FARMING IN INISHOWEN

Is Sustainable Farming the Future for Inishowen?
Farmers in Inishowen are looking at new ways of earning income and are exploring different options. With this weeks visit by Trevor Sargant, the Minister for Food and Horticulture, who is promoting getting Ireland growing, there is an interest in whether Inishowen’s farming future could lie in sustainable growing.

Growing Food
In the recent months there has been an increase in farmers starting to put in a few vegetables, with seed potatoes flying out of the co-ops. This trend of growing food for the family and maybe keeping a few hens is partly a response to harder times when it might make sense to save a bit of money by growing your own, but there is also an interest for people in growing food as a hobby or for profit.

Organic Farming
Mary Reilly who runs an organic farm in Malin, with her husband John says that the local demand they have for their vegetables far outstrips supply. “We could sell ten times more than we grow. There is a real market for locally grown and organic vegetables.”

Trevor Sargant visited their farm - the most northerly organic farm in Ireland, last night. “A lot of people think that organic growing is really labour intensive”, Mary says “But really, it is no harder than other growing, it just requires a different outlook and approach. It is about cultivating the land, keeping it healthy.”

Direct Selling
People are more interested in where their food is coming from and are happy to support local businesses when they can. Fresh vegetables also taste a lot better. There is a lot of emphasis on quality as well. With supermarkets and processors setting prices for cattle and milk, local food sold from the farm means the farmer gets the profit directly rather than having to pay processors, packaging, transport and supermarkets.

National Organic Training Skillnet
The National Organic Training Skillnet (NOTS) provides high quality, low cost training for the expanding organic sector throughout the Republic of Ireland to farmers, growers, processors, food businesses, and consultants. They have courses in converting to organic and commercial organic horticulture as well as networking events and conferences. They can be contacted on 071 9640688 or through their website http://www.nots.ie/

Cereal and other Options
Another possibility is to grow more cereal locally. Local varieties of corn (oats) were grown in Inishowen for years and sustained the population up until the sixties. It is necessary to see what crops and animals are the most suitable for growing locally.

Some farmers have been exploring energy crops such as biomass, but the reality is that the climate and land here in Inishowen is not suited to these crops. There is a good potential here for wind farming though. There are possibilities for forestry as well, and though it is slow growing will be beneficial for future generations.

Increasing Numbers at Agricultural Colleges
Agricultural Colleges are seeing an increase in the numbers of students applying for courses. During the boom years many young people from farming backgrounds found it more profitable to work off farm in the construction industry, however with the recession hitting jobs hard, many young people are returning to the farm and exploring what possibilities it might have to offer.

The latest Cao figures show that a 50% increase in students choosing farming related courses. Damien Dempsey, the Marketing Manager of Agricultural Science at UCD says, “There is a realisation that agriculture and food make up our largest and most important indigenous industries.” Damien has noticed shifts in emphasis in the study of agriculture over the recent years, including more women going to college. “There is more of an emphasis on protection of the environment, how we can feed a growing population and the importance of biofuels.”

Mairead McGuiness Fine Gael MEP who studied agricultural science and economics at UCD said, “More people are realising that farming is a business on our doorstep that needs to be developed. There are difficulties in farming at the moment, but in the long term there will be a growing demand for food.”


SFP Applications On-Line
The Department of Agriculture is hoping to double the amount of farmers who apply for their Single Farm Payment online this year. Last year around 20,000 applications (about 15% of farmers in Ireland) were completed on line. These were submitted by Teagasc advisors, private planners and by farmers themselves. Overall Donegal’s on-line applications were above average, and were the highest in the country for the most applications being submitted by private agents. The number of farmers filling the form in on-line was lower than average.

The biggest advantage of the on-line system is there are less mistakes made due to checks that are built in which means the form cannot be submitted. The on-line service started on Monday (a full week ahead of getting the papers in the post). The department has made the form simpler and the farmer can just tick a box if nothing has changed in their farming system from last year. This applies to a lot of farmers who make no change in the SFP form from one year to the next. If you haven’t registered on-line you can go to http://www.agfood.ie/ or talk to your advisor.



Decline in Sheep Numbers Spark Fire Fears
Inishowen has seen a steep decline in sheep numbers over the last few years. The weather and land here in the peninsula have meant that we have one of the best climates in Europe for grass growing and hill and sheep farming. However, with the price of lamb dropping there is very little profit in sheep these days. With the introduction of the Single Farm Payment in 2005, the amount of animals that farmers kept made no difference to the subsidy, so there was no incentive to keep the livestock. Another factor, was when the economy was booming, it was more profitable to work off farm.

With the numbers falling, especially on the hills where there are fewer farmers working, there is a worry that the hillsides will become overgrown. Farmers have expressed concerns that in dry weather, this may lead to more hill fires like the ones that we saw in Buncrana a couple of years ago. This could have a devastating impact on the local flora and fauna.

Inishowen Sees Large Increase in Wild Deer
Farmers have noticed a large increase in wild deer throughout the county in the last year. Deer have been spotted in West Inishowen around the Linsfort area and can be a nuisance to farmers. These deer have expanded out from places like Glenveagh National Park and are taking advantage of the increase in forestry for which there have been grants available.

Inishowen’s hills are suitable for planting trees and it is a good long term investment for our future. The wild deer are using the forestry as cover and are causing damage to fences and worrying cattle. They are also a threat to crops and trees.

“They are not a major problem as it would not be difficult to cull them,” says a spokesperson from Teagasc.


Agricultural Gas Emissions Falling
New research from Teagasc shows that Greenhouse Gas emissions from agriculture are falling but further reductions are necessary. The Irish government have signed up to an EU commitment to reduce Ireland’s total emissions by between 20 and 30% by 2020.

The agricultural Greenhouse Gases in Ireland are much higher than in other countries as we are highly export focussed here which means they are larger than if we were simply supplying the domestic market.

Teagasc has warned that if significant reductions are demanded it may only be possible if the Irish cattle population were to go into steep decline over the next ten years.

Scientific research is exploring changes to farming methods but it will take time for this process to happen. Because of this, it is certain that there will have to be adjustments in agriculture as well as all other sectors of the economy.

Nitrates top SFP penalties
Over €300,000 in penalties will be taken off the 2008 Single Farm Payment to Irish farmers, during inspections.
The issue of Nitrates tops the penalties, with nearly one in five farmers in Ireland not being compliant in some way.
This increas was partly due to a tightening in the level of tolerances before getting a penalty. The biggest jump in penalties was during sheep inspections.
There was also a slight increase in the number of farmers penalised under most categories such as GAEC, Welfare, Food Hygiene and Feed. The majority of penalties imposed on farmers in breach were 1%.
The Department is due to meet farm organisations in the coming weeks to discuss how penalties under Nitrates Regulations are imposed.

Plant and Machinery, Ramelton
Plant & Machinery Moorefield Ramelton are the only Zetor tractor dealers in Donegal. Plant and Machinery is a family owned business run by Peter McConigley and is situated on the main Letterkenny to Ramelton Road.

They exclusively stock the brand new 2008 and 2009 Zetor range, the Proxima, Proxima plus and the Forterra. They also stock a large range of second hand tractors and farm machinery as well as new and used plant machinery. In stock they have Zetor drum mowers, Malone Toppers, Malone standard and tilt post Drivers and new Link Boxes. They also have second hand dumpers and diggers. Why not check out their website http://www.plantandmachineryramelton.com/ or call on 074 9151775 0r 086 8724621

Here's another article

Not published in the paper...

Outlook Poor for Inishowen Farming
Prospects for local farming are very depressing with farming under retreat in Inishowen. The basic profitability for food production is very poor and farmers are feeling the cost/price squeeze more and more these days. The farmers feel bitter as food processors are setting low prices. Some farmers have held on to cattle over the winter, paying for the feed and now find prices are cut right back and they are losing €200 per animal. The industry is in talks about the price of cattle with the processors but the processors are being squeezed by the supermarkets.

Low Food Prices
Customers expect cheap food these days and in real terms food is cheaper today, then it was thirty years ago. In this age of supply and demand the customer is king and the farmers are paying the price for the food we eat. The new cheap supermarkets such as Aldi and Lidl keep their prices down through labour and shelving policies and shoppers come to expect cheaper prices. Supermarkets, seeing customers vote with their feet, then put pressure on the food processors that end up setting low prices for food such as beef, milk, cereals and potatoes. The farmer has no choice but to take the price but with no profits is there any reason to continue?

Costs Rising
Even though the prices are being kept low and farmers aren’t getting much return for their labours, the costs of farming are continually rising. Labour has been more expensive as in the boom it made more economic sense to work off farm in jobs such as construction. Although labour is coming back down now, the high cost of oil has influenced so many factors in food production such as food bills, fertilizer, and transport.

Number of Farms Dropping
The number of farms in Inishowen is dropping every year, with about 90% of farmers working part time. Because farming in Inishowen was traditionally small time subsistence farming, there is no way to compete with bigger farms in the EU like in Poland. Farmers don’t sell the land as they can let it sit and don’t have to pay rates so the land is, in a way wasted, as it is not put to any use.

Unemployment
With more unemployment about young people who may have left the farm to work in other industries are returning and seeing what possibilities exist. There has been an upsurge in young people going back to college to study agriculture with places being filled.

Kitchen Gardening
There also has been an increase in farmers growing their own food for the family, particularly spuds, and keeping a few hens as well. This trend is partly a response to harder times when it might make sense to save a bit of money by growing your own, but there is also an interest for people in growing food as a hobby.

Future
The farming community is considering what the future holds here. Some farmers have been exploring energy crops such as biomass, but the reality is that the climate and land here in Inishowen is not suited to these crops. There is a good potential here for wind farming though. Forestry as well, though slow growing will be beneficial for future generations.

Here's the more positive article

WISDOM OF THE WORLD - WEEK 48

The Atheist and the Bear

A committed atheist (who steadfastly did not believe in a god of any sort) was on a trekking holiday when he became lost in some dense woods.
A large angry bear, with ten starving cubs back home and claws like kitchen knives, suddenly emerged from the undergrowth.

The atheist screamed in terror, turned and ran. The bear was quicker however, and after a long and desperate chase eventually cornered the atheist in a gully.
The exhausted atheist sank to his knees, shaking.
The bear, seeing that its prey was trapped, moved slowly towards the petrified man, drooling.
The atheist lifted his head, with tears in his eyes, and uttered the words he thought he would never say in all his life: "God help me..."

With these simple three words, a blinding flash of lightning lit up the sky. There was a deafening crash of thunder. The clouds parted. A brilliant light shone down. The forest fell silent. The bear froze still, in a trance. The atheist stood gaping, transfixed.

A voice came loud from above. Louder than twenty AC/DC concerts all happening at the same time. We can safely assume this voice to have been the voice of a God of some sort.
"You atheists make me seriously mad," boomed the god, "You deny me all your life. You tell others to deny me too. You put your faith in all that bloody Darwinian airy-fairy scientific nonsense, and then what a surprise - you get lost because you can't read your stupid map, and now you're about to get eaten by an angry bear all of a sudden you're on your knees snivelling and begging for my help?......... You must be joking..."

The atheist looked down, realising that he was not arguing from a position of strength.
"Okay, I take your point," said the atheist, thinking on his feet, while he still had them, "I can see it's a bit late for me to convert, but what about the bear?... Maybe you could convert the bear instead?"

"Hmmn... interesting idea..." said the voice, thinking hard, "...Okay. It shall be done." At which the brilliant light dimmed and vanished; the clouds closed; and the noises of the forest resumed.
The bear awoke and shook its head, a completely different expression on its face. Calm, at peace.

The bear closed its eyes, bowed its head, and said, "For what we are about to receive, may the Lord make us truly thankful, Amen."

5 MINUTES WITH - DAWN FLANAGAN

Dawn Flanagan is nineteen and is originally from Dublin. She now lives in Buncrana with her mum and has two sisters Sarah and Emma and a brother, Michael who is busy working in Dublin. Dawn has spent the last year and a half working in the Town Clock Café on the Main Street in the town, which was taken over by Amanda Gill (Doherty) in January.

Dawn recently took part in, and won, the iCare charity fundraiser to find the “Face of Inishowen.” Her prizes included a hamper from Loreal, a night away in the Slieve Russel Hotel in County Cavan and a years contract with Converse Modelling Agency based in Derry. Dawn is always on the go and loves travelling so the contract will help her get to new and exciting places.

What music are you listening to at the moment?
Bits of everything. Kings of Leon are really good and I am also enjoying Beyoncé. I also listen to a bit of R+B.

What book are you reading?
I used to do quite a lot of reading, especially when I was at school. I don’t really have much time now and just tend to look through the magazines like New Mag in the café at break times.

What was your favourite childhood game?
If I were outside it would be games where you ran around like 40-40. Indoors I was competitive and although I didn’t win very often, I enjoyed Monopoly. My favourite piece to be was the dog….

Have you rented a DVD recently and was it any good?
I watched Tropical Thunder directed by Ben Stiller and starring loads of well-known actors. It’s about a group of actors shooting a big-budget war movie who are forced to become the soldiers they are portraying. I enjoyed it but it’s not the type of film you want to see again.

What section of the newspaper do you turn to first?
I go to the style and fashion sections, as I like to see what people are wearing.

What would you never throw away?
Photos of friends and nights out. I like to look back on them to see the changing fashions. My mum still has my first school photo…

Favourite TV programme?
I enjoy American comedy dramas. Desperate Housewives, Greys Anatomy and of course the old favourite sit com…Friends.

What job did you want to do when you were younger?
I had very high expectations for myself when I was younger. I realise now that it takes hard work and determination to get a professional job. I did always want to travel, and that is still high on the list.

Where was your best holiday and what made it special?
Two years ago I went to Santa Ponza, Mallorca in Spain. There were 20 of us go over when we finished 5th year. It was a real adventure with lots of activities like rafting and snorkelling.

What do you do for a special treat?
Well, one of my favourite treat is to go out shopping….for clothes of course. I also enjoy organising girly nights in with a bottle of wine and a DVD. We will go out for a meal sometimes too.

Favourite animal?
I have had loads of animals and they were all my favourites. My sister Sarah and I have had dogs, hamsters and budgies, not all at the same time of course…

Biggest thrill?
When I was eight we went to Canobie Lake Park in New Hampshire. It’s a massive play park and had fantastic water rides and roller coasters. I still like fast rides.

Biggest Challenge?
I found the leaving cert hard. You have to be very disciplined and I was always just enjoying the craic.

What was the best present you ever got?
I have got a lot of use of an iPod touch that I got last Christmas. It’s definitely the most useful present I have had.

What was the last thing you bought just for yourself?
I went shopping in Dublin and bought clothes.

What charity would you support?
I was involved in the iCare fashion show recently and raised money for them. It’s a great project.

The world’s most irritating invention?
The phone can be really irritating, especially when you want to be left alone.

Best/ worst birthday present?
I always love to get money, clothes or handy things like a camera. I haven’t really had any bad presents although I don’t really care much for bath stuff.

Favourite past-time?
Going out and socialising is top of the list. I go out to Liberty’s nightclub and O’Flaherty’s bar in Buncrana.

What do you have for breakfast?
Cereal this morning, Special K, I also have a cup of tea or coffee most mornings to wake me up.

Do you have a favourite cartoon character?
Stewie from Family Guy. He has such a hilarious accent, I could listen to him moan on all day.

What was your first paid job?
Babysitting. I often did it for my cousins and friends of my mums. My aunties were very generous and would often give me up to €20-30 euro for the night.

Best/worst household chore?
I am pretty used to household chores working in the Town Clock and like things to be tidy in my own kitchen, I can’t relax otherwise. The two things in the house I could do without would be getting the coal in and vacuuming.

What are the best words of encouragement you have been given?
Follow your own instincts and do what you feel is the right thing.

Personal philosophy?
To keep positive, enjoy your freedom and travel.