Focus on the couple behind ‘Wee cows, big beef’ business

The duo, along with their family, run Castlescreen Farm and Farm Shop near Downpatrick.

Best known for their pedigree Dexter cows, this farm is one of the top suppliers of Dexter beef in Ireland. The reason it is so popular is due to the lush, juicy grass the cows eat. Producing naturally marbled beef that is distinctly succulent and age-dried for 30-35 days really intensifies the flavour, making Castlescreen Dexter beef a real favourite at BBQs.

Aside from the Dexter’s there are many other farm animals that call Castlescreen home, including donkeys, pigs, ducks, geese and pygmy goats. The latest venture on the farm is pygmy goat yoga which has gone viral and the farm are now offering sessions to the public!

The family also focus on regenerating topsoil, increasing biodiversity, improving the water cycle and enhancing the ecosystem. They recycle as much farm waste as possible, adding composted waste from other sources to up the nutrient intake. They believe most importantly, both now and for the future, regenerative farming is also helping to fight the climate crisis by pulling carbon from the atmosphere and storing it in the ground.

After taking over the farm from his uncle, Damien looked into UFU membership in 2017 and says this has been prudent to helping them make many decisions getting them to where they are now. The pair feel that the benefits of membership are huge and the membership plus benefit on its own has massive savings. They attend Donard UFU group meetings and enjoy engaging with likeminded farmers whilst being kept up to date with what the UFU is lobbying for and working on behalf of its grassroots members.