The farm: “I run a tillage, beef and vegetable farm on 400ac in partnership with my wife Mary. We grow 150ac of grain, 35ac of sugar beet, finish 50 cattle per year and the rest of our efforts are focused on vegetables.”
Christmas harvest: “We are currently preparing for our Brussels sprout harvest, which will begin on Friday. We will have two harvesters in action, with three fellas working on each and another 12 will be busy in the pack house.”
Family effort: “Our four children Kate (19), Maeve (16), John Joe (15), and Patrick (11) all help out and enjoy the couple of days off school. Mary is in charge of labelling and a couple of my brothers and sisters will also be around to help out.”
Labour shortage: “Like every vegetable grower, we are finding this year quite difficult when sourcing workers.”
\ Valerie O’Sullivan
Adapting to 2020: “This year we had to make an awful lot of modifications to our pack house to be COVID-19 compliant. Conveyor belts had to be lengthened to allow for social distancing. We extended our line by 30 feet for this year’s harvest.”
Prices: “Supermarkets and shoppers need to start paying a small bit more for vegetables that can be fully traced from seed to shelf. I know for a fact that most families would be more than happy to pay an extra few pound for home-grown produce in place of the imported vegetables on our shelves.”
Cattle: “We buy in 50 weanlings each year, weighing roughly 450kg to keep the yard clean and free up the space taken by waste vegetables that don’t meet the grade. We push with ration after Christmas and finish them at roughly 700kg.”
Commitment: “You have to look after your staff. These fellas are working long days, out in the fields at all hours of the day and night. No one will do this for minimum wage, so it’s important to look after those willing to go the extra mile.”
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My Farming Week: Peter Whooley, Kilrussane, Knockraha, Co Cork
My Farming Week: Jimmy Feehan, Killenaule, Co Tipperary
My Farming Week: Paul Sheridan, Corglass, Kilnaleck, Co Cavan
The farm: “I run a tillage, beef and vegetable farm on 400ac in partnership with my wife Mary. We grow 150ac of grain, 35ac of sugar beet, finish 50 cattle per year and the rest of our efforts are focused on vegetables.”
Christmas harvest: “We are currently preparing for our Brussels sprout harvest, which will begin on Friday. We will have two harvesters in action, with three fellas working on each and another 12 will be busy in the pack house.”
Family effort: “Our four children Kate (19), Maeve (16), John Joe (15), and Patrick (11) all help out and enjoy the couple of days off school. Mary is in charge of labelling and a couple of my brothers and sisters will also be around to help out.”
Labour shortage: “Like every vegetable grower, we are finding this year quite difficult when sourcing workers.”
\ Valerie O’Sullivan
Adapting to 2020: “This year we had to make an awful lot of modifications to our pack house to be COVID-19 compliant. Conveyor belts had to be lengthened to allow for social distancing. We extended our line by 30 feet for this year’s harvest.”
Prices: “Supermarkets and shoppers need to start paying a small bit more for vegetables that can be fully traced from seed to shelf. I know for a fact that most families would be more than happy to pay an extra few pound for home-grown produce in place of the imported vegetables on our shelves.”
Cattle: “We buy in 50 weanlings each year, weighing roughly 450kg to keep the yard clean and free up the space taken by waste vegetables that don’t meet the grade. We push with ration after Christmas and finish them at roughly 700kg.”
Commitment: “You have to look after your staff. These fellas are working long days, out in the fields at all hours of the day and night. No one will do this for minimum wage, so it’s important to look after those willing to go the extra mile.”
Read more
My Farming Week: Peter Whooley, Kilrussane, Knockraha, Co Cork
My Farming Week: Jimmy Feehan, Killenaule, Co Tipperary
My Farming Week: Paul Sheridan, Corglass, Kilnaleck, Co Cavan
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