The Bellewstown Racecourse, did you ever hear of it? That’s the area I’m from in Co Meath. We’re dairy at home. We’re milking about 200 cows and we finish all our own cattle as well. It’s busy.
It’s my dad, my uncle and my older brother that are full-time. I work full time off farm and I help out around that. It’s really family run. It’s early mornings, get the work done before you have to leave for work. During lockdown, all of us were here. There were a few rows, but we’re still all talking!
Orla with her nieces (from left) Eabha, Megan and Ella. \ Claire Jeanne Nash
When you grow up on the farm, it’s bred into you and you don’t know anything else. We all helped out, there were no lie-ins in our house. I’ve always had a big interest in farming. It’s a great way to grow up. You never got into trouble, because you had too much work to do.
I knew I didn’t want to be a farmer full-time, I always wanted my own job as well. Daddy was very much “go to college, get jobs, go out and do your own thing” too. So he pushed us to get a good education first.
New ventures
We calve year round. Most of it would be spring alright, the new heifers would be kind of May/June-ish and we’ve another lot around now.
It’s grand – when you get the first batch of calves in, you’re tied to it, but you’re not as tied to it as others. You’ve more time with less. You get them out of the calf shed, get them weaned off and then sure, you’ve the next batch in. The calves are my responsibility. I do all the registering, deal with the vets and stuff like that. I’d be the first port-of-call at times.
What we’re doing works well for us at the moment. Down the line, we might try something else, because we’re actually putting in robots at the minute, three Lely ones.
It’s nearly finished, so it’s very exciting. It’ll free up time to do other bits as well. We don’t know what the new routine is going to be yet – we’ll work on it for a while and see how it goes.
Orla says the main concerns for farmers currently are Brexit and prices. \ Claire Jeanne Nash
We’re still in the parlour at the moment, so hopefully now in a few weeks we’ll be out. We’re walking the cows through, getting them used to the new roadways and stuff like that, the new way in and out.
We’re looking forward to it. It’s amazing the new technology, because my grandad, he milked cows at the side of a field. Then my dad, he built the parlour. Now my brother is home full time and he’s in the robots. It’s amazing how the generations are so different. You have to put a bit of money into it, go with it and hopefully it works out in our favour.
Macra member
I was a member of Ardcath Macra for years. It’s great to be in contact with everyone to see what they’re doing on their farms. 
You’d ask someone a question, what they’re doing with a certain cow, if she had mastitis or something like that. Macra was great to be a part of, you met so many people. You can always count on them for advice.
I’m 31 now, I did it for over 10 years – you kind of have to leave it at some stage, but if I could, I’d do it all over again. I was about 18 or 19 when I started. I actually won a gold leadership award with Macra back in 2018. I was chair of Ardcath,
I was secretary and I was PRO – over the years it all adds up. I was young farmer chair for Co Meath and I was PRO for Meath as well.
I went for an interview and I won a gold leadership award. I was selected to represent Ireland over in Scotland in August 2018 at the Rural Youth Committee.
Concerns
Farmers I’m speaking with right now, they’re worried about Brexit and prices, but also the amount of ministers for agriculture we’ve gone through. We want a minister who knows what it’s like to be a farmer.
You can’t learn farming out of a book. You need someone who has been there and done it, someone who understands what farmers want and need.
Farming, it’s hard work – it’s never not hard work. But it’s a great way to grow up and it’s a great thing to be part of. It gives you responsibility.
Read more
My Country Living: ‘They’re like the old Land Rovers of the cattle world’
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The Bellewstown Racecourse, did you ever hear of it? That’s the area I’m from in Co Meath. We’re dairy at home. We’re milking about 200 cows and we finish all our own cattle as well. It’s busy.
It’s my dad, my uncle and my older brother that are full-time. I work full time off farm and I help out around that. It’s really family run. It’s early mornings, get the work done before you have to leave for work. During lockdown, all of us were here. There were a few rows, but we’re still all talking!
Orla with her nieces (from left) Eabha, Megan and Ella. \ Claire Jeanne Nash
When you grow up on the farm, it’s bred into you and you don’t know anything else. We all helped out, there were no lie-ins in our house. I’ve always had a big interest in farming. It’s a great way to grow up. You never got into trouble, because you had too much work to do.
I knew I didn’t want to be a farmer full-time, I always wanted my own job as well. Daddy was very much “go to college, get jobs, go out and do your own thing” too. So he pushed us to get a good education first.
New ventures
We calve year round. Most of it would be spring alright, the new heifers would be kind of May/June-ish and we’ve another lot around now.
It’s grand – when you get the first batch of calves in, you’re tied to it, but you’re not as tied to it as others. You’ve more time with less. You get them out of the calf shed, get them weaned off and then sure, you’ve the next batch in. The calves are my responsibility. I do all the registering, deal with the vets and stuff like that. I’d be the first port-of-call at times.
What we’re doing works well for us at the moment. Down the line, we might try something else, because we’re actually putting in robots at the minute, three Lely ones.
It’s nearly finished, so it’s very exciting. It’ll free up time to do other bits as well. We don’t know what the new routine is going to be yet – we’ll work on it for a while and see how it goes.
Orla says the main concerns for farmers currently are Brexit and prices. \ Claire Jeanne Nash
We’re still in the parlour at the moment, so hopefully now in a few weeks we’ll be out. We’re walking the cows through, getting them used to the new roadways and stuff like that, the new way in and out.
We’re looking forward to it. It’s amazing the new technology, because my grandad, he milked cows at the side of a field. Then my dad, he built the parlour. Now my brother is home full time and he’s in the robots. It’s amazing how the generations are so different. You have to put a bit of money into it, go with it and hopefully it works out in our favour.
Macra member
I was a member of Ardcath Macra for years. It’s great to be in contact with everyone to see what they’re doing on their farms.
You’d ask someone a question, what they’re doing with a certain cow, if she had mastitis or something like that. Macra was great to be a part of, you met so many people. You can always count on them for advice.
I’m 31 now, I did it for over 10 years – you kind of have to leave it at some stage, but if I could, I’d do it all over again. I was about 18 or 19 when I started. I actually won a gold leadership award with Macra back in 2018. I was chair of Ardcath,
I was secretary and I was PRO – over the years it all adds up. I was young farmer chair for Co Meath and I was PRO for Meath as well.
I went for an interview and I won a gold leadership award. I was selected to represent Ireland over in Scotland in August 2018 at the Rural Youth Committee.
Concerns
Farmers I’m speaking with right now, they’re worried about Brexit and prices, but also the amount of ministers for agriculture we’ve gone through. We want a minister who knows what it’s like to be a farmer.
You can’t learn farming out of a book. You need someone who has been there and done it, someone who understands what farmers want and need.
Farming, it’s hard work – it’s never not hard work. But it’s a great way to grow up and it’s a great thing to be part of. It gives you responsibility.
Read more
My Country Living: ‘They’re like the old Land Rovers of the cattle world’
My Country Living: Seánie’s sticks
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