Farm walk & practical actions for nature with Farming for Nature Ambassadors the Pickersgill Family 'A productive mixed-stock farm working with nature'. 

The Farming for Nature (FFN) farm walks are an opportunity for FFN Ambassadors to showcase their contribution to nature and good farming practices on their land.

Pen Saugnier farms near Mullingar County Westmeath where she manages a mixed organic farm with the help of her family. Her mother Diana Pickersgill bought the land in 1993 and immediately converted to organic. She planted 40 acres with a diverse multispecies sward. 5.8ha of land was planted with mixed broadleaf woodland and another 2.4ha of mixed broadleaf woodland was planted in 2018. The woodland is managed by a continuous cover system and Diana’s son looks after this aspect of the farm. As advocates for the importance of maintaining diversity on farms, they keep a variety of stock on the land but maintains low stocking numbers. They buy in Dexter cattle and finishes them on the farm. They keep a flock of about 31 breeding ewes, selling organic lamb to Irish Country Meats and direct to local customers. Two sows are kept on the land, along with donkeys and chickens. Silage or hay is cut every year. External inputs on the farm consist of small amounts of organic concentrates for some of the animals during the winter. Some oats are grown on the farm every year to help supplement winter feeding and to provide straw for winter bedding. The farm is quite self-sufficient, and the family grow vegetables for the house as well. 

The Pickersgills takes pride in running a productive farm, all the while protecting and enhancing biodiversity on the land. Habitats include woodlands, hedgerows, wetland areas with 2 ponds, and orchard, meadows and wildflower areas. Subsequently there is plenty of wildlife on the farm including long eared owls, buzzards, pheasants, snipe, woodcock, hawks, red squirrel and lots of insects - "Last year we counted 35 different bird species before March."


WHAT ARE THE FARM WALKS:

• This will be a 2.5 hour (approximately) visit to the farm and will include a walk around with the farmer/farm family, a look at some of the habitats and species present, as well as the livestock and/or crops, and a discussion with the farmer about how he/she/they manage the land in support of nature.
• These walks are for farmers and people with an interest in farming for nature. They are meant to be an interactive knowledge exchange between people with a real interest in farming and nature. They are not suitable for children, or for people/groups looking for an ‘organised walk’ in the countryside.
• These walks are non-profit but a booking fee is necessary to minimise the frustrating level of no-shows. It costs €10 to register and all funds are circulated back into the farming community.
• Please wear suitable footwear for uneven and potentially muddy conditions.
• We would ask that you please respect these farmers, their land and livestock when visiting. Dogs are not welcome. You will be turned away if you arrive with one.
• The exact location of the farm walk will be sent via email to ticket holders on the week of the walk (keep an eye on your email & your spam folder as sometimes the emails end up in spam).
• Please arrive at least 10 minutes before the walk commences.

Thank you to the NPWS and the DAFM for supporting these farm walks.
For more info on FFN events, resources, programmes - go to www.farmingfornature.ie