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Farmer Writes: repairs in wake of storm Darragh
James Strain
James Strain accounts his experience of last weekend's storm Darragh, which has left him with a bit of work to do on the farm.
25 November 2024 Farmer Writes
Farmer Writes: the dreaded herd test
Over 75% of my herd is bought in, which obviously increases the potential risks that some of the bought in cattle could have been exposed to infection, James Strain writes.
11 November 2024 Farmer Writes
Farmer Writes: it’s hard to believe it’s November
All as that is and at the risk of sounding like a complaining farmer, it’s just not natural, writes James Strain.
Farmer Writes: first of the bought-in cattle killed
All heifers were weighed in July and a batch of the heaviest were picked out to get a bit of meal at grass and these are the batch that have now been killed, writes James Strain.
30 October 2024 Farmer Writes
Farmer Writes: the Barnett-Hall grain conference
James Strain attended the Barnett-Hall grain conference in Laois last week and shares his key learnings.
14 October 2024 Farmer Writes
Farmer Writes: my wife wants me to build her a sand arena
James Strain says that a more pressing issue than the building of a sand arena is his wife's horses trampling his fields.
30 September 2024 Farmer Writes
Farmer Writes: what to do before winter
Hopefully, the weather will do the decent thing, give us a good back end to the year and we’ll have weeks of grazing ahead of us yet, writes James Strain.
16 August 2024 Farmer Writes
Farmer writes: first time grazing red clover with cattle
James Strain outlines his experience grazing red clover with cattle for the first time on his farm.
6 August 2024 Farmer Writes
Farmer Writes: soil fertility is key for all farmers
James Strain gives his opinion on organic reseeding, importance of soil fertility and the machinery required after attending an Organic Reseeding Demo.
27 July 2024 Farmer Writes
Farmer Writes: grass is the topic on every farmer's lips
Everyone seems to be under pressure and struggling to keep adequate amounts of grass in front of stock.
7 July 2024 Farmer Writes
Farmer Writes: less of a buzz off my new electric fence
James Strain had to re-fence waterways to make them suitable for sheep.
23 June 2024 Farmer Writes
Farmer Writes: from too much grass to not enough
This time last year I was making hay, but as my father used to say 'no two years are the same'.
10 June 2024 Farmer Writes