Boyle farmer to host Farming for Nature walk on diverse organic farm

A Boyle farmer will host a farm walk on his organic farm next month.

Farming For Nature Farm Walk with Andrew Chilton -

Building Diversity into a Small Organic Farm - will take place on Saturday October 3rd from 11am to 1.30pm in Boyle, Co. Roscommon. The walk will focus on Andrew’s 6-hectare organic farm, where he has developed a diverse system combining livestock, vegetable growing, orchards and agriforestry.

Andrew manages two farms in Co. Roscommon, but the upcoming farm walk will take place specifically on the 6-hectare farm near his home. The walk will not take place at Knockvicar Alpaca Farm, where Andrew keeps a herd of more than 50 alpacas and runs alpaca experiences.

The smaller farm is certified organic and is managed with a strong emphasis on diversity. Andrew keeps a small herd of Dexter cattle and has also kept pigs, goats, sheep and chickens at different times. Vegetables are grown for the home and the farm includes established apple and plum orchards.

A major focus of Andrew’s work has been creating more habitat for wildlife. He has experimented with different approaches to agriforestry, including planting field corners, nature corridors and blocks of trees.

Between 50 and 100 trees are planted each year, while numerous ponds have also been created on the farm. These changes have helped increase the diversity of wildlife, with Andrew recording more than 30 bird species on the land.

The farm walk will look at how these relatively simple changes can be incorporated into a working farm. Andrew will discuss organic farming, rotational grazing, tree planting, ponds and the role of diversity in building a more resilient farming system.

For Andrew, diversity is not limited to habitats and wildlife. The farm itself has developed through a mixture of enterprises and experiments, with different animals, crops, trees and habitats contributing to the overall system.

The upcoming walk will give farmers and others interested in farming for nature an opportunity to see these approaches first-hand and discuss what can be achieved on a small area of land. The event is designed as an interactive knowledge exchange, with Andrew guiding visitors around the farm and discussing the livestock, crops, habitats and management decisions behind the system.

Tickets cost €12 and the exact farm location will be sent to ticket holders during the week of the event. Tickets can be purchased here: https://www.farmingfornature.ie/events/farm-walks/