About Ballyfin Farm
Ed’s passion for farming and love of nature developed from a young age as he spent many afternoons helping on the farm and exploring the surrounding countryside. Although he enjoyed farming, he saw the financial hardship that many farmers endured, so instead his desire to work in nature saw him graduate from college with an honours degree in Land Management in Forestry. During Ed’s time working as a plantation forest manager in Australia, he saw the negative impact clear-cut plantation forestry had on the environment. This led him to learn more about continuous cover forestry, agroforestry and the benefits of regenerative agriculture.
In 2021 Ed moved back to Ireland with the dream of turning his family's struggling conventional farm into a profitable regenerative farm that positively impacts nature and the community.
At Ballyfin Farm we aim to…
Follow Regenerative Practices
We are in the process of converting Ballyfin Farm from a conventional farm to an Organic Certified regenerative farm. Regenerative agriculture is a holistic farming approach that supports ecosystem health, mitigates climate change and produces nutrient dense food by sequestering carbon and nutrients back into the land through natural processes.
The regenerative practices we have implemented so far include rotational grazing, planting 4000 trees and putting a significant portion of the farm into organic conversion. In addition to our flock of hens we also have an organic Angus suckler herd.
Produce Nutrient Dense Food
Did you know that the average vegetable found in today’s supermarkets are 5% - 40% lower in vitamins and minerals than vegetables from 50 years ago?
Conventional agricultural practices like use of chemical fertilisers and pesticides, monoculture and intensive tillage were introduced to increase crop yields. Unfortunately they also upset soil health which in turn depletes the soil of nutrients and produces less nutritious food.
By using regenerative agriculture practices we are building soil health so we can produce nutrient dense food. We grow a wide variety of vegetables in our polytunnel which provides our family with nutritious and cost effective food year round. In addition to producing free range eggs, we are experimenting with other produce we can supply to the community like free range, organic pork and beef.
Provide Local Produce
Buying local produce is a great way to support the local economy. It places the community at heart of the food system, instead of large corporations and prioritises consumption based on environmental, social and economic sustainability. Local produce has travelled significantly less distance before it gets to the customer, meaning you receive fresher and higher quality produce with a smaller environmental footprint. We hope that by buying our local produce our customers have a more transparent understanding of how their food has been produced.
We aim to lead by example and encourage our community to be more self-sufficient. Growing your own food promotes health and wellbeing, saves money and greatly reduces your impact on the environment.
