Does your farmyard have what it takes?

The Allen Farmyard, Bengour West, Newcestown, Co Cork

When William Allen brought his farmyard award to the rebel county, he was subjected to jibes and comments from friends and neighbours along the lines of: “Well, the amount of time you spend powerwashing you’d want to win it.”

William says he and his father, Cornelius, are perfectionists.

“Everything goes back in its original position, everything has a home and if something was taken, you’d know it was gone. If you make it as easy as possible to get things, then you’re not running around looking for them.

“I have to give credit to my father,” says William. “Down through the years our place was known as a great place for young fellas to come and get training. You didn’t drop a sweet paper wrapper around here. You had one chance and one chance only.”

William keeps on top of all the regular jobs – cutting the grass, spraying weeds, pulling weeds, washing the tractor, washing the jeep and washing the yard. As Country Living is interviewing William, there’s a young guy power-washing the milking parlour.

Another factor which contributed to the win, according to William, is the modernisation of sheds and gates on the farm, which made it safe for one-man handling of cattle.

Since the competition, there has been an underground tunnel put in to allow for the safe transfer of cattle to the main yard, so they don’t have to go across the road. This also means it’s easier to keep the farmyard clean, because the cattle are no longer going across the main thoroughfare.

William’s advice to those entering the competition is to install safety features where possible and to have safety signs very visible to visitors. He further notes that “a few key features in the main yard were hanging baskets and churns. A yard with a plain wall painted looks very neat, but a churn or a flower pot adds a bit to it.”

William does concede that once you win the competition there’s a big onus to keep the place clean.

“A neighbour told me lately: ‘You haven’t cut your ditches yet’. It’s a very good incentive to tidy up your farmyard once and for all,” concludes William. “If you’ve had something lying around your farmyard and you’ve been saying: ‘I must move that’, then this is the time when you’ll move it once and for all.”

The McNally Farmyard, Nafferty, Co Monaghan

Padraig McNally, who self-admittedly has “an addiction to tidying”, says he was very honoured to get the award.

“I’m a particularly tidy person. I think tidiness and a well-organised farmyard lends itself to safety.”

Padraig says he doesn’t court publicity and actually entered the competition on the advice of his Teagasc adviser, who was familiar with the yard. Now that he’s gone through the experience, he would encourage everybody to enter.

“I have the plaque on the back door and everyone comments on it. Consider applying even if you don’t win, because things will be pointed out to you that you can improve on. A lot of people say it’s easy to be tidy if you’ve money. It doesn’t cost a lot of money to be tidy, but it does cost physical effort. It’s worth anyone’s while. If I can win, anyone can win.”

The Doran Farmyard, Ballyfrory, Co Wexford

Ballyfrory Racing and Railway Yard Gallops, which is home to an equine horse spa, is situated by the sea in the southeast of Ireland and is owned and run by Martina Doran, who has 25 horses on 54 acres. Martina and her staff provide a complete and extensive selection of professional equine services for trainers, owners and horses. Ballyfrory offers treatments for horses with injuries through aqua spa therapy, using natural sea water from the local beach.

Martina thinks her premises are unique because all the facilities are in the one place.

“Everything is close by, there’s no stress in transporting horses. There are three different gallops with three different surfaces – sand, grass and all-weather.”

Martina’s priority is the health, wellbeing and happiness of the horses.

“I’m big on hygiene, tidiness and attention to detail. I’d have the farmyard like that all the time. But the judges were particularly interested in the plan and management of the yard itself.”

The award meant a lot to Martina.

“It’s the sense of pride. It’s nice to be awarded for work you put in and awareness that our facilities exist and are recognised.”

Martina says she received loads of feedback on her award from family, friends and neighbours, and from horse contacts she already had. She also said that the award garnered her a lot of new business.

Martina advises those considering entering to go for it.

“As well as meeting new people, it’s also about promoting your business and taking a sense of pride in your business and in your yard. Some people need that push to bring the yard back up to being the best it can be.”