The 2016 harvest

While the harvest would become a much bigger issue for farmers, particularly in the west of the country later in the year, the 2016 harvest kicked off in earnest in July.

Gerald Potterton during the harvestin Co Meath. Photo: Jack Caffrey

Edmond Leahy opens the first field of his crop of Cassia winter barley at Kilmagner, Fermoy, Co Cork. Edmond harvested 70 acres of winter barley. Photo: Donal O’ Leary

Sheep get a trim

No more than the rest of us, sheep need to get the hair cut. There were plenty of sheep getting the fleeces trimmed this July.

Flock owner Anthony Hennessy packs the wool into bags as brothers Michael and Paudie Coleman, Lismore, shear his sheep at Tournarahin, Cappoquin, Co Waterford. Photo: Donal O’ Leary

Taking part in the last heat of the Seniors’ Sheep Shearing Competition in July are Graeme Davidson from Larne and Russell Smyth from Coleraine.

Next generation’s farmers

The summer brings out the next generation’s farmers into the fields.

Arthur Neville and his grandchildren Nicole, Darragh and Meadbh Cullen, with Lily the three-week-old calf born on the farm of Arthur and Emili Neville, three months premature at Rathanna, Co Carlow.

You can watch more about this wee calf here.

Teagasc Beef 2016 – The National Beef Open Day – was held at the Teagasc Animal and Grassland Research and Innovation Centre in Grange, Co Meath, in July. Photo: Jack Caffrey

The 2016 National Limousin cattle society YMA stock judging competition took place at Roscrea mart.

A great day for the new breed of sheep handlers at a sunny Castlewellan Show. Taking part in the Hampshire Down young handler section were Daniel Doyle, aged four, from Katesbridge and Lucia Magennis, aged three, from Donaghadee.

William Barry Snr and his grandson William Jnr checking his crop of wholecrop of barley, peas and grass which was sown in the first week of May at Annacarty, Co Tipperary. William uses it to feed his suckler cows and calves and beef stock. Photo: Jack Caffrey

Bibi O’Reilly with her pedigree Charolais heifer Flurry. Flurry was born three months early in December 2010 during a snowstorm and hence her name.

Silage continues

History in the Black Valley, a Fusion baler, making its way through the Gap of Dunloe, Killarney, Co Kerry, with not an inch to spare, mats were used on each side of the rock face to protect the machinery. This was the first time a Fusion baler was driven in the Gap of Dunloe. It caused quite a stir for tourists. Photo: Valerie O’Sullivan

You can read more about that story here.

Daniel Leegan, Killanny, wrapping bales while baling silage for contractor Gordon McKenna at Donaghmoyne, Co Monaghan.

Busy at work collecting bales while a break of sunshine appears in the weather in Ventry on the Dingle Peninsula, Co Kerry. Photo: Valerie O’Sullivan

Milk prices

Unsurprisingly, a west Cork co-op topped the Irish Farmers Journal/KPMG milk price review for 2015. Barryroe came out on top in the review published in July.

Barryroe Co-op milk lorry driver Tim Sheehy, South Ring, Clonakilty, stops to chat with Michael, Florence and Geoffrey Wycherley as they leave out the cows after milking on their father’s farm at Lislevane, Barryroe, Co Cork. Photo: Donal O’ Leary

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Click here to see the full series '2016 in photos'.