As alternative farm enterprises become increasingly popular, those behind Kilmeedy Social Farm in Co. Limerick hope to build on the success of their farm visits and farm tours venture.

Barry Gilbourne and his husband, Darren Kiely, diversified by registering as Social Farming Ireland hosts for people with additional needs and facilitating placements on the farm. They also offer farm visits and tours and run a summer camp on site.

Barry farms the 150ac dairy enterprise in partnership with his parents, Patrick and Margaret, and his brother, Ronan. Margaret has also run a separate business, Green Valley Kennel dog breeding establishment, for the last 29 years.

Primary teacher Barry worked as a vice-principal for several years. After returning home from abroad in 2019 and setting up a robotic milking system on the dairy enterprise, he took a career break to set up the social farm. Darren is also a teacher.

"The social farm was my idea of how I would tie the businesses together educationally for the benefit of children and adults either with additional needs or outside of that," Barry said.

He explained how Darren moved to Co. Limerick from Kinsale in Co. Cork, after giving up his permanent job to take a position about 10 minutes from the farm in Scoil Mhuire, Broadford National School.

"He got trained up as a social farmer with Social Farming Ireland, as did I. He teaches in Broadford this year two days a week and I will be subbing in various schools," he said.

"The vision for the social farm came from me working with children with additional needs over the years and how you would like to offer something more than what's available. 

"So I put a sensory room into the farm and tried to make the farm as child-friendly and adult-friendly, to make it as engaging and interactive as it can be, including holding the puppies. It's a very colourful farm, there's lots of nooks and crannies and that's what people love about it," said Barry.

However, he said the diversification of the farm was not without its challenges.

"You're dealing with the public, you're dealing with children. There are lots of health and safety issues to factor in.

"We have had several inspections and luckily, they have all gone very well.

"I would be very constructive and if there was an inspection, be it a spot inspection from the Health and Safety Authority, the Health Services Executive or whoever, I would initiate the recommendations within the week," Barry said.

He explained that the recommendations could include aspects such as the provision of simple signage, the installation of disinfectant foot baths and hand wash stations "for people who rubbed the puppies".

"So now I have a handwashing station in all zones of the farm," Barry said.

He was familiar with the work of Social Farming Ireland through his sister who is an occupational therapist.

"I loved the idea of it. We took on our first group last year. At the moment we have one group from O'Connell House, Newcastlewest, four service users," he explained.

"I have two groups coming for induction in the next two weeks. One group is from St Joseph's Foundation and the other is from Roxboro in Limerick so it's very exciting to see the farm develop in that direction. Word of mouth is definitely working."

This year Kilmeedy social farm received a grant for its new website and Barry is upbeat as he looks to the future. Plans for the years ahead include the roll-out of afternoon tea in one of the rooms and the installation of a milk vending machine.

Barry's advice to anyone contemplating following in their footsteps is to be prepared to have anything thrown at them.

"If it's what they truly want, go for it."