Farming futures

Mickey Farrell, Tommy Buckley and Rose Farrell help their grandfather Larry feed his flock of Borris ewe hoggets just outside Kiltealy, Co Wexford. Larry is involved in a new sustainable farming pilot project called the Blackstairs Farming Futures (BFF) where local farmers look to make better use of the mountain for the families who farm it, improve biodiversity and encourage more visitors to the area. \ Philip Doyle

Tommy Buckley, Mickey Farrell and Alfie Leech. \ Philip Doyle

Alfie Leech. \ Philip Doyle

Larry Farrell farms sucklers and sheep, keeping flocks of Borris ewe hoggets on land in the Blackstairs mountains. \ Philip Doyle

Alfie Leech, Margaret Buckley and Larney Buckley. \ Philip Doyle

Larry Farrell with his daughters Theresa Farrell (left), Margaret Buckley (right) and grandkids Mickey Farrell, Larney Buckley Alfie Leech, Rose Farrell and Tommy Buckley. / Philip Doyle

Christmas Tractors of Nenagh

The Stealth Manufacturing team fabricated a 5,000-gallon tank in eight days and lit it up for Embrace FARM and Billy’s Recovery Story at the Christmas Tractors of Nenagh event. \ Odhran Ducie

Cronan Casey and his son James enjoying the Christmas Tractors of Nenagh event. \ Odhran Ducie

Peter Folan with his nieces Miya and Layln Reid. \ Odhran Ducie

Donie and Alma Hourigan with their children Daniel, Ava and Jack. \ Odhran Ducie

North Tipperary IFA chair Imelda Walsh and newly elected IFA president Tim Cullinan at the Christmas Tractors of Nenagh event. \ Odhran Ducie

My Farming Week: Sheena McCarthy farms sucklers and sheep with her daughter and Texel-mad husband

Sheena McCarthy from Ballybeg, Buttevant, Co Cork. Sheena farms on roughly 90ac in one block. She is sitting on good limestone soil, but her biggest problem is that it can get very dry in the summer. \ Donal O’Leary

Sheena McCarthy with her husband Eddie and daughter Jillian from Ballybeg, Buttevant, Co Cork. \ Donal O' Leary

Eddie McCarthy from Ballybeg, Buttevant, Co Cork. \ Donal O' Leary

This week Sheena will be vaccinating the cows for lepto and IBR and the spring-calving cows will get a mineral bolus. \ Donal O' Leary

Christmas belles sale in Carrick-on-Shannon

The Christmas period was a busy period for Texel sales with a number taking place both north and south of the border. Confidence seems to be high in the pedigree sheep sector, with very high clearance rates experienced at all sales over the last few weeks. Pictured is Neville Myles of Silverhill Texels from Ballyshannon, Co Donegal, selling Lot 18 at the Christmas belles sale in Carrick-on-Shannon. The pedigree Texel hogget was scanned carrying twins and sold for €3,050. For more pedigree sheep coverage, see this week’s pedigree pages. \ Tricia Kennedy