Fergal Smith (Moyhill CSA)

AMBASSADOR DESCRIPTION
Fergal Smith is one of the main drivers behind Moyhill Community Farm, a regenerative agriculture farm. At the farm they currently manage 66 acre of land with their main enterprise being 2 no dig market gardens both with roughly 100 x 30metre beds in each, and four tunnels. Their aim is to regenerate soil, so they are bringing more animal enterprises on each year. Currently they have a small flerd of six cows and ten sheep. They run a turkey enterprise for Christmas with 160 birds this year and they have three pigs, which they have been using to clear rough land over the past seven years. They next plan to bring on laying hens, and increase the flerd. They follow holistic management whereby all their animals are moved on daily or twice daily system. They are inspired by the Savory Institute, and hope to become a Savory hub in the future. They have a strong connection to the local community; all their sales are through direct selling models (CSA, market, farm shop, Reko ring, Neighbour food) and local restaurants. They have planted 26,000 trees on the farm in an agri-forestry system (wind breaks, hedgerows and alleyways). Outside of regenerating land, education is their other focus; they offer this through internships, open work days, and are building a farm system that needs more employees, as an alternative to being a stand alone farmer. Fergal has been an Ambassador since August 2020.

NOMINATION DESCRIPTION
Moy hill farm is a regenerative agriculture farm. We currently manage 66 acre of land. We run two no dig market gardens both with roughly 100, 30metre beds in each, and four tunnels. This is currently our main enterprise. Our aim is to regenerate soil, so we are bringing more animal enterprises on each year. Currently we have a small flerd of six cows and ten sheep. We run a turkey enterprise for Christmas with 160 birds this year. We have three pigs, which we have been using to clear rough land over the past seven years. We next plan to bring on laying hens, and increase the flerd.

All our animals are moved on daily or twice daily system. We follow Holistic Management. We are inspired by the Savory Institute, and hope to become a Savory hub in the future.

We have a strong connection to the local community; all our sales are through direct selling models (CSA, market, farm shop, Reko ring, Neighbour food) and local restaurants.

We have planted 26,000 trees on the farm in an agri-forestry system (wind breaks, hedgerows and alleyways).

Outside of regenerating land, education is our other focus, we offer this through internships, open work days, and we are building a farm system that needs more employees, as an alternative to being a stand alone farmer.

NOMINATION DESCRIPTION
The Moyhill CSA project supplies the local community with food. Recently a quired 60 acres to expand into regenerative beef farming.  They are involved in soil regeneration, habitat restoration , mass planting native Irish trees. They hold a very strong community ethos. 

All well documented on social media channels.

Nomination in 2019 by: Ray Foley, Education Officer, An Taisce