New generation of local farmers navigating tradition and change

FARMING in Ireland has roots as deep as the soil itself, tracing back to the Neolithic era.

For centuries, agriculture was the backbone of the Irish economy and a cornerstone of its culture. However, the farming landscape has drastically evolved over the past few decades, with its once-dominant role in society significantly-diminished.

Yet, for some, like Ryan McElduff and his fiancée, Orlaíth McCarney, farming remains not just a livelihood, but a way of life.

The couple run Granagh Farm in Creggan with their two young children, Conor and Rosie, in toe.

Granagh Farm is home 80 pedigree Holsteins who are milked daily, and the farm boasts a 16,000 capacity free-range hen house.

Just 22-years-old, Orlaíth only transitioned to farming life four years ago. She said, “Before we had kids, we were both working, but with nothing really to strive for. Now, we are looking ahead to our kids’ future, and trying to build up the farm to a good level for them.

“Although I grew up in the countryside surrounded by fields, tractors and cows, it was a big shock to be on the other side of it. It’s a very different experience being hands-on, actually milking cows, instead of just looking at them.”

Laughing, she recalled, “I remember at the start, it even took me a while to adjust to standing close to cows – I found it scary to be honest.

“Now, it’s like a second nature, and the biggest thing for me is that the kids see me being hands-on, and hopefully that will encourage and inspire them to take an interest.”

For 28-year-old Ryan, farming has been more of an enduring lifestyle.

“Ryan studied for a Level Two in Agriculture before working on a dairy farm in Newtownstewart for a short while,” Orlaíth said.

“But, when his uncle got sick, he came up here to help him out, and at that time, his uncle was milking only around 30 cows.

“Ryan inherited the farm eventually, and he increased stock to 80 cows, and has since built a hen house. That was ten years ago, and Ryan has been here ever since.”

In more recent years, Ryan and Orlaíth have welcomed two pairs of helping hands into the world – Conor, aged two, and little Rosie, aged ten months.

“I think we hope to continue farming by way of securing a future for Conor, or Rosie, and they can maybe take it on one day, if they’re interested,” Orlaíth said, sharing both her and Ryan’s motivations to farm.

“Farming is a great way of life for us with young kids, because, once we do the morning milking and get the eggs packed, that’s us done until 5pm, which works really well.”

Drawbacks

While agricultural life comes with many great benefits, it isn’t without its drawbacks. Although she and Ryan have chosen the farming life, Orlaíth suggested why many young families do not opt for it.

“It’s the commitment,” she remarked. “You really are tied to the farm. We just can’t pack up here on a Sunday and go away for the day. We have to plan ahead, and pay for someone to come in and do the work while we’re away.

“Aside from commitment, the milk prices are also up-and-down, so you’re not guaranteed to see money every month, and that would definitely put people off.”

The couple also felt the impacts of the particularly bad summer.

According to Orlaíth, the potential for torrential rain daily forced them to keep their cattle inside full-time.

“There have been a lot of bad summers, particularly last year, which has made this year a lot worse.

“The fact we never really recovered from last year, and with continued and persistent rainfall this year, it has made getting any fieldwork done extremely challenging.

“We made the decision two years ago to invest in a diet feeder and keep our cows inside, as it was the only option for us to keep our cows healthy and milking consistently.”

Social media

In January of this year, Orlaíth and Ryan started a social media channel called, ‘Action Agri’, documenting their daily lives on the farm.

“With ‘Action Agri’, we hope to show the highs and lows that farming brings. As a young family of four, we want to share our journey and show the hard work, dedication and care that comes with farming,” said Orlaíth. “And to show what it takes to put food on the table, too.

“Farming can also be a lonely and isolating livelihood, so we hope to raise awareness of mental health in the agricultural industry, show people they aren’t alone and build a community of like-minded people.

“We also want to showcase what a wonderful way of life farming is, and how proud we are of our world-class industry here in NI.

“It’s nice to set an example, and we get a lot of messages from people online who have admiration for us.”

When Orlaíth was asked about the future of the farming industry, like many others, she admitted that there is growing uncertainty.

“It’s so uncertain at the moment with new regulations being brought in,” she said.

“It definitely makes us question whether farming has a future.”

The Government has set a ‘Net Zero’ target by 2050 for Northern Ireland, recognising the need to address both the causes and potential impacts of climate change.

But the pressure of meeting this target is causing further headaches for rural communities across the North.

“With government wanting farmers to be ‘Net Zero’ by 2050, it’s definitely scary because we worry if we will meet that target.”

Orlaíth shared how she and Ryan will have to invest in new equipment like a digester – a place to hold slurry which then converts the fumes into renewable energy.

“It’s a big investment and it doesn’t pay for itself,” she continued.

“But it’s something we will need to have to continue farming into the future,” remarked Orlaíth, before sharing that she remains positive that help is on the way.

“We are optimistic in the sense that something might change. We hope to see more support from Government to help farmers, more realistic expectations set perhaps, and maybe for Government to step in with grants to help us move toward a more sustainable way of farming.”

As the McElduff family continues to navigate the evolving landscape of local agriculture, they embody a blend of tradition and innovation, showing that while farming in Ireland may be changing, its spirit endures.