The Farm Walks are an opportunity for the Farming For Nature farmers to showcase their contribution to nature and good farming practices on their land.

Sean manages a 60-acre certified organic Cloncannon farm on the western slopes of the Devil’s bit Mountains, near Moneygall in North Tipperary. Sean has been farming since he took over from his father 15 years ago and now keeps a 20 cow suckler herd, as well as pigs, poultry and goats.
A University graduate with a Master’s degree in Biodiversity and Conservation, Sean is a heritage enthusiast, continuously planting native trees, putting in ponds for wildlife and pollinator strips for his beehives and birdlife. He does this to encourage biodiversity but also for his personal fulfilment and satisfaction ‘for when he has aged 30 or 40 years from now’. He says that this is part of ‘my 5 year plan, my 50 year plan, my 500 year plan’ and feels that farmers should think long-term like the native Americans, ‘seven generations from now’
Sean feels he is on a journey of learning and he is particularly passionate about the importance of soil and making sure it is properly nurtured to ensure good crop health - ‘the microbes and the fungi – so minute yet so powerful, they drive the whole system’. Sean runs numerous education programmes for primary and secondary schools, hosts events for Biodiversity and Heritage Week and opens the farm as an eco-tourist visitor site.

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.
• Numbers are restricted and advanced booking is essential to attend a farm walk.
• 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.