“If you go to a market to sell sheep, you are one of two or three women there. But if you know what you’re doing, you’re not nervous.
There was a moment that shaped Hannah Doherty’s farm life forever. As a young girl passionate about animals and farming, she wanted to be there to witness a cesarean section on a cow that was having trouble calving.
Her father, who until then had always supported her interest in farming, was against it. She’s too young, that’s too much, she shouldn’t be there. But even as a young child, her determination to be treated the same as everyone else was strong.
She fought around her corner, put her young foot through and eventually prevailed.
Today, Hannah – who is one of four women farmers to be featured in a new TG4 series – works as a beef and sheep advisor for the Department of Agriculture in Northern Ireland and runs Cornamount Farm in Donegal with her husband Tommy.
“We have a farm back home in Glencolmcille and my father is a part-time sheep farmer. The farm has always interested me. I was a very nature-loving child, crazy about animals. My dream job as a child was to be a veterinarian, that was always my dream,” says Hannah.
“One of my earliest memories is of a cesarean performed on the farm and my daddy didn’t want me to see it because I was so young. I really wanted to go to the cowshed because I wanted to be a veterinarian. In the end I had my way, I had to see it.
“I was very fortunate that my mom and dad never stopped me from being part of the farm at home. If my brother wanted to help or if I wanted to help, we were equal. I never paid much attention to the work on the farm. It comes naturally to me because it’s the work I’ve been doing since I was a kid.”
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Hannah works as a Beef and Sheep Advisor for the Department of Agriculture in Northern Ireland
Hannah studied Agriculture at University College Dublin and her graduating class was one of the first to have an equal gender split.
For the last 10 years she and Tommy have managed Cornamount Farm in Burt on the main road between Letterkenny and Derry. When they took over, the 130-acre farm had no outbuildings, few roads, and needed major improvements.
They’ve taken the farm a long way in a short amount of time, building roads and camp numbers, and devising some innovative ways to work without a shed.
“When my husband bought the farm, there was no farm on the farm, it was a green field property. We’ve done a lot of work on it over the years. Since we don’t have a yard or nice log stalls, we build a large foil tunnel and lamb our sheep in the tunnel.
“This is a temporary measure, we would like to build suitable cattle and sheep pens in time, but given the current climate this is a huge investment. So for us the focus was initially on improving the grassland, the roads and building up stock figures. Hopefully over time we will be able to invest in a real farm.”
Hannah says she’s never felt out of place as a farmer, and apart from a few kind comments, she’s never treated anyone differently because she’s a woman.
“If you were encouraged to do it from a young age and nobody ever told you not to do it, it’s not a problem. I’m very lucky here with Tommy – we’re a team and we do this together.
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Hannah has always had a passion for animals
“We both have full-time jobs and are here mornings, evenings and weekends to check and feed the stock. It takes both of us. I don’t have many girlfriends who are interested in farming, so my friends are probably looking at me and wondering what I’m doing.
“When you’re trying to be successful, it can be very hard work. But it’s worth it. There are undoubtedly tough days, especially when it comes to illness or losses on the farm, but on the whole it’s a very comfortable life.
“I think it all goes back to your childhood. If you are encouraged from a young age, you will never feel inadequate. My husband is also very supportive and when you have someone in the business who treats you as equals that is very important.
“If you go to a market to sell sheep, chances are you’re one of maybe two or three women there. But if you know what you’re doing, don’t be nervous.
“Of course people made comments about you as a young woman or the blond hair. But I take it easy because it’s always meant that way. I have never had a negative experience.
“People might say they’ve never bought sheep from a woman, but if you laugh about it and keep it light-hearted, I’ve never felt any real negativity about it.”
During the Covid-19 lockdown, Hannah started a new business at Cornamount Farm, delivering eggs from the farm gate using an honesty box. This was an important development for the farm as it provided a daily income to get them through the lean periods when no cattle or sheep are sold.
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During lockdown, Hannah started delivering eggs from the farm gate using an honesty box
“I wanted to build something for myself and that’s where the chickens came in. That was something I could do all by myself.
“The chickens are very self-sufficient, if you feed and water them and give them lots of fresh air, they’re pretty happy,” says Hannah.
“I am very interested in farm-to-fork. I love selling direct from the farm and I think we don’t do that enough in Ireland. I think this is a path that agriculture needs to go further. Supermarkets have too much control over the price farmers get for their produce and farmers need to do it more themselves and get a price for their produce.
“I love it when people buy my eggs and come back to me and say they were so fresh or tasted great. That’s something I’m very proud of.
“One of the biggest problems as a cattle and sheep farmer is the lack of cash flow. It’s not that beef and sheep don’t make money, it’s just that the money comes in at certain times of the year. That can sometimes be a struggle.
“The eggs gave us the opportunity to do something every day. It’s not a lot of money, but it’s coming in all the time. This is important.”
Hannah Doherty is one of four women farmers in Mná na Talún, a four-part series beginning November 23 on TG4
https://www.independent.ie/business/farming/rural-life/if-you-go-to-a-mart-to-sell-sheep-you-are-one-of-two-or-three-women-there-but-if-you-know-what-youre-doing-youre-not-nervous-about-it-42123943.html “If you go to a market to sell sheep, you are one of two or three women there. But if you know what you’re doing, you’re not nervous.