Social farming open day: ‘A really powerful and positive initiative’ October 13, 2019 Rural Life The couple behind a social farming open day that will take place in Wicklow have described the initiative as “really powerful and positive”…
‘Ordinary Irish working farms support people with disabilities’ August 4, 2019 Rural Life The ordinary Irish working farm is proving to be a place where people with intellectual disabilities are supported to grow and develop new…
Social farming: ‘It slows you down and makes you think all about life’ June 29, 2019 Rural Life “It slows you down and makes you think all about life.” That’s the perspective of social farming host Caroline Gleeson who currently has…
Cows to conifers: ‘Food is not the priority – I’m farming for air’ June 26, 2019 Forestry It was the spring of 2012 – one of the wettest years in Irish history. After much soul searching, Gerard Deegan – a…
‘I wanted to give back’: Roscommon farmer June 1, 2019 Rural Life “I thought it would be nice to give something back.” That’s the perspective of new social farming host, Co. Roscommon farmer Shane Keaveney.…
Social farming hosts: ‘We share our farm with as many as possible’ March 18, 2019 Rural Life “We want to share our farm with as many people as possible. We’re proud of what we do and love the social aspect…
Positive outcomes of social farming highlighted at farm event March 17, 2019 Rural Life Social farming Ireland has proven to deliver a wide range of benefits and positive outcomes for people in recovery from mental ill health,…
Social Farming benefits to be highlighted at open day January 19, 2019 Rural Life A Social Farming open day which is to be held on the farm and home of Patrick and Corina Corrigan in Carrickmacross, Co.…
Mayo smallholder hosts female social farmer placement January 13, 2019 Rural Life Two female service users at Western Care are availing of a social farming placement on 11ac owned by Fania Ellison outside Newport, Co.…
Mayo family host Syrian farmers on social farming placement November 25, 2018 Rural Life A Mayo farm family is currently facilitating a social farming placement on their land for two Syrian refugees who were previously farmers. Oliver…
Social farming gets €700,000 funding boost for 2018 September 17, 2018 Rural Life The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine will continue to fund the Social Farming Model project with support totalling €712,515 under the…
‘Social farming participants brought life to the farm’ September 9, 2018 Rural Life For John Francis Geraghty, who owns a mixed organic farm in Williamstown, Co. Galway, working with social farming participants has been a positive…
Call for social farming to feature in CAP initiatives May 26, 2018 Rural Life “GLAS fits well with the social farming enterprise and it’s a pity that social farming activities are not included in GLAS or other…
Are you interested in being a social farm host? April 14, 2018 Rural Life Social Farming Ireland (SOFI) is organising a new round of training opportunities for farmers interested in becoming social farmers. Training will take place…
Family farm provides ‘unique environment’ to address wellbeing issues April 1, 2018 Rural Life The working family farm provides a unique environment in which to address various dimensions of wellbeing in an ordinary, natural and holistic way, a…
‘Facilitating social farming helps combat rural isolation’ March 4, 2018 Rural Life A national conference on social farming will take place in the Emmaus Centre, Swords, Co. Dublin, on March 23. Those attending will have…
Galway farmer develops €1 million regional equestrian indoor facility February 18, 2018 Rural Life A love of working horses growing up, and his daughters’ interest in horse riding, prompted returned emigrant Sean O’Connell to develop an equestrian…
Horticulture enterprise grows for Mayo couple October 29, 2017 Rural Life A 7ac field given to him by his father has yielded a full-time horticulture enterprise for one Mayo man and his wife. Joe…
