2011 Stamp Issue: Island Farm

First Day of Issue: 5th May 2011
2011 Commemorative Issue

The title of 2011's issue is taken from the well-loved and well-kent true story of life on the Summer Isles during the early years of World War II. The author, the distinguised naturalist-philosopher Sir Frank Fraser Darling, set up home at Tigh-an-Quay with his family in 1939 to breathe new life into the derelict surroundings that remained after the failure of the herring industry on Tanera.

Sir Frank believed that a single family unit was too small to exist in isolation, dependent only upon its own resources. He aspired to the view that groups of like minded pioneers could bring prosperity and produce leaders who could inspire and promote Gaelic culture which is the bedrock of crofting communities. Sir Frank left Tanera in 1943 at the behest of the Department of Agriculture to establish demonstration crofts and advise the crofters.

Alasdair Fraser Darling, the son of Sir Frank and Bobbie, remembers happy school holidays on the islands and has very kindly allowed us to use illustrations from the 1943 edition of 'Island Farm'. These were delicately mainpulated by photographic expert Nick Tonkin to create images suitable for high quality stamp production.

The book 'Island Farm' is currently being re-published by The Dovecote Press, in omnibus format together with one of Sir Frank's other books; 'Island Years', a story of life on various Scottish Islands, including Priest Island, another of the Summer Isles archipeligo. As and when the re-publsihed books are available we shall provide more details of how to order a copy.

Supporting Information
Date of issue	5 May 2011
Issuing Authority	Summer Isles Post Office
Research & Design	Illustrations taken from "Island Farm" enhanced by Nick Tonkin of Truro, Cornwall in association with the Summer Isles Philatelic Bureau
Printer	Cartor Security, Meauce, France
Process	Offset Lithography - 4 designs, 4 colours
Material	102gm2 non-phosphorized, unwatermarked, security-coated paper with PVA gum
Stamp Size	44 x 35.21 mm
Separation	Pin perforation 12 x 11.75, 10% imperf
Sheet Size	200 x 95mm (4x2) including margins
Sheet Format	2 x se-tenant strips of 4 values; controls in lower margins. Single values also printed in sheets of 8 (4x2) for counter use in the Post Office
Miniature Sheet Size	112 x 95mm including margins
Miniature Sheet Format	4 values (2x2)
Cover Designer	Jean Wilder (of Tanera Mor) in association with the Bureau
Cover Printer	Robert Parker Limited of Dundee