Agri Aware kick off farm walk and talk 2024 series at new Donegal location

Some 240 students from 10 schools arrived at the farm of Peter Lynch and family in Killea with the Agri Aware team alongside its event partners Teagasc and the Irish Farmers Journal.

This was the first time the event was held in Co Donegal with the reason being to cater for the ever-increasing demand from agriculture science students in the Donegal and Sligo areas to take part in the series.

The day saw students learn about everything from beef, dairy, sheep, tillage production, farm safety and what farmers such as Peter are doing to achieve environmental targets.

Agri Aware executive director Marcus O’Halloran said of the event: “It was a fantastic start to our farm walk and talk series for 2024.

“We are always looking each year to make the event more engaging and accessible to students studying agriculture science for their Leaving Certificate and today’s event epitomised that effort we are making.

“We are very grateful to Peter and his family for giving us the opportunity to bring students onto his farm. This type of experience for students, particularly those who don’t come from a farm, is priceless and puts what they learn in the classroom into perspective.

“We are also thankful to our event partners Teagasc and the Irish Farmers Journal, who along with the Agri Aware educational team put together fantastic interactive talks in the areas of their expertise, covering many of the key elements of the agriculture science curriculum including Farm Safety.”

Host farmer Peter Lynch said of the event: “It was great to see the farm walk and talk series come to Donegal.

“To see all the students arrive this morning and see them interact and engage with the speakers, learn from them and see what’s happens on a working farm was a joy to see.

“I have always been in favour of getting students onto farms. We would have had students in the past come here and learn skills through Teagasc and Atlantic Technological University – Donegal Letterkenny Campus.

“Therefore, seeing students from secondary schools come to the farm was brilliant, getting them exposed to farms and how their food is produced in person is hugely important.

“I would be saying more farms should be putting their hands up and hosting students on their farms for an event like Agri Aware’s farm walk and talk I wouldn’t hesitate to host it again.”

Farm walk and talk – dates and venues

• Thursday, 29th February, Irish Farmers Journal demonstration farm, Tullamore, Co Offaly
• Tuesday, 5th March, Clonakilty - Teagasc Agricultural College, Co Cork
• Wednesday, 6th March, Pallaskenry- Teagasc Salesian Agricultural College, Co Limerick
• Thursday, 7th March, Mountbellew - Teagasc Agricultural College, Co Galway
• Friday, 8th March, Mountbellew - Teagasc Agricultural College, Co Galway
• Wednesday, 13th March, UCD Lyons Farm, Co Kildare - Double Day
• Thursday, 14th March, Ballyhaise - Teagasc Agricultural College, Co Cavan
• Friday, 15th March, Grange - Teagasc Agricultural College, Co Meath
• Wednesday, March 20th, Moorepark - Teagasc Research College, Co Cork
• Thursday, 21st March, Kildalton - Teagasc Agricultural College, Co Kilkenny
• Friday, 22md March, Kildalton - Teagasc Agricultural College, Co Kilkenny