The Farmers Journal team of farmer writes journalists from Ireland, New Zealand, the UK and beyond are dedicated to providing local farming news, comment and opinion across the dairy, beef & tillage sectors.

LATEST ARTICLES
News
Farmer Writes: is soil sampling good news or bad?
James Strain
James Strains is skeptical about the results he received from the Department's soil sampling programme. However, he is a big advocate for the new liming scheme.
22 March 2023 Farmer Writes
Farmer Writes: you'd miss those hazy February days
Calving is well under way on Tommy Moyles' farm and a few labour-saving choices have helped keep the workload to a reasonable level.
22 March 2023 Farmer Writes
Farmer Writes: ground saturated as milk price falls
The milk price drop will cost farmers significantly and instantly, but we are also expected to take the hit on the expensive fertiliser and feed stocks.
Farmer Writes: latest stories from the lambing shed
The rare miraculous victory during lambing is matched by plenty of failures, writes Derek Robinson.
22 March 2023 Farmer Writes
Farmer Writes: where do seagulls kip at night?
I’d say a flock of seagulls can greedily devour a huge percentage of the fat worms from a freshly tilled field.
15 March 2023 Farmer Writes
Farmer Writes: Salers twice as stubborn as Limousins
Present weather conditions seem to be causing issues across the country, with cows calving and sheep lambing all needing extra space.
15 March 2023 Farmer Writes
Too many silent heats and waiting for spring
Of the cows that are pregnant, most are in calf to sexed semen writes north Antrim dairy farmer Robert McConaghy.
15 March 2023 Northern Ireland
Farmer Writes: planning for first cut silage
James Strain is thinking about doing things a little differently around silage this year.
14 March 2023 Farmer Writes
Farmer Writes: land is the new quota
Tommy Moyles has noticed a number of similarities between the pig and dairy sectors over time.
8 March 2023 Farmer Writes
Farmer Writes: focus turns to breeding season
As we finish up the calving, the focus will turn to the breeding season next, writes Bill O'Keeffe.
8 March 2023 Farmer Writes
I don’t want to be a busy fool again
The drudgery of farming can take its toll, writes Fermanagh farmer John Egerton.
8 March 2023 Farmer Writes
Farmer Writes: rented land prices are alarming
Should I rent more land and use less fertiliser or rent less land and use more fertiliser, asks Joe Collingborn.
5 March 2023 Farmer Writes