Place you call home: Glenelly Valley, Plumbridge, Co Tyrone.
Occupation: I am currently studying for a degree in agriculture and technology at CAFRE, Greenmount campus. As part of this I am completing a work placement year with the Ulster Farmer’s Union as a policy, technical and membership officer.
Farming commodity: Growing up I lived on a hill sheep farm, keeping roughly 100 ewes.
How did you become involved in farming?
Growing up I was my daddy’s right-hand woman when it came to the farm. Whether it was dosing or lambing ewes, or a day spent bringing the sheep down from the mountain I was always eager to get out and help. Although we eventually chose to sell our flock, I didn’t let this discourage me and was still eager to pursue a career in agriculture.
Earliest farming memory: Watching my daddy lamb ewes and being mesmerised by the process.
What personal characteristics did you develop from agriculture?
Agriculture makes you more determined and motivated. You can’t just take a day off because you don’t feel like going out to the yard today or because it’s a cold rainy day. Early starts and late nights are a regular occurrence for a farmer. Agriculture also forces you to become more confident in yourself. What works on one farm may not work on yours and so you need to be confident in the decisions you are making. Being proactive and motivated is necessary to build on the success on your farm. A lot of the time it is up to you to keep up with current affairs and new technologies to benefit your farm. If you don’t, you can quickly fall behind.
Life lesson you learnt from farming: Not to be discouraged when things do not go as planned. Farming has lots of ups and downs and many of these downs are beyond our control. However, things tend to have a way of working out in the end.
What do you enjoy most about the farming lifestyle?
The farming community is a very close knit one where everyone knows everyone and are willing to help each other out when needed. I also love going to the agricultural shows every summer and various Young Farmers’ Clubs of Ulster events as you get to meet lots of people with similar interests as yourself. On farm, it’s great to be outdoors, especially when you live somewhere as naturally beautiful as the Sperrins. Doing something different every day keeps the job interesting.
Describe a farmer in three words: Perseverant, dedicated and underappreciated.
What would you like the public to know about NI farming?
That the work never stops. It’s a 24/7 job with no annual leave or nights off. Northern Ireland farmers are also held to really high standards when it comes to animal health and welfare, to ensure the best possible product for the consumer. It’s not easy – as we’ve seen in recent years, there is little job security in farming and a few bad years can leave a farm struggling to recover. However, it is not all doom and gloom. Due to the constant pressure on farmers and the hard work they put into their farm, when success comes it can feel very rewarding. You have to really love it to keep doing it.
If you could give farmers/farming families/ farming community one piece of advice what would it be?
Keep in contact and don’t forget to look after yourself. Some farmers get so busy looking after their own stock and farm that they almost forget that they need looking after too. Taking an extra 10 mins for your lunch or chatting to a friend at the mart can make a big, positive difference to your day. You have to enjoy what you do to keep at it. At the end of the day, if you don’t look after yourself physically and mentally, you won’t be able to look after stock.
What would you say to others who are considering a career in the agri industry?
Go for it! Do not be discouraged if you lack experience or knowledge as there are lots of people out there willing to help. Starting a course at CAFRE or joining your local Young Farmers Club is a great first step. Not everyone is lucky enough to be born into large sustainable farms so don’t let this discourage you. There are so many opportunities in the agri industry, not just farming.
What are your hopes for the future of Northern Ireland’s agriculture industry?
I hope in the near future to see more young people and females taking lead roles in the agri food industry. I believe the more inclusive and diverse the industry becomes, the more successful it can be. However, external factors such as Brexit and the war in Ukraine have proved detrimental to this success. I would like to see the government take food production more seriously – farmers should not have to rely on subsidies to make a profit. To ‘feed the nation’ is a big responsibility and so should be paid and rewarded accordingly.
