Growing Organics
Growing Organics is a programme focused on supporting and increasing organic production. The programme, led by Teagasc and supported by DAFM, promotes the adoption of best practice at farm level to increase the future viability and sustainability of the Irish organic sector.
Demonstration Farms
Organic demonstration farms have been selected throughout the country to illustrate best practice and monitor key financial and environmental metrics. Providing up to date technical advice. The results from the activities on the demonstration farms will be made available to all farmers and researchers to improve the data available on different aspects of organic farming.
The organic demonstration farms will focus on:
- grassland management
- livestock nutrition
- animal health and welfare
- financial management
- environmental sustainability
- crop management
Growing Organics Demonstration Farms
- Sarah Turner, Gowlanes, Castlecove, Co. Kerry – Hill Sheep and Suckling
- Tommy Delahunt, Ballinaclogh, Co. Wicklow – Tillage
- Emmett Dunne, Durrow, Co. Laois – Field Scale Vegetables and Tillage
- John O’Hanlon, Ballymahon, Co. Longford – Suckler to Stores
- Joe Nolan, Kilconnor, Fenagh, Co. Carlow – Sheep & Tillage
- Bill George, Arles, Co. Laois – Dairy & Tillage
- John Hamilton, Tonyhabboc, Newtowncunningham, Co. Donegal – Suckler Beef, Sheep & Tillage
- Jason Stanley, Co. Laois – Sheep & Cereals
- Oliver and Anna Dixon, Co. Mayo- Suckler Finishing
- Thomas and Noreen Kavanagh, Co. Kerry – Suckler Beef
- Pat Maher, Freighduff, Cashel, Co. Tipperary – Suckler to Stores
- Barry O’ Hagan – Manorhamilton, Co. Leitrim – Lowland and Hill Sheep
- Kenneth & Jenny Keavey, Green Earth Organics, Co Galway – Field Scale Vegetables
Upcoming Growing Organics Farm Walks
An excellent opportunity for anyone considering entering organic production to see first-hand the differences in operating an organic system. Teagasc Advisors, DAFM representatives, the Organic Certification Bodies and of course the farmers themselves are all available on the day to answer questions and give guidance.
Click on the links below to find out more about the upcoming Growing Organics Farm Walks:
Tillage: Tommy Delahunt, Ballinaclogh, Co. Wicklow
Wednesday, 9th July | 11am
Join us on Wednesday, 9th July at 11am for a Growing Organics Tillage Farm Walk on the farm of Tommy Delahunt, Ballinaclogh, Co. Wicklow, A67 T660.
Tommy Delahunt is farming 31.15 ha of organic tillage land in east Wicklow. He grows a range of winter and spring cereals, pea/bean intercrops and barley/pea intercrops along with multispecies grass swards.
He opted for a partial tillage conversion into organic farming on 1st January 2023 and initially put 17 ha’s into conversion. This area increased in 2024 to 31.15 ha’s.
Going forward, he intends to use the multispecies grass leys as part of his crop rotation and to help reduce his wild oat and broad-leaved weed population. Other crops on the farm are combination crops of barley/pea, which are sown under contract for an organic dairy farmer and spring oats for the expanding organic animal feed market and also some of the oat crop is contracted to Flahavans. A relatively new concept of growing a pea/bean intercrop is being carried out on Tommy’s farm with the aim of providing an Irish grown source of protein for the organic animal feed market. He is also experimenting the growing of organic maize and if this is successful, it will offer another crop to become part of the rotation and he believes that there could be a great demand for organic maize from beef and dairy farmers.
Tommy’s soil fertility is at optimum level for pH, P and K and making the transition to organic farming has been a little easier for Tommy, given that historically, he imported large quantities of organic manures for his tillage crops, particularly poultry layers manure and cattle slurry. This would have replaced large amounts of chemical fertiliser over the years, while still maintaining yields and building soil fertility. He hopes to continue using a combination of imported cattle slurry, organic/free-range poultry manure along with organic approved poultry pellets to provide adequate nutrition to his organic crops. Another element of maintaining good soil fertility on the farm involves chopping the straw from the organic cereal crops in order to retain some of the P & K from the straw on the fields.
The farm walk on Wednesday, 9th July will take an in-depth look at the intercropping of protein crops (beans/peas) and at intercrops of barley/peas also. A focus on the day will be on looking at high seeding rates v’s lower seeding rates for oats and also looking at the advantages of a winter oat crop compared to a spring oat crop with regards to weed control.
Given that Tommy is growing some crops under contract for other organic farmers, there will be a look at grain handling facilities along with assessing the value of the crop for sale to the organic feed market.
As Tommy has some legacy weed issues on the farm – mainly wild oats and broadleaved weeds- crop rotations will be the cornerstone of his organic system to overcoming any of the weed challenges that will arise. Tommy believes that a diverse range of crops in the rotation will limit the likelihood of weeds becoming a problem on the farm. He is open to re-seeding fields back into multispecies grass or red clover in order to rest land and allow weeds to be controlled by grazing, cutting and mulching.
Tommy is very much looking forward to a new system of farming since his conversion into organics in 2023. He is confident that partial organic farming offers an economically viable alternative on his tillage farm.
Vegetables: Emmett Dunne, Leo Dunne & Co. Ltd., & O’Duinn Organacha, Dunmore, Durrow, Co. Laois.
Wednesday, 23rd July | 2pm
Join us on Wednesday, 23rd July at 2pm for a Growing Organics Vegetables Farm Walk on the farm of Emmett Dunne, Leo Dunne & Co. Ltd., & O’Duinn Organacha, Dunmore, Durrow, Co. Laois. Find directions here
Join us for this Growing Organics Monitor Farm Programme organic vegetables farm walk with one of Ireland’s leading vegetable growers.
Emmett Dunne began organic production in 2000, and now grows 30 acres of organic carrots, 100 acres of potatoes, 20 acres of leeks and 5 acres of kale. In total, Emmett has 550 acres of land in his organic rotation, which also includes 150 acres of organic winter and spring oats, 70 acres of beans and 75 acres in clover.
Key topics to be discussed:
- Field scale production of organic carrots, potatoes, leeks and kale
- Best practice field scale organic vegetable agronomy
- Organic tillage crops in organic vegetable rotations
- Machinery and equipment
Please respect crop hygiene before and during the farm walk.
IASIS credits available on the day.
Hill Sheep and Suckling: Sarah Turner, Gowlanes, Castlecove, Co. Kerry
Tuesday, 25th June | 2pm
A Growing Organics Hill Sheep and Suckling Farm Walk took place on Tuesday, 25th June on the farm of Sarah Turner, Gowlanes, Castlecove, Co. Kerry.
Sarah and Aaron Turner are enterprising sheep and suckler farmers with their farm lying within the Killarney National Park Natura Area.