This Farming Life

What it means to be an organic farmer in Ireland today … Jenny Young writes about life and work on an organic mixed farm in Co Kildare - and selling its produce

February and March were whirlwinds, with over 100 cows calving in 2 months. All went well though. We had more heifer calves than usual and even had our first set of heifer twins. All the male calves were sold as quickly as possible. We were lucky to sell them directly off farm to a couple of organic farmers who will fatten them for the beef trade.

Our female dairy calves are now being fed milk once a day and are out at grass. In June we will wean them off milk altogether. All our milking cows are now out at grass day and night.

We are nearly starting our second grazing rotation around the paddocks. Grass growth is slow though and we are also zero grazing fields farther away from the main farm, to supplement the cows’ feed. A zero grazer is a bit like a huge lawnmower that cuts and collects the grass and then we feed it along the silage passage.

In the garden we have ploughed the allotments and our allotment holders planted their potatoes on St Patricks Day. In the case of organic potatoes, it’s easier to plant them early so that they can be harvested ahead of blight (which normally happens later in the summer).

In our garden the only thing we have growing plentifully is rhubarb, but I plan to get out early this month and get the rest of the garden in order. With less than 10 cows to calve, we can now get to work on other areas of the farm.

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Castlefarm Shop, Narraghmore, Athy, Co Kildare, Email jenny@castlefarmshop.ie, log onto www.castlefarmshop.ie or telephone 087 678 5269 Follow us on facebook or on twitter @castlefarmjenny