Major evening walk planned on award winning tillage farm
Don Somers, a tillage farmer and winner of the overall Teagasc FBD Environmental Sustainability Award 2025, will open his farm to visitors next week for a major national evening farm walk. John Pettit, a Teagasc Advisor based in Co. Wexford, previews the event.
Farming 183ha in partnership with his uncle Jim in Oylgate, Co. Wexford, Don produces winter and spring cereals while sharing machinery and labour resources.
Don is quick to recognise the support and advice he has received from fellow farmers over the years. Learning from both successes and challenges has helped shape his farming system and he is equally willing to share his own experiences with others.
Fertiliser and nutrient planning
Don plans fertiliser applications based on crop nutrient requirements and soil fertility levels, ensuring nutrients are applied efficiently with minimal waste. Precision soil sampling is carried out every second year, with an average sample area of just 2.1ha, providing highly accurate information.
Organic manures such as poultry litter and farmyard manure play a key role on the farm, contributing to reduced fertiliser costs and better soil health – a win for production, water quality, soil biodiversity and storing carbon.
A dedicated storage area allows him to transport manure during quieter periods and spread it when conditions are optimal. Nutrient analysis of the organic manures and weigh cells on the loader ensure accurate applications.
Focus on soil health
Soil health is central to Don’s farming system. Don is acutely aware that soil health is about more than just the soil analysis results. It’s also about soil structure and soil biodiversity. Don regularly examines soil structure for compaction and earthworm activity using a spade in the field.
Much of the farm’s straw was incorporated back into the soil. While this can create challenges such as slugs and seedbed difficulties, Don believes the long-term benefits outweigh the drawbacks through improved soil organic matter and nutrient retention.
Cover crops are grown on all spring crop ground to prevent nutrient loss, improve soil structure and support water infiltration, particularly on lighter soils.
Precision technology
Precision farming tools are widely used across the farm. Don has been trialling an N sensor on winter wheat crops, which adjusts nitrogen applications according to crop growth within fields.
Yield mapping has also been used for the past six years to monitor crop performance across fields. This allows Don to target soil testing, identify issues such as compaction or drainage problems and apply inputs more precisely.
Protecting water quality and biodiversity
Don has reduced chemical nitrogen use by 20% through improved nutrient management, greater use of organic manures and precision technology. Catch crops are established to avoid bare soils over winter.
Riparian buffer zones have been developed to help protect the River Slaney while also supporting biodiversity. Hedgerows are carefully managed, with many maintained as escaped hedges and side-trimmed to minimise impacts on fields.
Integrated Pest Management (IPM) practices on the farm encourage natural predators and reduce reliance on chemical inputs, supporting biodiversity both above and below ground.
These are just some of the reasons why Don Somers was named the overall winner of the Teagasc FBD Environmental Sustainability Award 2025.
Event details
Join us for a family walk on Don Somers Farm on Wednesday the 17th of June at 6.30pm. This event is open to all families. It’s a great opportunity to bring young and old alike together to get an insight into what farmers like Don are doing to look after the environment around them while at the same time continuing to produce high quality nutritious food for our tables.