LATEST ARTICLES
Farm Programmes
Seeds of sustainability in west Cork
Emma Hart
Madeline McKeever’s farming journey has been guided by a lifelong commitment to sustainability, and the diversity of her 30ac enterprise is testament to her efforts, writes Brendan Dunford.
22 November 2023 Footprint Farmers
‘Working smarter, not harder’: benefits beyond balance sheet in organic farming
Organic farming is more than just a scheme; it embodies a rich history and philosophy that is rooted in the belief of working with, not against, nature, writes Emma Hart.
15 November 2023 Footprint Farmers
Woodlands and wellbeing in Co Westmeath
Forestry is sometimes viewed as incompatible with farming but, for Ger Deegan, it has allowed him to ‘breathe again’ and to enjoy his farming more than ever, writes Brendan Dunford.
Carbon farming: measuring carbon flux on Irish farms
Soil carbon is increasingly being recognized as a valuable asset on Irish farms. However, challenges persist in its accurate measurement, writes Emma Hart.
8 November 2023 Footprint Farmers
Questions of succession in Co Offaly
Chatting with Declan Quinlan, you sense his pride in his work. But succession is a question which increasingly concerns him: what happens once he can’t do this work any more? Brendan Dunford reports
1 November 2023 Footprint Farmers
Clean water ponds create wildlife hotspots on Irish farms
Tucked away in a wet corner of a field or amongst a tangle of trees, the value of ponds in our landscapes has often been overlooked, writes Emma Hart.
25 October 2023 Footprint Farmers
Engineering solutions for sustainability in west Kerry
Dinny Galvin is an example of how farmers – individually and collectively - can unlock immense opportunities through open-mindedness, leadership, collaboration and commitment, writes Brendan Dunford.
18 October 2023 Footprint Farmers
The ancient arts of coppicing and laying
Farmers are reviving forgotten skills to breathe new life into our hedgerows, writes Emma Hart.
11 October 2023 Footprint Farmers
Bringing tradition back to life in Co Mayo
"What’s striking about the McDonagh’s farm is the range of activities taking place on such a compact area – so many of them familiar to those of us who grew up on Irish farms," writes Brendan Dunford.
4 October 2023 Footprint Farmers
Wading into wetland solutions on Footprint Farms
Simple, targeted, nature-based measures can help to mitigate the risks of water pollution from farmyard runoff, writes Emma Hart.
27 September 2023 Footprint Farmers
'Amazing what can grow without any chemical inputs'
Evidence is mounting that multispecies swards can effectively reduce farm inputs, enhance farm sustainability and improve animal performance, writes Emma Hart.
13 September 2023 Footprint Farmers
Monumental efforts to sustain Roscommon’s farming legacy
Though Rathcroghan’s archaeology may be of global significance, for Gerard Healy and his family, this legacy has proven somewhat of a mixed blessing, writes Brendan Dunford.
6 September 2023 Footprint Farmers