Features

Great tasting, award-winning eggs

12 May , 2017  

From their excellently-managed farm in Carrowdore, County Down, the Clements family have been producing, packing and distributing high-quality Free Range and fresh eggs for the catering, retail and wholesale markets for over four decades. We touched base with Philip Clements Jnr. to find out more about this market-leading third-generation family enterprise. A recent recipient of […]

Features

McMurran dairy herd setting the standards

11 May , 2017  

D&S McMurran Dairy Farm near Banbridge in Co. Down is home to one of the highest producing dairy herds in Ireland. Darren McMurran explains more. Two years ago, Darren and his brother Stuart had the top placed production herd in Northern Ireland in the National Milk Record’s annual production report with an annual yield of […]

Features

Award-winning free range turkeys

10 May , 2017  

Using traditional methods, Buchanan’s Turkeys in Kilrea rear some of the tastiest free-range bronze and white turkeys in Ireland. We travelled north and met up with founder Jonathan Buchanan to find out what makes their award-winning, premium produce different from any other turkeys on the island. While we were there, we also checked out Buchanan’s […]

Features

An outstanding family-run dairy / contracting enterprise

5 May , 2017  

From their base in Eglinton, Londonderry, two generations of the Montgomery family work together to deliver exceptional dairy farming and agricultural contracting services. We crossed the border and caught up with Thomas Montgomery to find out more about this excellent long-standing family business, which also incorporates a recently-installed anaerobic digestion plant, some tillage and a […]

Features

Crowds flock to annual Loughash Blackface Sheep sale

4 May , 2017  

Loughash Farm near Strabane in Co. Tyrone plays host to an annual on-farm sale of Blackface Sheep every September. First held 26 years ago, the sale has become one of the largest of its kind anywhere in Ireland and the UK. Over 300 people attended this year’s sale which took place on Saturday, September 24 […]

Features

Grantstown Nurseries are a real growing concern

3 May , 2017  

Grantstown Nurseries Ltd has been growing tomatoes in Waterford for nearly 40 years. Managing director David Currid, who is also chairman of the Quality Green Producer Organisation Ltd, explains more. Guaranteeing a superior freshness, quality and taste, Grantstown Nurseries is one of the leading commercial tomato producers in Ireland. During every growing season, about 350 […]

Features

John Patrick Ryan is a winner alright

2 May , 2017  

Templemore-based horse trainer John Patrick Ryan is enjoying one of his most successful ever seasons, having saddled his first treble at Sligo at the end of September. That brought his tally of winners for the current campaign to 14, which is one more than he managed in 2015. Also a dry-stock and sheep farmer, John […]

Features

It’s all in the genes …

28 Apr , 2017  

Synonymous with professional embryo transfer services for four decades, Bovi Genetics is playing a crucial role in raising the overall quality of Irish dairy and beef herds, maximising herd biosecurity and offering breeders and owners complete peace of mind. We travelled to Loughduff in County Cavan and caught up with owner Eddie Lynch to find […]

News

Big Tyres need a big tractor – Michelin says

27 Apr , 2017  

Northumberland-based contractor J.O. Straughan & Co Ltd has fitted its new range-topping Fendt 1050 Vario – believed to be the biggest-wheeled agricultural tractor operating in the north east of England – with the largest set of Michelin tractor tyres available. Measuring 2.32m high by 0.9m wide, the AxioBib IF 900/65 R46 fitments offer a per-tyre […]

Features

TV’s John sees his future in contract rearing

27 Apr , 2017  

John Fagan is one of Ireland’s best-known farmers thanks to the success of the RTE show ‘Big Week on the Farm’, which was broadcast live from his farm in Gartlandstown on the shores of Lough Derravaragh in Co. Westmeath earlier this year. Having focused mainly on sheep over the past six or seven years, he […]