Michael runs a 100-acre organic farm with his wife Ute and two sons. He manages half the farm for tillage and the rest for his herd of 40 Aberdeen Angus and horses. He took on the family farm in 1981 on his return from time working with organic agriculture in Australia, Asia, and India. The farm is located along the Suir SAC and has a variety of habitats including seasonally flooded grasslands, fen areas, pastures and meadows. Michael manages his field boundaries as habitats. His hedgerows were used as examples for official hedgerow policy in REPS and have since been allowed to mature into a linear woodland.
He maintains a lower stocking rate and breeds his own replacement cattle. His cattle are butchered locally and sold directly to the consumer, reducing food miles and supporting local business. His horses are trained and usually exported to England. Michael also mainly uses hay as fodder, with silage saved only when the conditions call for it. He was an early member of the IOFGA, and a signatory of their Articles of Association in 1986. He is a passionate advocate for Irish organic farming and farming for nature. He regularly hosts farm walks and botanical groups on the farm. His land has also been part of several scientific surveys, including one by Michael himself as part of his Diploma in Ecology from UCC. He has also given public talks on sustainable farming and trains WOOFERS in farming for nature.
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