Features
Living in Agreement with Nature
When you visit an organic farm you always expect to find that something extra to set it apart from the run of the mill and as often as not you will be disappointed. Much of the time new converts will have just started to plant hedges and undo some of the devastation of years of 'progressive farming'. This could not be said of Michael Hickey's farm. It shows all of the signs of a mature organic holding - hedgerows are abundant and blooming, vegetation and wildlife are diverse and varied and most telling of all the owner is content with his way of life.
Michael and his partner Ute and their two young sons, farm one hundred acres in an idyllic location beside the Suir close to New Inn, Co.Tipperary. Michael is proud of the fact that his is one of the oldest organically run farms in the country. He returned to Ireland in 1980 after a decade spent in Australia where he became interested in the organic way of life. It was a natural progression to convert the family farm that he inherited. At that time farmers all around him were modernising, clearing and reclaiming land so it was not surprising that he was looked on as a bit an oddity in his locality. As one of the most passionate and outspoken defenders of organic farming in Ireland Michael may still be considered odd by many.
A substantial portion of the land is marginal peat and part of the farm along the river is under water for much of the winter. 'The farm was totally run down when I took over', Michael says. 'There were no fences, no tools, just a collection of outhouses some in disrepair'. The farm carries fifty livestock comprising cattle of varying ages and fifteen ponies. An anomaly in the REPS does not allow the horses to be considered as livestock therefore Michael does not meet with the minimum stocking requirements under the scheme. This he feels is incompatible with the organic ethos that encourages the use of suitable animals particularly for marginal land.
Consumer groups
Michael breeds all his own stock mainly Angus from a pedigree Angus bull. All his animals are killed locally and sold directly to customers. 'I have always sold this way' he says. 'It maximises the return. I don't think my prices have changed since I started out. I still have many of my original customers. One consumer group in Limerick have been buying from me for eleven years, another in Dublin for seven years'. Michael is unusual in that he does not make silage but hay and saves about fifteen acres annually. The investment required to change his system would be prohibitive and most years he manages to save good quality hay despite the weather. This year he is a bit worried about poor growing conditions because of dry weather and cold temperatures during May and June and expects that he may have to buy in fodder. Cattle are brought in on the 1st. December and go out in March. He rarely has problems with his easy calving Angus herd and like most experienced organic farmers he has few veterinary problems. He feeds only hay during the winter so input costs are minimal.
Michael finds that keeping horses along with cattle is very compatible. 'A ratio of 2/1 - cattle versus horses works well', he says. 'They do the same job as sheep in clearing up after cattle and make good use of the marginal land. They are not expensive to keep, one tonne of grain does for the year and they use an average of ten square bales of hay each'. He keeps one stallion and a couple of brood mares. The offspring are kept until they are four and trained over that period. The horses are sold for show, as hunters or as a family pony for children.
Flora and fauna
It is a rare enough experience to visit a farm where there is a sense of harmony between owner, land and nature but that is the feeling you get on Michaels' farm. 'I spent years struggling with the land', he explains 'but you cannot hide faults on a farm. I would make changes and gradually it would be undone by nature. Now, for the first time I feel that I have reached an accommodation with nature. Things are moving in a kind of synergy.' The farm is a nature reserve in its own right. 'Every farm should have 10% trees and hedges' Michael says adamantly. 'It is really boring to look out your window and see all of your farm at once. It is better to have some mystery about what is beyond the next hedge. An area for wildlife should always be left untouched. We have several bird species including a sparrow hawk, long eared owls and also bats.' A botanical survey found seven types of orchid on the farm and Michael believes it is similar in flora to the Burren area. Here he feels there is another difficulty in the implementation of REPS. scheme has huge potential but is undervalued in relation to biodiversity,' he says. 'Planners and inspectors should at least hold a certificate in ecology. The object in administering the scheme seems to be to catch you out. There should be a more holistic approach to farmers interested in biodiversity instead of applying rules to the letter. Organic organisations should seek to be represented in REPS policy making'.
Organic ethos
Like many long-standing organic farmers, Michael has concerns for the future of his chosen way of life. 'Organic farming is at a very delicate stage, its own success could be it's undoing', he says. 'We could have a crisis if the present trend of selling into the conventional market or going straight to the factory with livestock continues. A sizeable proportion of organic farmers should always aim to sell directly to the consumer. This gives you some control over your own destiny and a farmer is not at the mercy of those controlling the market - that is central to organic thinking'.
He fears the dilution of organic standards. 'We are at a crossroads and anyone who is serious about retaining the organic ethos should make their voices heard. It is good that the organic organisations are unified on standards. An organisation should never become more important than what it stands for and maintaining numbers at the cost of lowering standards would be disastrous'.
Michael belongs to the diminishing band of full time farmers and strongly believes that he could not manage his farm on a part time basis. 'You cannot farm one hundred acres part time, the land suffers', he says. 'Many farmers work at a pace that is not sustainable. Sometimes the hardest thing is to do nothing at all. It can be better to wait and reflect before doing something. That way you have a better chance of making a correct decision.'
Quality of life and contentment are priorities in Michaels' life and you get the feeling that he and his family have both in good measure. He puts it most aptly as he says 'all you really need in life is no debt and a good partner'.
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