I farm: “Six acres just outside Birr where I keep sheep, bees and a vegetable garden. I’m also big into hillwalking and I’m part of Ardara Hillwalking Club based in the Slieve Bloom Mountains. That’s what keeps me busy.”
Sheep: “I have 25 ewes and they’re lambing at the minute. I’ve around eight ewes left to lamb now. It’s so important that they get enough colostrum in the first six hours, people underestimate how much to give a lamb. I also give every lamb a supplement to protect against watery mouth, if it gets in you could lose a lot of lambs.”
Jim with a lamb on his farm in Offaly. \ Claire Nash
Ram: “I bought a Texel ram at a purebred sale in Tullamore last year so he’s still only a youngster. I used to have a Charollais and a Suffolk ram but I found after four years they got narky. The main reason though why I went for the Texel is because they’re more resilient to worms.”
Grass: “I know there’s a lot of farmers short of grass. I watch a lad on YouTube who says he has no grass at all. I have a field below that I have closed to give a rest to and I am hoping to get manure out this week if I can to boost grass growth. I’m giving the ewes a bit of meal to keep the milk in them, if you don’t the milk goes back.”
Lambs: “I’ll take the lambs to the mart in Roscrea when they’re fit. I find the mart more beneficial when you only have a small few. When you go to the factories they’ll pay you whatever they feel like paying you. I’ll sell them around the middle of June, I like to have about 10 going at a time.”
Jim's honey from his beehives. \ Claire Nash
Bees: “I love bees as well, I have about 40 hives and I give the honey to family and friends. However, there was an issue with the queen this winter.”
I farm: “Six acres just outside Birr where I keep sheep, bees and a vegetable garden. I’m also big into hillwalking and I’m part of Ardara Hillwalking Club based in the Slieve Bloom Mountains. That’s what keeps me busy.”
Sheep: “I have 25 ewes and they’re lambing at the minute. I’ve around eight ewes left to lamb now. It’s so important that they get enough colostrum in the first six hours, people underestimate how much to give a lamb. I also give every lamb a supplement to protect against watery mouth, if it gets in you could lose a lot of lambs.”
Jim with a lamb on his farm in Offaly. \ Claire Nash
Ram: “I bought a Texel ram at a purebred sale in Tullamore last year so he’s still only a youngster. I used to have a Charollais and a Suffolk ram but I found after four years they got narky. The main reason though why I went for the Texel is because they’re more resilient to worms.”
Grass: “I know there’s a lot of farmers short of grass. I watch a lad on YouTube who says he has no grass at all. I have a field below that I have closed to give a rest to and I am hoping to get manure out this week if I can to boost grass growth. I’m giving the ewes a bit of meal to keep the milk in them, if you don’t the milk goes back.”
Lambs: “I’ll take the lambs to the mart in Roscrea when they’re fit. I find the mart more beneficial when you only have a small few. When you go to the factories they’ll pay you whatever they feel like paying you. I’ll sell them around the middle of June, I like to have about 10 going at a time.”
Jim's honey from his beehives. \ Claire Nash
Bees: “I love bees as well, I have about 40 hives and I give the honey to family and friends. However, there was an issue with the queen this winter.”
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