John and Stephanie O’Hanlon farm 38.88ha in Tipper, Ballymahon, Co Longford. The farm joined the Organic Farming Scheme in 2023 and are currently fully converted. The farm consists of 31.23ha of Grassland, 6.12ha of forestry and 1.53ha of a Riparian Buffer Zone.
John’s aim when deciding to join the Growing Organics Programme was to make a genuine attempt at running an efficient and profitable organic suckler herd on mixed quality land whilst working full time off farm.
The main farming system involves operating a spring calving 30 cow suckler herd selling progeny at roughly 15/16 months of age over the summer months to give cash flow. The cows are Simmental, Limousin and Hereford crosses and are run with a Charolais bull. To date all cattle have been sold conventionally at the local mart. Calves born since 1st April 2023 are in conversion and these are sold organically once they reach 15/16 months.
Some of the key changes that happened on the farm since joining organics were to adjust animal housing such that it met the organic standards, addressing soil fertility namely liming, creating additional paddocks and establishing some red clover and multi species swards.
