As a rower specialising in single scull, Drea represented Ireland at the 1972 and 1976 games, as well as winning three Henley Royal Regattas and placing second in the World Championships.

Now he runs an organic beef herd in idyllic surrounds at Carrigower, Co Wicklow.

His enterprise is split in two, with 70 acres in Carrigower and 50 acres in Ardcavan, Co Wexford.

Seán opts for a pure Aberdeen Angus, lauding their hardiness as ideal for organic systems. His plan is to calve 50 cows in 2017. Calving begins in late-spring and runs into the summer.

Not for the faint-hearted

Organic beef farmers cannot use synthetic fertilisers, sprays or non-prescribed medications and they must adhere to housing and feed regulations.

Seán will tell you himself that it’s not for the faint-hearted.

“It took me 10 years to build my ideal cow herd and I’m still not finished to be honest. It’s good old-fashioned farming – my cows are animals, not livestock units. They really need to be looked after. It is not easy by any means, but it’s rewarding.”

“Prevention is better than cure. I look to build resistance in my cattle and cull anything that repeatedly shows symptoms of ill-health. We must use alternative strategies to keep them right. For example, there would be a big emphasis on rotational grazing to try to alleviate the parasite burden, though anything showing symptoms gets a vet cert and is immediately treated.”

Diet and winter grazing

Seán slaughters bullocks and non-replacement heifers at around 27 months of age. From birth to slaughter, the animal’s diet will have consisted solely of its dam’s milk and forage – no concentrates are used in Seán’s system. Organic concentrates are typically twice the price of conventional rations.

Hay and haylage is made on the farm as a winter feed and Sean tries his hardest to keep animals out for as long as possible. When I visited, the main cow herd was on a patch of well-sheltered rough ground at the bottom of the farm, which Seán earmarks for winter grazing. The rest of Seán’s grazing ground contains an abundance of clover, which drives both the performance of his cattle and his grass swards.

Building a brand is where the real success lies in food production

White clover is more digestible than perennial ryegrass and generates its own supply of nitrogen (N), thriving in low-fertiliser systems. A well-managed clover-rich sward can generate as much as 120 units of N per acre annually.

Seán aims for a carcase in excess of 300kg. While this might seem light for their age, bonuses are typically between 5c and 20c/kg. He has also introduced a Red Angus bull this year, to get more length into his cattle. Couple this with supports of €170/ha and the business becomes a viable one. He also sends cattle to a butchers in Delgany and says this is something he sees potential in.

“Building a brand is where the real success lies in food production. It’s something I’ll work towards down the line. For now, I’m happy to keep doing what I’m doing. This way of life is an absolute joy.”

Going organic

At a minimum, organic farming is a five-year commitment, with the initial two years deemed the conversion process. Supports are increased during conversion and cattle on the farm when the conversion process begins will never be classed as organic, but progeny born subsequently will. Organic beef farms must be nitrates-compliant and run a minimum stocking rate of 0.5 LU/ha.