UPDATE: Following tweets and updates about my Fundit project, I was asked by a couple of ladies “How can I find a farmer to marry?”. It seems my post about being married to a farmer hadn’t put them off!

So it got me thinking! What does make a farmer such a desirable catch ? It can’t just be the possibility of road frontage and a detached house – can it? After all, half a century ago, country women were fleeing from potential farmer husbands to life in the big city as being married to a farmer was seen as having to work extremely hard, have numerous children, live in a ramshackle house or cottage and probably have to share the house with a mother-in-law – all well documented in poems by Kavanagh and books by Trevor and Keane.

Some time ago, I came across a post on eharmony – 15 reasons for dating a farmer that included being able to visit your husband as he works; being eco-aware is trendy; if he’s good with animals he will be kind; he will probably be healthy, loyal and protective; and free tractor rides!

Hence, it seems that the image of being a farmer’s wife has changed, that farmers are seen as good husband material. Not necessarily seen as wealthy even if he has got good road frontage but a good catch all the same. So how does one meet an eligible farmer bachelor in Ireland?

  • The Ploughing Championships – 80,000 people visit the Ploughing Match each day and a huge proportion of them are going to be farmers. Put 24-26 September in your diary now and head to Stradbally in Co Laois for the possibility of meeting your future husband.
  • The Mart – Farmers descend on the marts in their droves, be it buying or selling. What proportion of them are single and what proportion of those won’t have their Mammy with them I can’t say but it’s certainly a place to sit and view the talent.
  • Horse Races – an occasion such as the Galway Races is perfect too and you can really try to impress by going on a Ladies day and winning the prize for most suitably dressed. What man would say no to a woman who can dress impeccably and yet look like she can strut her stuff in wellies as well as heels.
  • Head to Lisdoonvarna in September for their matchmaking festival. Once the harvest is in, bachelor farmers head there in their droves  and you’ll be in safe hands with Willie Daly, a fourth generation matchmaker.
  • Personal Column in The Farmers Journal – every week The Farmers Journal has a personal page where people can look for suitable matches. It’s not available in the printed paper anymore but is on the website.
  • Country dances – The Irish Country Living part of the Farmers Journal lists dances around the country – perfect for meeting a farmer.
  • Macra na Feirme – if you are under 35, Macra seems to be the perfect place to meet a potential husband with their various events and meetings all across the country. With events such as public speaking, performing arts, community events, organised travel holidays – it’s perfect. I asked Macra if they had had many ‘Macra’ weddings and it seems there have been plenty. Not only that but 33 per cent of those questioned in a surveysaid they expected to meet their life partner in Macra!
  • Muddy Matches now has an Irish element to their dating website for country people with many success stories. Designed for those looking to meet someone leading a ‘muddy boots’ lifestyle, it seems to be a smaller and much more personal dating website than other ones. You can look for someone in NI or the ROI or limit it to an individual county within Ireland too.

“I met a wonderful man just three months ago on Muddy Matches. I can’t believe 2 Irish people living 10 kilometres apart ended up on a UK website, which ultimately brought us together. Well done with this website. I want to thank you so much. We’re both very happy and cannot wait for our future together. It’s looking so bright!!!!!” Bernadette

“Hi, Just thought you would be interested! Jen and I live in Ireland and thanks to you at Muddy Matches we met last year and have had a wonderful time and we are getting married in June. It goes without saying that we both think Muddy Matches is great. The concept of people of a similar background and interest being on a common site makes the possibility of meeting someone that much easier. Keep up the good work! All the Best” James

So there you have it – the low down on where to meet a bachelor farmer should you wish to marry an Irish farmer (from wherever you are in the world). I’d love to know where you met your farmer husband too – was it at a mart or Macra or a dating site? Sometime I’ll share the story of my courtship with Brian.

Lorna Sixsmith is an Irish farmerette and writes at a blog of the same name. She is also a social media consultant and trainer at Write on Track and We Teach Social as well as co-organising Blog Awards Ireland. Living on a dairy farm with her husband and two children for the past 11 years, Lorna is currently writing a book ‘Would You Marry A Farmer? Confessions of an Irish Farmerette’. Her FundIt page is here. With plans to self publish, pre-orders for the book can be placed on her Fundit campaign during the next month. Lorna will feature on AgriLand.ie each week. 

Image Shuttlestock

 

This story was updated to include a link to Lorna’s FundIt page.