In this third instalment of the series, we remind farmers of the importance of paying attention to their own health, as 30-year-old farmer David Kelly tells us his story.

David’s grandfather bought the holdings in the early 1950s, and it was driven since the 1970s by his father and uncles.

David has since joined in, and all of his family remains closely involved in the day-to-day running of the farm.

David is 30. He is fit, active, and hands-on.

But in the last couple of years, he has learned the hard way that age and activity are not a guarantee when it comes to blood pressure.

He has lived with an underlying heart condition since infancy, having had surgery as a baby, so regular check-ups were already part of his life.

Even so, despite losing weight and improving his lifestyle, his blood pressure crept up.

According to David, he first signs weren’t dramatic.

He said: “I was getting headaches, tired eyes and had trouble focusing.”

In a previous job, he was often on the road to and from Cork, grabbing food on the go and driving into the evening.

Long drives meant activity dipped and diet slipped.

“You come back in the evening, you’re too tired to cook, so you go for something handy," he said.

"All these things stack up over time.”

Well before his blood pressure became an issue, David had decided to take action on his weight and energy levels.

In the first six months of 2023, he joined a fitness programme and lost 10kg.

He maintained the habits afterwards: early-morning gym sessions; more cooking at home; and simple, repeatable changes that do not rely on spare time.

“Little actions can add up,” he said.

“Park at the far side of the car park and walk. Walk to the yard instead of driving. Keep the steps up.”

On the farm, he pointed out, useful strength work can be done with what is to hand — think of a meal bag or a drum as long as it is safe to do so.

However, even with the weight loss and better routine, David's symptoms persisted.

It was his wife, who works as a GP, who pushed for a proper investigation.

“Even though you might think you’re healthy, it’s important to get check-ups. You never know what might be underlying,” David warned.

The GP review showed a history of creeping blood pressure, confirmed by a 24-hour monitor.

Early in 2025, David started medication, and the symptoms eased.

“Now I feel a lot better,” he said.

Food is a big part of the change, and David refers to batch-cooking.

He explained: “Before, I’d eat for the sake of it because I was hungry. Now I enjoy making a meal in the evening or having something prepared.

"I’ve a better handle on getting enough protein and I feel more energised for it.”

David knows his story will not be unique among younger farmers who are edging into the home farm while keeping an off-farm job going.

“A lot of people my age are in that transition phase - part-time on the farm and working off-farm," David said.

His message to the farming community is straight to the point.

He said: “Get your regular check-ups with your GP. You might feel fine now, but don’t ignore symptoms.

"If you’re getting persistent headaches or tiredness, or if something doesn’t feel right, get it checked.”

And for younger readers in particular:

“Don’t think that because you’re young you can’t have high blood pressure," David stressed.

"It’s inexpensive to check, and the gain can be huge.”

There’s a personal note too.

“I’m probably one of the lucky ones,” David said.

"I have a wife and a young daughter; I want to be here for years to come.”

For David, the takeaway is simple - make the small changes you can stick with, keep the routine calm and consistent, and keep up the health checks.

The work will always be there; your health is what lets you do it.

Agri Aware is reminding farmers: "Your health matters, and we want to hear from you."