Kildare farmers offer tips in new book

FIVE farmers from Co Kildare are sharing their wisdom for a new book combining scientific research with local knowledge that gives farmers and others practical tips on creating a more sustainable future, while protecting land and nature.

The Farming For Nature Handbook is a practical guide to protecting and restoring nature with contributions from more than 50 farmers across Ireland.

Farmers offer their own experiences in working with nature can help reduce costs and improve incomes.

The five Kildare farmers are Andrew Bergin from Athy, Anthony Mooney from Maynooth, Kim McCall of Kilcullen, Stephen Morrison from Kill, and Trevor Harris from Donadea.

It is hoped The Farming For Nature Handbook will become the essential guide to caring profitably for our land.

A small sample of the Kildare farmers’ tips, advice and expertise included in the book includes Andrew offering tillage advice.

‘I use cover crops to protect my soil from the weather – the canopy of the cover crop reduces the compaction that rain falling on bare ground can cause. It reduces the amount of soil washed away after heavy rain, and the loss of the nutrients with it,’ said Andrew from Grattansbrock, Athy.

Mixed farmer Trevor Harris from Cooltrim, Donadea offers insight into sustainable agriculture.

‘The farm still needs to be run on a commercial footing. Farm profitability is also an important part of sustainability. As biodynamic farmers, we work with nature as opposed to fighting it. There is an appreciation of all the plants and animals that live on the farm,’ he said.

Beef farmer Kim McCall shares his experience with ivy management.

He said: ‘Ivy has a bad name but really it is an important habitat, shelter and food source for animals in the winter so no need to be drastic with its management. It adds to the diversity. Ivy does not kill healthy trees.

‘Ivy can be managed by cutting back, without killing it. Keep questioning everything and observe and record. Past management may not be applicable in the future. Keep learning.’ Another beef farmer Anthony Mooney from Ladychapel, Maynooth talks about being mindful of birds in farming.

‘Not using fertilisers and herbicides leaves a species rich meadow that is more attractive to birds. Although thistles are usually viewed as unwanted weeds of grazing pastures, their flowers and seeds are of immense feed value to all the finches e.g. yellowhammer, goldfinch, linnet. Be courageous and leave some for the birds!’ Stephen Morrison, a beef, tillage and forestry farmer in Kill, spoke about ‘regeneration’ along the bank of the Morell River that passes through the centre of his farm and which his grandfather had straightened by piling up the banks.

‘I fenced off all waterways on the farm and so for the first time in around100 years the river was free from livestock and human intervention. Now 10 years later, the river system has been radically changed with lines of self-seeded alder trees up to 30 foot tall on either bank and an under layer of ferns, ivy, briars and grasses. This natural regeneration has created a rich biodiverse habitat, while the tree’s roots have held the bank in place, better than any excavator ever could!’ The book, which will be launched on 28 November was inspired by regular requests to the non-profit Farming For Nature project from landowners, farmers, smallholders and growers wanting to learn how best to manage their land, big or small, in a way that enhances habitats, protects profits, and safeguards our natural environment and rural communities.

RRP €30. It is available to order (and pre-order now) at www.farmingfornature.ie.

The Farming For Nature project was set up to support, encourage and inspire farmers who farm, or who wish to farm, in a way that will improve the natural health of our countryside.

The book was conceived and developed by Brigid Barry, researched and mainly written by conservation ecologist Dr Emma Hart on behalf of Farming For Nature and co-edited by Dr Brendan Dunford of the Burrenbeo Trust. It is beautifully illustrated with watercolours and sketches by farmer and artist Clive Bright as well as digital images by scientific illustrator William Helps.

The book has been described by President of Ireland Michael D Higgins as “a timely and essential contribution to the on-going discourse on how we, as a society, must respond to some of the most pressing challenges of our time”.

The Farming For Nature Handbook, published by Dingle Publishing, will be launched on 28 November.

The book was supported financially by the National Parks and Wildlife Service, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, and the Lifes2Good Foundation.