Dexter suckler farmer among hosts of this week’s FFN farm walks
FFN ambassador, Ailbhe Gerrard runs the 30ha Brookfield Farm on the banks of Lough Derg where she keeps an organic sheep flock and honey bees.
Visitors are invited to Brookfield Farm in Co. Tipperary for a farm walk taking place this Friday, August 5, at 2:00p.m.
Ailbhe bought the land in 2010 and turned the neglected farm into a diverse farm system, of which one third is under broadleaf forestry and one third is used for arable crops.
10ac of her farm are dedicated to wild flowers that function as a wild bird cover. Ailbhe also created a landscape strip running from the top of a hill down to the lake to enhance biodiversity, according to FFN.
She frequently shares her passion for farming with others through open days and demonstrations on the farm. Ailbhe is also a Nuffield Ireland agricultural scholar and lectures at Gurteen agricultural college.
Beef farm
Pat McKenna runs a 60ac beef farm on the foothills of Sliabh Beagh in Co. Monaghan where he keeps a herd of about 90 Dexter cattle, using a calf-to-beef system.
He operates a low-impact grazing system and therefore uses no chemical fertiliser, instead, the only inputs used on his farm are farmyard manure, slurry and dry bedding.
The second of two farm walks organised by FFN this week will take place on Saturday, August 6, at 11:00a.m on Pat’s suckler farm in Monaghan.
Traditional hay meadow accounts for about 7ac of the farm, while 12ac of broadleaf forestry provide a habitat for many birds of the Sliabh Beagh, which is a hen harrier protected area.
Pat’s farm is also located in a curlew protected area, which means he does not cut any grass until July or August.
“I see my farm as a habitat and I farm in ways that encourage wildlife on the farm,” he said.
