“Operating a blended organic farm works well for us because it spreads the workflow, nutrient needs, and cash flow.”
Organic farming can be sustained through careful management of the land and its capacity.
This is the philosophy of John and Fiona Curran who have achieved their own resource balance on their farm in Fordstown, Navan, Co. Meath. They farm 175 acres and run a mixed venture.
Noting the farmers’ interest in joining the now-open organic farming program, John recalls his conversion to organic farming. “In 2005 we decided to go organic and joined the Irish Organic Association,” he says.
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Anna and Lucy Curran with some of the 100 bronze turkeys being raised for the Christmas market
“Looking back, the most important change to our farming system in the early years was the reduction in livestock. Once the land adjusted to being fertilizer free and returned to balance, we found that we could gradually increase stocks again.
“In organic animal husbandry, it is important to determine the carrying capacity of the farmed areas. Our land here is mostly loamy loam, which makes it very fertile if managed properly.
“There are a few wet plots in some areas, but overall it’s a very productive country. I carefully monitor fertility, with the main uses being farmyard manure, manure and lime. Poaching and compaction are two of the most important things to look out for in organic farming as they can really damage soil structure and disrupt your entire production system.”
The Currans have sheep, cattle, turkeys and grain on their farm. “We have 45 suckler cows. All calves and offspring are raised to meat at around two years of age. They are Simmental crossed with an Angus bull. We split the calving almost 50/50 between autumn and spring. The sheep farm consists of 175 sheep that lamb in the shoulder season. We keep 135 ewes and 40 ewe lambs in the system. The sheep are mainly Charollais with some Zwartbles crossbreeds. I mainly use a Charollais ram.
“Then we have 100 bronze turkeys that we breed for the Christmas market. We bring her to us in early September when she is about five weeks old. They are fed an organic ration and killed in mid-December.
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John and Fiona Curran with two of their daughters, Anna and Lucy
“I also grow 10 acres of Isabel winter oats for Flahavan’s. I usually reserve a few tons for sheep at lambing time.
“Running a mixed farm works well in organic farming because it spreads the workload, nutrient needs and cash flow, which is important.”
Grassland management is an important part of organic farming and John mainly manages old pastures.
“Part of this grassland has been newly seeded in the last 10 years. I use perennial ryegrass and white clover and it has worked very well.
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The family business has 45 suckler cows
“I haven’t experimented with red clover yet, but will probably try a few fields over the next few years. I have maintained productivity with the current system. I close my grassland in early May after grazing and applying farmyard manure. Then around June 25th, when growth is most intense with high quality, I cut the sod and then add it to a silage pit. I average seven or eight tons per acre. Then the grassland is left behind and grazed with sheep, lambs and younger cows for the rest of the year.
“I usually apply farmyard manure in September. Livestock are kept in one group for most of the year, with ewes being brought together towards the end of the year. This mixed grazing system is good for controlling parasites.”
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The turkeys are fed organic ration and killed in mid-December
The Currans approach reseeding from field to field as part of their rotation system. “Sometimes I’ll air a field when I feel like it’s showing poor growth,” says John. “For fields that I think are going to tire and need reseeding, I usually plan that a couple of years in advance. The first year I will be growing spring oats followed by winter cabbage.
“Then in the second year I will plant another crop of summer oats and follow that up with an overseed which I will leave in for a few years to rejuvenate the soil. The kale is a good cover crop and the cattle thrive on it.
“If the soil and weather conditions permit, I have the cattle on the kale from mid-December to mid-February. The kale is balanced with roughage, about 50/50 with either straw, hay or silage. In my experience, animals hibernate very well and it is healthier for them.”
Approximately 40 cattle are raised annually and sold to either Slaney Meats or Good Herdsmen, with lamb sold to ICM in Camolin. Turkeys are mostly sold locally to butchers, restaurants, hotels or farmers markets.
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The currans in their possession
“The turkeys are animals that we love to raise and the children – Mary, Anna and Lucy – love being part of this venture. It brings a bit of life to the farm at this time of year, but we’re all looking forward to them heading out in mid-December. As such, they are not produced for a specific market, but are all sold locally,” says John.
In addition to his full-time work on the farm, John chairs the IFA Organic Project Team. He also sits on the Organic Forum, a group of stakeholders tasked with implementing the National Organic Strategy 2025.
“Our mission is to monitor the development of the sector. There is a lot of potential here in Ireland for the expansion of organic farming. As an organic farmer, I know the benefits of the system at farm level. As we expand the sector we have the capacity to sell a fantastic story to consumers at home and abroad who are looking for quality Irish organic produce.”
Grace Maher is Development Officer at the Irish Organic Association, grace.maher@irishoa.ie
https://www.independent.ie/business/farming/forestry-enviro/environment/operating-a-mixed-organic-farm-works-well-for-us-as-it-spreads-workflow-nutrient-requirements-and-cashflow-42126219.html “Operating a blended organic farm works well for us because it spreads the workflow, nutrient needs, and cash flow.”