{"id":1334729,"date":"2024-06-22T15:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-06-22T14:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.agriland.ie\/?p=1334729"},"modified":"2024-06-21T18:29:01","modified_gmt":"2024-06-21T17:29:01","slug":"watch-agroforestry-showcased-on-kerry-farm-walk","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lightsail.agriland.ie\/farming-news\/watch-agroforestry-showcased-on-kerry-farm-walk\/","title":{"rendered":"Watch: Agroforestry showcased on Kerry farm walk"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>The benefits of planting trees on farms were discussed during a farm walk focused on agroforestry in Co. Kerry this week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Agroforestry is a collective name for land-use practices where trees are combined with crops or animals on the same unit of land.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-grey-background-color has-background\">Thomas and Claire O&#8217;Connor, who hosted the farm walk, have owned Manna Organic Farm in Camp, Co. Kerry for the past 17 years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The 25ac farm integrates agroforestry principles with vegetable plots surrounded by shelter trees and a 4ac permaculture field featuring fruit trees and shrubs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A further 4ac is dedicated to terraced agroforestry with soft fruit bushes and trees such as willow, birch, and sycamore. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The farm also includes around 13ac of native woodland, around 60% of which is oak, which was planted around 14 years ago.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Thomas O\u2019Connor, organic farmer, Co. Kerry\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube-nocookie.com\/embed\/Y55MshqdW_g?feature=oembed&#038;modestbranding=1&#038;autohide=1&#038;rel=0&#038;controls=0\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The O&#8217;Connors are certified organic farmers and place great importance on a &#8220;good healthy eco-system&#8221; in which to grow &#8220;nutrient dense&#8221; food.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The couple also run an organic shop in nearby Tralee allowing them to sell their horticulture produce directly to customers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The farm produces salads, kale, scallions, onions, leeks, garlic, tomatoes, cucumbers and courgettes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;We tend to grow stuff that is the freshest that we can bring into the shop and then we also buy from other local producers and we import. Everything that we sell in our store is certified organic,&#8221; Thomas told <em>Agriland<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.agriland.ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/horticulture-on-manna-organic-farm.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"585\" src=\"https:\/\/www.agriland.ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/horticulture-on-manna-organic-farm-1024x585.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1335085\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.agriland.ie\/uploads\/2024\/06\/horticulture-on-manna-organic-farm-1024x585.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.agriland.ie\/uploads\/2024\/06\/horticulture-on-manna-organic-farm-400x228.jpg 400w, https:\/\/cdn.agriland.ie\/uploads\/2024\/06\/horticulture-on-manna-organic-farm-768x439.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cdn.agriland.ie\/uploads\/2024\/06\/horticulture-on-manna-organic-farm-1536x877.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/cdn.agriland.ie\/uploads\/2024\/06\/horticulture-on-manna-organic-farm-160x90.jpg 160w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The horticultural land on Manna Organic Farm is sheltered by trees<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Due to the exposed location of the farm on the Dingle Peninsula, Thomas knew that trees would play an important role by providing shelter to crops and animals and improving soil fertility by recycling nutrients.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The trees also produce by-products, such as fruit and wood, offering an additional income stream.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;We&#8217;re on the side of a mountain and the fact that we can get trees to grow here is really good,&#8221; he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;In our horticultural area in the heatwaves we never have a problem with water because the hedgerows and the ditches end up creating dew in the morning so there&#8217;s always plenty of moisture,&#8221; he added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-grey-background-color has-background\">Similar to other farms, Thomas admits that there has been &#8220;a certain element of trial and error&#8221; when it comes to trees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;You learn through your mistakes but you can actually learn a lot by going and meeting farmers, going to people that have the expertise and seeing what they have done in person,&#8221; he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Agroforestry<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>This week&#8217;s event was part of a series of farm walks around the country being organised by the Irish Agroforestry Forum.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The walks aim to highlight how introducing trees into farming systems can enhance biodiversity, improve animal welfare and soil health and contribute to climate change mitigation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As part of the new <a href=\"https:\/\/www.agriland.ie\/farming-news\/tag\/forestry-programme-2023-2027\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Forestry Programme<\/a> 2023-2027, agroforestry planting is supported through a range of funding and premiums.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It should be noted that where farmers plant under the agroforestry scheme, the converted land  will be classified by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) as forestry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.agriland.ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/trees-on-manna-organic-farm-kerry.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"585\" src=\"https:\/\/www.agriland.ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/trees-on-manna-organic-farm-kerry-1024x585.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1334980\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.agriland.ie\/uploads\/2024\/06\/trees-on-manna-organic-farm-kerry-1024x585.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.agriland.ie\/uploads\/2024\/06\/trees-on-manna-organic-farm-kerry-400x229.jpg 400w, https:\/\/cdn.agriland.ie\/uploads\/2024\/06\/trees-on-manna-organic-farm-kerry-768x439.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cdn.agriland.ie\/uploads\/2024\/06\/trees-on-manna-organic-farm-kerry-1536x878.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/cdn.agriland.ie\/uploads\/2024\/06\/trees-on-manna-organic-farm-kerry.jpg 2047w, https:\/\/cdn.agriland.ie\/uploads\/2024\/06\/trees-on-manna-organic-farm-kerry-160x90.jpg 160w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Some of the many trees on Manna Organic Farm<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;The schemes are fantastic because they can give you the establishment and help you with the fencing and the set up in the first place. But you should plant trees anyway because they bring other values to the farm. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;They make you farm more resilient, they take the stress away from your animals, they create shelter. You&#8217;re future proofing your farm by growing trees within your farming system,&#8221; Thomas said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-grey-background-color has-background\">The organic farmer believes that &#8220;we need to redefine our perspective of what trees mean on the landscape&#8221;.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;It&#8217;s not a mono-culture of Sitka spruce and it doesn&#8217;t mean that they&#8217;re clear felled all the time, it&#8217;s a continuous improvement of the eco-system and the environment,&#8221; he said.<\/p>\n\n\n    <div id=\"agri-related-stories-block_f3628d3c218a544391d29727004bd93d\" class=\"related-stories\">\n        <h5 id=\"related-stories-h5-headline\">Related Stories:<\/h5>\n        <ul class=\"related-stories-list\"><li class=\"related-stories-list-item\"><a href=\"https:\/\/lightsail.agriland.ie\/farming-news\/watch-agroforestry-is-climate-positive-for-farming\/\"><svg width=\"15\" height=\"15\" viewBox=\"0 0 637 637\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M326.506 427.855C337.204 440.983 347.434 454.623 357.11 468.774C397.22 422.569 449.051 385.401 510.302 362.596C551.477 347.294 593.633 339.707 635.277 338.983C635.746 332.035 636.002 325.002 636.002 317.969C636.002 308.165 635.533 298.489 634.68 288.941C587.453 289.709 539.585 298.234 492.869 315.624C427.014 340.091 370.878 379.22 326.506 427.855Z\" fill=\"#3a9948\" \/><path d=\"M430.038 146.756C473.515 130.601 517.674 119.732 561.833 113.893C503.48 44.2868 415.93 0 317.979 0C174.718 0 53.579 94.7542 13.8104 225.015C77.5766 242.405 138.189 270.026 193.132 306.726C256.258 237.376 336.265 181.666 430.038 146.756Z\" fill=\"#3a9948\" \/><path d=\"M392.788 527.986C404.851 550.917 415.635 574.872 424.885 599.808C426.845 605.051 428.678 610.251 430.426 615.494C524.029 580.073 596.576 501.771 624.026 404.545C593.592 406.25 562.945 412.388 532.938 423.555C475.139 445.038 427.485 482.036 392.788 527.986Z\" fill=\"#3a9948\" \/><path d=\"M1.32136 289.123C0.468869 298.628 0 308.261 0 317.98C0 325.78 0.298371 333.495 0.85249 341.125C140.49 384.645 259.455 489.33 315.421 635.959C316.274 635.959 317.126 636.001 317.979 636.001C334.815 636.001 351.311 634.68 367.423 632.165C366.315 628.925 365.164 625.686 363.97 622.447C301.185 453.568 162.74 334.561 1.32136 289.123Z\" fill=\"#3a9948\" \/><path d=\"M15.1801 415.256C48.5551 519.174 133.889 599.82 240.664 626.503C193.265 527.657 111.384 454.215 15.1801 415.256Z\" fill=\"#3a9948\" \/><path d=\"M245.522 345.899C258.309 356.597 270.713 367.807 282.647 379.614C333.115 325.652 396.327 282.175 470.153 254.725C520.151 236.14 571.301 226.38 621.939 224.334C616.696 207.284 610.046 190.873 602.161 175.188C552.205 178.811 501.951 189.424 452.719 207.71C371.093 238.059 301.189 286.139 245.522 345.899Z\" fill=\"#3a9948\" \/><\/svg><h5 itemprop=\"headline\">Watch: Agroforestry is &#8216;climate positive&#8217; 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Kerry this&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3494,"featured_media":1334905,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[173,4330,171],"tags":[9753,181,1444,717,13416,1075,1343,1654],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lightsail.agriland.ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1334729"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lightsail.agriland.ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lightsail.agriland.ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lightsail.agriland.ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3494"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lightsail.agriland.ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1334729"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/lightsail.agriland.ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1334729\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1335291,"href":"https:\/\/lightsail.agriland.ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1334729\/revisions\/1335291"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lightsail.agriland.ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1334905"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lightsail.agriland.ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1334729"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lightsail.agriland.ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1334729"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lightsail.agriland.ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1334729"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}