2020 CLAN MACFARLANE VIRTUAL AGM & WORLD GATHERING REPLAY NOW AVAILABLE FOR MEMBERS

Gatherings

Clan MacFarlane Members can now view the replay of the 47th Clan MacFarlane Virtual Annual General Meeting & World Gathering

On December 5th, 2020, the 47th Clan MacFarlane Annual General Meeting and World Gathering was held virtually.  Although we regretted not being able to gather together in person, we were happy to be able to bring our Gathering into the homes of so many who normally would not be unable to attend, pandemic or no.

This being the first virtual event that the Clan ever held,  The 2020 Gathering was a huge success, with more attendees than we’d ever had before!  So much so, that moving into the future, we will be offering all of our World Gatherings as digital first/hybrid events.

We were delighted to be joined our guests, partners, associates, our staff and our members from around the world for this truly international event.  And thank you to our sponsors as well as our producers for making the Gathering an event to remember.

NOW, if you weren’t able to make the live broadcast of the AGM, do not worry!  We have made the entire 6 hour broadcast available for members right here at MacFarlane.org.  You just have to be logged into you members account in order to view the show.

We hope that you will enjoy this very special On-Demand offering!

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Clan MacFarlane Plant Badge – The Cranberry

Heritage

What Is A Clan Plant Badge?

A Highland clan plant badge is a sprig of a plant, specific to each clan, that is used to identify a member of the clan.  It is usually worn in a bonnet behind a crest badge or attached at the shoulder of a lady’s tartan sash.  According to popular lore, plant badges were used by Scottish clans as a means of identification in battle.

Every Scottish Highland clan has their own wild plant badge. The plant badge is symbolic of the clan’s homeland, which the clan’s warriors defended with their lives. The wearing of the plant badge was an essential lucky charm, thought to offer the magical protection of the land herself.

What Is The Clan MacFarlane Plant Badge?

Many clans chose plants common to their own ground like heather or pine. Others used herbs, subartic moss or gras.  Cranberry is the plant badge of the Clan MacFarlane.

The Crest of the International Clan MacFarlane Society granted by the court of the Lord Lyon on the year 200,  depicts a demi savage brandishing a broadsword in his sinister (right) hand,  and a sprig of cranberry in his dexter (left) hand with the motto: “This We’ll Defend”. The sprig of cranberry is a symbol of the Clan MacFarlane’s native homelands and the clan’s heritage.

What Is A Cranberry?

Cranberries are small fruit that grow on evergreen dwarf shrubs or trailing vines.  The various variets belong to the subgenus oxycoccus of the genus vaccinium.

Vaccinium oxycoccos is a flowering plant in the heath family and is cultivated in central and northern Europe. Its cousin, vaccinium macrocarpon, is cultivated throughout the northern United States, Canada and Chile.  Thus, in Scotland, cranberry refers to the native species vaccinium oxycoccos,  while in North America, cranberry refers to vaccinium macrocarpon.

The cranberry is also known as small cranberry, bog cranberry, swamp cranberry, but, particularly in Scotland, it is just known as cranberry. It is widespread and grows quite well in the cool temperatures of the northern hemisphere.

Cranberries are edible and have been used both as a medicine and as a food by various Native American communities. Some Iñupiat cook the cranberry with fish eggs and blubber.

The plant easily colonises bog habitat that has recently burned. It survives fire with its underground rhisomes.

Author

photo of International Clan MacFarlane Society, Inc President Michael R. MacFarlane

Michael MacFarlane, FSAScot

President

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Clan MacFarlane Plant Badge – The Cranberry

Heritage

What Is A Clan Plant Badge?

A Highland clan plant badge is a sprig of a plant, specific to each clan, that is used to identify a member of the clan.  It is usually worn in a bonnet behind a crest badge or attached at the shoulder of a lady’s tartan sash.  According to popular lore, plant badges were used by Scottish clans as a means of identification in battle.

Every Scottish Highland clan has their own wild plant badge. The plant badge is symbolic of the clan’s homeland, which the clan’s warriors defended with their lives. The wearing of the plant badge was an essential lucky charm, thought to offer the magical protection of the land herself.

What Is The Clan MacFarlane Plant Badge?

Many clans chose plants common to their own ground like heather or pine. Others used herbs, subartic moss or gras.  Cranberry is the plant badge of the Clan MacFarlane.

The Crest of the International Clan MacFarlane Society granted by the court of the Lord Lyon on the year 200,  depicts a demi savage brandishing a broadsword in his sinister (right) hand,  and a sprig of cranberry in his dexter (left) hand with the motto: “This We’ll Defend”. The sprig of cranberry is a symbol of the Clan MacFarlane’s native homelands and the clan’s heritage.

What Is A Cranberry?

Cranberries are small fruit that grow on evergreen dwarf shrubs or trailing vines.  The various variets belong to the subgenus oxycoccus of the genus vaccinium.

Vaccinium oxycoccos is a flowering plant in the heath family and is cultivated in central and northern Europe. Its cousin, vaccinium macrocarpon, is cultivated throughout the northern United States, Canada and Chile.  Thus, in Scotland, cranberry refers to the native species vaccinium oxycoccos,  while in North America, cranberry refers to vaccinium macrocarpon.

The cranberry is also known as small cranberry, bog cranberry, swamp cranberry, but, particularly in Scotland, it is just known as cranberry. It is widespread and grows quite well in the cool temperatures of the northern hemisphere.

Cranberries are edible and have been used both as a medicine and as a food by various Native American communities. Some Iñupiat cook the cranberry with fish eggs and blubber.

The plant easily colonises bog habitat that has recently burned. It survives fire with its underground rhisomes.

Author

photo of International Clan MacFarlane Society, Inc President Michael R. MacFarlane

Michael MacFarlane, FSAScot

President

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