If you’re reading this it means we all survived the solar eclipse on Wednesday evening.

Some ancient civilisations believed eclipses indicated the wrath of the gods, or were harbingers of doom.

Of course, we now know that a solar eclipse is simply when the moon comes between us and the sun.

They aren’t common, the last significant solar eclipse in Ireland was back in 1999, the next one won’t be until 2090.

It’s unlikely I’ll still be around then, but I’ll cast a look into the crystal ball to see what farming might be like in 64 years’ time when it next gets dark in daytime.

And what I’m seeing is profound changes in the landscape of farming, mainly due to the impact of climate change on farming across the country.

Land prices in the new prime dairy areas of Longford, Leitrim, and Sligo continue to ratchet up, reaching €150,000/ha. Meanwhile, the sandstorms in east Cork, Waterford and south Wexford meant the Blackwater and Rose Kennedy bridges on the N25 were closed. There hasn’t been a cow milked along the south coast since the drought of 2044, which lasted until “Yellow 47” when the grass finally died off forever.

Ballyragget and Belview are now storage facilities for water. Three billion litres of the pure drop are imported annually, to be used for drinking and to keep Nolan Park irrigated.

The most lucrative form of farming is still black and whites, but instead of Friesian cows, “black and whites” now refers to badgers.

Back in 2051, it was discovered that badgers carried within them the cure to a raft of diseases and ailments, and they became more valuable than Wagyu beef. Badger farmers are now urging the government to keep dairy cows fenced away from badger setts, for fear they will transmit TB to their valuable herds.

Wild cattle

Meanwhile, animal rights activists are calling for the Minister for Agriculture to carry out a controlled cull of the wild cattle herd roaming the Wicklow hills. The herd has been expanding since winter finishers, crippled by feed costs, released heifers and young bulls into woodland in 2062.

Environmentalists say the feral bovines are degrading traditional deer grazing grounds.

Technology has advanced, with robot tractors and laser weeders meaning there are only 1,300 people farming in 2090.

This has been offset by the increase in staffing numbers in the Department of Agriculture, which now has 87,000 inspectors, mainly occupied with the electronic tagging of honeybees and the administration of movement permits required for the bees to travel more than 500m in search of pollen.

To be honest, I’m glad I won’t be around to see all that.