The farm: “I farm 220ac of reasonably dry ground alongside my mother and father, Breda and Dinny. My brother Tom is a teacher and helps out with milking. We milk 60 cows at home, keep 20 sucklers and grow 35ac of spring and winter barley.”
Stock:“We milk all British Friesian cows. The calves are reared and finished at two-years-old, we usually sell them through the factory or the mart in Carlow. All fattening stock is kept on our out-farm which is in Kildavin.”
Tillage: “We grow 35ac of spring and winter barley, which is used for feeding and bedding on the farm.The barley we grow is fed to the dairy cows and the calves.”
Weather: “Earlier in the summer we suffered a drought. Thankfully, there were 100 bales of silage left over from last winter, so we had most of them fed out before the end of May, start of June. It has been raining for the past few months - the grass growth has been bursting out of it.”
This week: “Spreading fertiliser and cutting hedges is on the agenda. There is still a small bit of silage left to be cut. If we got three fine days without any rain we could get it done.”
Ploughing: “I started competitively ploughing in 2015. My mother Breda has won five All-Ireland titles, so that is where the interest comes from. The tractor and plough were at home, so I decided to take it up. I won the U21 senior All-Ireland in 2017. This year is my first year competing in the U28 conventional ploughing class, which will take place in October.”
Preparation: “The more practice you do the better. My father coaches me, but this year there are no coaches or spectators allowed on the day. It will still be on the same ground in Ballinatrane. Most people who ploughed last year will be ploughing again this year, they will have a fair idea of what to be expecting. My ploughing idol is Seán Treacy, he helped me out a lot getting started.”
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My Farming Week: Michael Meade, Rathbranchurch, Lobinstown, Co Meath
My Farming Week: Patrick and Peggy Melican, Lissycasey, Co Clare
My Farming Week: Leonard Blanchfield, Ballyogan, Graiguenamanagh, Co Kilkenny
The farm: “I farm 220ac of reasonably dry ground alongside my mother and father, Breda and Dinny. My brother Tom is a teacher and helps out with milking. We milk 60 cows at home, keep 20 sucklers and grow 35ac of spring and winter barley.”
Stock:“We milk all British Friesian cows. The calves are reared and finished at two-years-old, we usually sell them through the factory or the mart in Carlow. All fattening stock is kept on our out-farm which is in Kildavin.”
Tillage: “We grow 35ac of spring and winter barley, which is used for feeding and bedding on the farm.The barley we grow is fed to the dairy cows and the calves.”
Weather: “Earlier in the summer we suffered a drought. Thankfully, there were 100 bales of silage left over from last winter, so we had most of them fed out before the end of May, start of June. It has been raining for the past few months - the grass growth has been bursting out of it.”
This week: “Spreading fertiliser and cutting hedges is on the agenda. There is still a small bit of silage left to be cut. If we got three fine days without any rain we could get it done.”
Ploughing: “I started competitively ploughing in 2015. My mother Breda has won five All-Ireland titles, so that is where the interest comes from. The tractor and plough were at home, so I decided to take it up. I won the U21 senior All-Ireland in 2017. This year is my first year competing in the U28 conventional ploughing class, which will take place in October.”
Preparation: “The more practice you do the better. My father coaches me, but this year there are no coaches or spectators allowed on the day. It will still be on the same ground in Ballinatrane. Most people who ploughed last year will be ploughing again this year, they will have a fair idea of what to be expecting. My ploughing idol is Seán Treacy, he helped me out a lot getting started.”
Read more
My Farming Week: Michael Meade, Rathbranchurch, Lobinstown, Co Meath
My Farming Week: Patrick and Peggy Melican, Lissycasey, Co Clare
My Farming Week: Leonard Blanchfield, Ballyogan, Graiguenamanagh, Co Kilkenny
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