It was a busy few days with the weather showing an uptake and two days at Teagasc’s education centre in Ballyhaise, Co Cavan.

We were back on Friday of last week for a lash of practical tutorials and exams on the dairy and beef sectors. Not coming from a dairy farm, some of the dairy practicals are of interest.

Last week we got the rota for class milkings. Every Friday we’re in Ballyhaise, three of us have to carry out a morning or an evening milking. Our group is primarily made up of beef or sucklers advocates. Last Friday was the turn of the first three guinea pigs.

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One of the lads from Monaghan is as staunch in his love of suckler cows as he is in dislike of “them screws of black and white yokes”, or dairy cows as the rest of us might call them.

After completing the milking, he walked out of the parlour, planted the hands on his hips and said:

“I can safely say that was the worst experience of my life!”

There was little bit of pride hidden beneath the bravado though for getting through the morning milking.

We were then back in on Saturday for written exams on the beef and dairy curriculums. Nothing too onerous in either but both sets of exams were well pointed at the practical side of farming – something the Green Cert should do more of.

As I was finishing up the beef exams, I looked around the room and noticed very few members from the fairer sex.

There are just three in the group I’m part of and a few others in different groups. While I should’ve been cramming for the next exam, thoughts turned to the age old question: Are there enough women in Irish agriculture?

I don’t think we, in agriculture, necessarily prevent women from getting into farming but neither is there much encouragement. More and more women are coming to agriculture but that’s not being seen, to the same degree, on farms. Around 15% of farms in Ireland are owned by women.

What can be done?

We're back in three weeks for the start of our discussion groups.

Yours in education...