The Farm
Our farm consists of fifty acres, bordering Killarney National Park. It is operated under the Rural Envirnomental Protection Scheme (REPS) and the Forestry Envirnomental Protection Scheme (FEPS). 40 acres of the farm are grassland which are grazed by our sheep. The remainder is our new forest, planted in 2010. Supervised walks of the farm take place at 12pm, Monday to Friday, by apppointment.
Animals on the Farm
Our Jessie
Jessie, part-time sheep dog and full time pet. Jessie will be three years old in June. She enjoys nothing more than a walk through the cottages, through Carrigafreaghane Wood and onto Lough Leane and Muckross House.
Our Sheep
At the beginning of January 2014, we have approximately one hundred sheep on the farm, with seventy two ewes due to lamb in late March. So over Easter, we expect to have plenty of lambs playing in the spring sunshine. We are expecting around 35 sets of twins and the rest single lambs. No triplets this year, thank God. Out two pet lambs last year, Tim and Nora, spent their summer at the Muckross House traditional farm. Tim, has gone to pastures new, in the mountains of Glencar, while Nora, has returned to us, here on the farm.
Sheep Breeds
Most of our sheep are a cross between lowland breeds (Suffocks) and mountain breeds. We are also assembling our own flock of Jacob sheep, with their distinctive brown and white fleece and pointy horns. One of our Jacob ewes is expecting triplets, for the second year in succession!
Our Hens and 'Our Friend'
We have nine hens for their eggs. Our new enclosure has worked well this year. Only one of them, flew out over the fence, where 'Our Friend', Mr. Fox, was waiting. Thankfully, his visits to the farm, have become a lot less fruitful.
Our Regular Visitors from South Africa
Every April, swallows return to the farm to nest in our sheds. All shed doors are kept open all year to allow our visitors from the south to thrive. Their distinctive song and presence form part of the essence of summer on an Irish farm.