Joe Collins

Oldtown, Co. Dublin

Joe Collins and his wife Theresa farm land in Oldtown, Co Dublin. Having bought seven fields in 2012, they have worked hard to turn it into a profitable farm in its own right. Buying a new farm meant that their family got to start with a blank canvas

The main enterprise on the Collins farm is Hereford cattle and they graze them on both clover-based swards and multi-species swards. Joe chose the Hereford breed because “we really wanted to go for quality over quantity, they are a lovely docile animal that are easily handled. The beef quality is very good and they finish off grass, which is great for our sustainability”.

In addition to the Herefords, Joe and Theresa also have free-range pigs, turkeys, hens and about fifteen bee hives. Dotted around the farm are a range of bird boxes including owl boxes and kestrel boxes. As well as following a natural way of farming, they have planted ten acres of native oak. Before they planted the oak, they under-sowed the area with grasses, herbs and weeds that pigs and hens will like, with the intention of letting those animals into the agri-forestry when the oak trees have established.

Theresa looks after the food side of the farm, where they are in the process of setting up an Agri-tourism business. Having teamed up with a Ballymaloe trained chef to host events on the farm, Theresa explains that they use their farm produce to create dishes that can be served in their indoor event space (a custom-built kitchen that caters for up to ten people) or the outdoor space, which offers an outdoor dining experience where all the dishes are cooked over a charcoal fire. She highlights that “all the produce from the farm goes into creating these amazing dishes, with twenty varieties of vegetable and fruits growing here, as well as our Hereford cattle and other livestock, means that we can offer a range of seasonal menus throughout the year”.

The Collins family are very proud of the work they have done on the farm so far and are hoping to see some owls come to live their soon. Being firm believers that the present of owls will show that the biodiversity ecosystem is working correctly.