Farming for Nature is pleased to welcome Tom Tierney to our Ambassador network of Farmers.
Tom runs a 200-acre regenerative farm in Kildare, operating under the principles of conservation agriculture – cover cropping, increasing soil organic matter, crop rotations and direct drilling. Barley, oats, wheat, beans and oilseed rape are grown on the land. Animal manure is brought in from neighboring farms and composted on site before spreading. White clover is grown as a companion crop and in field margins.
Tom has been running a direct drilling system since 2015 and has observed tremendous benefits of this lower soil disturbance method for life both above and below the soil surface. Tom has reduced the amount of synthetic inputs required on the farm and there has been no insecticide used on the land in 6 years.
Tom operates a continuous cover forestry system. There are about 30 acres of mixed forestry on the farm, 60% hardwood and 40% softwood. There are also 12 acres of conservation areas, including an acre of wetland with naturally regenerating woodland. There are 7 acres of wildflowers and 4 acres of permanent clover. Tom is a Teagasc Signpost Tillage Farmer, a member of BASE Ireland and a participant in the Protecting Farmland Pollinators EIP Project.
Tom’s online Q&A with Farming for Nature Coordinator Brigid Barry takes place on Tuesday, July 9. Register here
