Large crowd attends Social Farming Open Day on Offaly farm

SOCIAL Farming Ireland recently held an open day on a farm near Birr, Co. Offaly.

Social Farmer Catherine Molloy and her husband Brian Dooley welcomed in excess of 80 people on to their farm on the day; a mix of friends, family, neighbours, Social Farming participants, other social farmers, potential social farmers, service staff, service users, and staff from Offaly County Council, Offaly Local Development and the HSE.

Social farming involves using ordinary working farms to provide social, educational and therapeutic activities for individuals who may benefit from the farm's setting and activities. It offers a range of benefits, such as improved health and well-being, skill development, and real social connections in the community.

Catherine has been involved in Social Farming for a number of years now and has hosted participants from a number of Intellectual Disability services and young people under the care of Tusla. Catherine has found the Social Farming experience truly rewarding, and as they heard at the Open Day, the participants have loved their time on the farm too.

The Open Day kicked off with tea, coffee and home-made baked goods. Catherine then spoke about the many benefits of Social Farming, putting particular emphasis on the opportunity it gives people to develop new social networks. Catherine then led the group on a farm walk to see what is offered to participants.

As well as the usual farm maintenance activities, there is the care of Catherine’s pedigree Hereford cattle and tending to the vegetables. Catherine often brings participants on trips to the local agricultural store or to the mart, so there is a nice variety on offer to the participants. On the farm walk, service users got a chance to feed some of Catherine’s cattle.

Alan McIntyre, an Offaly farmer, also spoke of his experience of Social Farming and the social connections it creates. He told of how his former participants still keep in touch. In fact, one participant was actually visiting his wife to see the new baby alpacas as he spoke.

Participants and those supporting them were invited to speak and Dessie, who attends St Cronan’s, had no hesitation recommending Social Farming and informing all about the activities he enjoyed on Catherine’s farm; feeding the cattle, cooking and even weeding!

Next up was Enda from St Anne’s with his support worker Paula. They spoke about how Enda had really enjoyed a tour of the mill at Grennan’s Agricultural Store. Paula spoke of the difference Social Farming has made to their service-users. She noted the particular value of the routine and of the everyday physical activity which farming involves. She also noted “They really looked forward to it every week”: this aspect of social farming – of having something to talk about, to look forward, to plan for – is really important. She also spoke about one former participant who staff in the service noticed really “came out of himself” as a result of engaging in Social Farming.

Both participants asked Catherine when they could come back to the farm, high praise indeed!

Social Farming’s South Midlands Regional Development Officer, Emma Owens, read out a testimonial written on behalf of former Muiríosa participant John. John held a position as ‘helper’ on his dad’s farm in Co. Laois from adolescence through adulthood, however since the sad loss of John’s dad in 2013, John no longer spent any time in this capacity or on a farm until recently. Earlier this year John engaged in a Social Farming placement at Catherine’s farm. The placement “afforded John the opportunity to engage in tasks that he would have done years ago and to experience and learn new things despite his mobility status, which is often an obstacle.” (John uses a mobility power chair). “Both staff and John’s family were so surprised at how much John could do and that his attention span and interest expanded. John’s face lit up every Thursday when leaving to go to his placement and his face radiated while there.”

Over almost a decade of experience, Social Farming Ireland have gathered a wealth of evidence on the benefits of Social Farming, echoed again on the Open Day on Catherine’s farm. A big part of the day is just sitting down and having a cup of tea and a chat with new people. That social connection is hugely important and it gives people taking part an opportunity to make new friends and to expand their social circle.

At the same time, the mental health benefits include confidence building and growth in self-esteem. There are lots of different activities you can do on a farm so these visits are engaging and also, very importantly, a lot of fun. Farming is a very physical job, but that physical activity has many other benefits such as improved sleep patterns, reduced anxiety or improved fitness by getting exercise that is not labelled as exercise.

Knowledge and skills are gained or renewed as people have the opportunity to learn about where our food comes from, about the environment and nature and about how a farm works. They gain or improve their skills in any one of the many tasks that typically happen on farms, in areas as diverse as animal husbandry, gardening, maintenance work, working with wood, preparing meals or cooking in the farm kitchen. Few environments can provide such choice, variety and potential for people to find their interest, grow and flourish.

These assets of both the farms and the farmers are present in every corner of Ireland and with training, development and support, many farmers can offer a really valuable experience to people on their ordinary farm.

Social Farming Ireland would love to hear from any farmers interested in getting involved. For more information go to socialfarmingireland.ie where you can complete a registration of your interest as a farmer or request information as a participant or someone supporting a possible participant. Or simply call the Social Farming Ireland National Office at Leitrim Development Co. in Drumshanbo, Co. Leitrim on (071) 9641772 to find out more.