Roscommon farm to open its gates as part of nationwide sustainable farming event 

A nature-friendly farm in County Roscommon will open to the public on August 31st for a one-day event organised by Farming For Nature, a non-profit initiative that works with farmers to promote sustainable agricultural practices.

The ‘Inside The Gate’ event is designed to boost public understanding of the importance of nature-friendly farming, including practices that support healthy soils, clean water, diverse habitats, and sustainable food production.

Knockvicar Alpaca Farm in Knockvicar in Boyle will host two events, morning and afternoon, with capacity for up to 80 people to tour the farm, meet alpacas and see how their fleeces are being turned into pillows and duvet products. Visitors can also see bee hives in action and the various habitats onsite, including hedgerows, woodlands, and bird and bat boxes.

The event is free to attend but capacity is limited. Tickets are available on a first come, first served basis, so those wishing to attend must book onlinetarget="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">. For more information and to register for the events, visit the Farming for Nature website on www.farmingfornature.ie.

Inside the Gate is supported by RTÉ Ear to the Ground presenter Ella McSweeney, who is encouraging as many people as possible to sign up for a visit on August 31, adding that the day is a “really valuable opportunity for young and old, from all backgrounds across Ireland, to spend time on some of the most nature-rich farms in the country”.

Farming For Nature was set up in 2018 as a non-profit project established under the Burrenbeo Trust. Last year, the group launched the Farming For Nature Handbook, a practical guide to protecting and restoring nature. The handbook featured contributions from more than 50 Irish farmers, who shared their experiences of how working with nature can help reduce their overheads and boost incomes.

Authored by Farming For Nature co-founders Brigid Barry and Dr Brendan Dunford, as well as conservation scientist Dr Emma Hart, the book received praise from President of Ireland Michael D Higgins, who described it as a “timely and essential contribution to the ongoing discourse on how we, as a society, must respond to some of the most pressing challenges of our time”.

Andrew Chilton of Knockvicar Alpaca Farm says:

“We are incredibly excited for the Inside the Gate event at Knockvicar Alpacas. It's a great opportunity to open our farm gates and share the progressive, biodynamic and biodiversity farming practices we're so passionate about. Can’t wait to connect, inspire, and grow together.” Brigid Barry, co-founder of Farming For Nature, says:

“I’m delighted to today launch Farming For Nature’s Inside The Gate, a one-day event taking on August 31. Hosted on 21 farms in 12 counties across Ireland, the 26 different events will give our participating farmers the opportunity to showcase the importance of farms which produce food with nature in mind.

“In the past many people in Ireland would have grown up with access to a farm through their extended family. With the dwindling number of small-hold farms and farmers, that’s not really the case anymore, so this is an opportunity to give urban and indeed rural people access to not just a working farm, but one that approaches food production in a sustainable and nature-friendly way.”