brought it a fair way since then, which is nice to be part of.”

The pair sell directly to customers from their shop, as well as all over the UK with their online mail order service. Ronnie says, “We have a butcher, deli counter and fish shop in our shop where we sell everything from fresh mussels, beef, venison and pheasant, samphire just whatever is in season. In summer we smoke seafood, shellfish and chicken.”

Sourcing locally is important to them with game and venison coming from within 20 miles, as they buy deer directly from local stalkers. Ronnie has always had an interest in shooting and taught himself to butcher deer. Alasdair chuckles and adds, “When you have 30 venison carcasses in front of you, you have plenty of time to practice.”

Alasdair does not mind putting in long hours, and says, “As long as customers are paying the bills, the body might protest but the mind says yes. You are your own boss at the end of the day.”

Both father and son passionately believe that keeping the history and heritage of smoking tradition is important. Alasdair points out, “We have a unique flavour that you won’t find in any supermarket.” People travel from all over to visit our shop, he says, “There is no more of a compliment than that.”

They are also trying to move with the times and have introduced a click-and-collect service, Alasdair says, “It is a big thing for us on our site now, and it is great for holidaymakers who want to buy a side of smoked salmon or other smoked products on their way home.”

They also supply hotels and restaurants in the area and have large commercial clients. Ronnie says, “It’s better not to have all your eggs in one basket.” This approach has proved a wise decision over the years. The region was hit by foot and mouth in 2001, and is now feeling the effects of the pandemic and the cost-of-living crisis.

Customers have included celebrities, Tony Singh, Amanda Redmond, Kevin Whately and Robbie Coltrane as well as royalty. Ronnie proudly reveals, “The Princess Royal said our smoked salmon was the best-smoked she’d ever tasted.”

The pair feel lucky to live in an area of unspoiled beauty in the South of Scotland describing it as, “A mini version of Scotland which deserves to be discovered.” Alasdair says, “We’ve got everything here, we are such an underrated part of Scotland.” Ronnie suggests visitors take off for the day, go for a bar lunch in Kirkcudbright or just explore beaches like Balcary Bay which he says is fantastic. Or venture beyond Kirkcudbright to discover Port Logan and Portpatrick.

Alasdair says, “There are lots of places here that are as beautiful as the Highlands. We also have gin and whisky distilleries that perfectly complement our smoked salmon. The area is also great for fishing, with rivers like the Nith and Annan. We literally have it all in this wee corner of Scotland.”

Ronnie explains how hard it was when he first started the business, “I was working from early in the morning, then I would go home for dinner and come back out until 11pm. I would go home to bed and do it all again the next day, but working with Alasdair has made a massive difference to me and the company. One thing about working with family is that you really trust them, one hundred per cent.”

Alasdair, who is a partner in the company, is in charge of the day-to-day running of the smokery while Ronnie focuses on admin and new projects as well as helping out with smoking. Finding their roles in the company has been important to make their partnership work.

Ronnie says, “It is a real privilege to work with my son. I get to see him doing things better than I did them before, things that I showed him how to do in the first place. “ Alasdair says, “It is very much a lifestyle, not a job. This is a massive part of both our lives. That is just how it is.”

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