A Co. Meath grower has warned that this month will “be the making or the breaking of farms” across Ireland which have been battling wet weather conditions.
Stephen McCormack, who has more than two decades of experience as a grower, told Agriland that 2023 has been one of the most stressful years of his life.
McCormack, managing director at McCormack Family Farms, in Dunsany, Co. Meath which grows herbs and baby leaves, said: “I’m 25 years growing, and I’ve never seen a wet July like this before.”
He is currently assessing the damage caused by rain to his crops and said the days ahead are crucial.
“This is not something you see in July, this is something you see in October and November.
“If things don’t change in the next 10 days, our season is over, it’s finished for the year,” McCormack warned.
Dry, then wet weather in 2023
McCormack added: “This year, it’s been probably the most stressful year I’ve ever put in.
“Last January and February, we were all saying how great the weather was, it was dry, there was no snow, there was hardly any frost.”
He said that it “seemed like a dream start” to 2023 before a drought came in May, then there was a “reasonably good” June harvest.
“Someone said to me, Stephen, you must have been on holidays and I go ‘why?’, and he said you’ve a great tan and I said that’s from looking up to God praying for rain.
“Now I’m looking up to God praying that it’ll stop raining.
“The issue now is we’re in to the first week in August and land is absolutely saturated.
“We’re not even getting into the crops that we’ve sowed in the beginning of July.”
Family farm
McCormack Family Farms traces its origins to 1984, when McCormack’s father, Eddie, began growing and selling vegetables, including broccoli and lettuce to the Smithfield Market in Dublin.
McCormack always knew he wanted to go into the family business and after studying at Warrenstown Horticultural College he expanded the business to 140ac by 1997.
However a decision was taken to move into herb production, and by 2000, vegetable growing had ceased and the farm began to concentrate on herbs.
In 2007, McCormack Family Farms secured its first retail contract with Superquinn, and baby leaf grew to become a much bigger part of the farm’s production than herbs.
The operation is now spread out over 300ac, employs 140 staff, and supplies to a number of retailers and hospitality businesses across Ireland.
Harvesting the crop in wet weather
But for the meantime McCormack is focused on surveying his waterlogged fields and hoping that there will be a break in the wet weather.
He highlighted the example of one 5ha field of spinach and other crops to Agriland, “it’s just totally yellow, you can’t walk in it let alone bring a tractor into it”.
McCormack also pointed to a field of spinach and red chard which was sown in the second week of June, which was due to be harvested this week.
The rain had caused a build-up of water that McCormack said will only decrease if the conditions are perfect – a combination of sun, and most importantly wind – are now needed to clear the fields of water.
“We’re all stressed wondering are we going to get out crops in, are we going to survive the year, are things going to pick up?
“The land has been paid for, the fertiliser has been put in, the work has been put in, and we have nothing to show for it,” he added.
He said: “There was a crop, two weeks ago, we had to pull out of because the tractors went halfway down with the trailers and they were getting stuck, and they were having to reverse back up the field to get out.
“Midseason, for this to happen, its tough.
“When you have problems like this, everything that is good that happened the last two to three months is gone, it’s been a waste. Because from whatever profits you made in May and June is now to cover the cost of July, and now into August.”
Optimism for the farm
According to McCormack “no farmer wants to go out there with his hand out” to the government for financial support because of the impact of the wet weather this year.
“I suppose we are still optimistic that the weather will change,” he added.
McCormack Family Farms has invested heavily in equipment over the last 10 years in order to be in a position to respond quickly to harvesting and planting opportunities.
Currently the plan is to try to harvest crops on different land on the farm that is stonier, which it is hoped will have drained well by next week.
“This month is the making or the breaking of farms – it’s going to be a very difficult year.
“The fear is next week, will I be able to get my trailers and my machinery in to harvest it, that’s the next worry. Hopefully we will,” McCormack added.