Farmers Feed Families launched a social initiative this summer to raise awareness of daily life in farms across Ireland. Each week Anne Brady of Farmers Feed Families will interview the tweeting Irish farmer on AgriLand.
This week’s Tweeting Farmer is Margaret Griffin from near Kells in Co Meath. Margaret is a smallholder that keeps pigs, chickens ducks. She also grows her own vegetables and fruit. Margaret will be the Farmers Feed Families ‘Tweporter’ filling you in on all that is happening for the three days at the National Ploughing Championships via Twitter.
About Margaret’s farm
“I am actually minus pigs at the moment as I’m waiting for my piglets to be ready to leave their mother. I am getting them from Oldefarm. I feed all animals here gm-free food (even the dogs). If I buy animal meal, it’s organic. It’s not possible to get organic barley and both the poultry and pigs are fed with barley as well as poultry and pig nuts. I don’t spray pesticides or herbicides. I sell excess pork, bacon and eggs to family and friends.
“The most challenging thing about farming organically is cost. Animal feed is at least double the price. My own family even baulk at the price of my pork. I only charge them the cost so I don’t make any profit. My kids who are both grown up help when here. My son is a chef with the aim to have his own restaurant in the future and says he will source his ingredients from me and others like me. I love producing my own food and knowing exactly what is in it but equally important is that my animals have a life nature intended them to have.
At the Ploughing
“I’m really excited about the heading down to Ratheniska for the National Ploughing Championships. I will be walking around the different stands and tweeting news and pictures during the three days. One of the previous tweeting farmers @newfarmerette has also organised a ‘tweet-up’. Both farmers and non-farmers that regularly chat on Twitter will be meeting face to face on Wednesday the 25 September at the bandstand. Make sure to come and say hello.
