James Strain

Farmer Writes: only good fields grow docks

A five-year-old clover sward continues to deliver strong yields with little chemical nitrogen, but an increasingly impressive crop of docks is proving harder to ignore.

FARMER WRITES 21 August 2026

Farmer Writes: only good fields grow docks

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Farmer Writes: the power-washer was busy at Clonmany Show

Farmer Writes: the power-washer was busy at Clonmany Show

FARMER WRITES 8 August 2026

Farmer Writes: sun and sand, but not at the beach

Farmer Writes: sun and sand, but not at the beach

FARMER WRITES 26 July 2026

Farmer Writes: I've been flat out not farming

Farmer Writes: I've been flat out not farming

Farmer Writes: I've been flat out not farming

FARMER WRITES 14 July 2026

Farmer Writes: hopefully it's not another one of those years

Farmer Writes: hopefully it's not another one of those years

Farmer Writes: hopefully it's not another one of those years

FARMER WRITES 7 June 2026

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Farmer Writes: strong heats in dairy heifers

Farmer Writes: strong heats in dairy heifers

There’s always a certain relief once the final straw is put in and the flask lid closed.

FARMER WRITES 14 March 2026

Farmer Writes: the continental v dairy-bred debate

Farmer Writes: the continental v dairy-bred debate

Dairy cattle are obviously cheaper to buy, which means you can carry more stock for the same money invested, and, in many cases, the profit per head may not be all that different.

FARMER WRITES 14 March 2026

Farmer Writes: spring arrives at last in Donegal

Farmer Writes: spring arrives at last in Donegal

If conditions hold, James Strain should be able to push on and get the reseeding done in good time.

FARMER WRITES 14 March 2026

Farmer Writes: cold weather and fuel pressure keeping a lid on things

Farmer Writes: cold weather and fuel pressure keeping a lid on things

There is strong support for the ongoing fuel protests from people across the country, which reflects just how serious the situation has become for ordinary working people.

FARMER WRITES 14 March 2026

Farmer Writes: balancing weight gains and falling price

Farmer Writes: balancing weight gains and falling price

Do you chase extra kilos and risk a falling price or take what’s in front of you, asks James Strain.

FARMER WRITES 14 March 2026

Farmer Writes: what is going on with Ireland’s factory beef price?

Farmer Writes: what is going on with Ireland’s factory beef price?

What makes the situation difficult to understand is that the fall in price is happening at a time when the number of cattle being processed nationally is well back on previous years.

FARMER WRITES 14 March 2026

Farmer Writes: the Shared Island TB project

Farmer Writes: the Shared Island TB project

Pilot TB project will operate across a defined study area covering northeast Donegal and northwest Northern Ireland

FARMER WRITES 14 March 2026

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