Ground still damp in parts as silage season starts
Stand in the Gap
Kathleen Duffy
The candles are on the chestnut trees and the apple blooms are blowing in the breeze. It is just great to wake up in the morning to the Dawn Chorus in full voice.
May is the month when the wild bluebells have appeared from under the shelter of the hedgerow and I get to smell the scent of the whitethorn flowers. They blossomed late this year and only appeared with a beautiful display this week, when the rain finally ceased. The cherry blossom has already spread a carpet of pink petals all over the place, but this fades away too soon. The swallows and house martins have announced their arrival by swishing in and out of the calf house and under the eaves of the house.
The ground is finally drying but there are wet patches and sodden bottoms in lots of fields. As I write this article the light of the kitchen window is darkened by the silage trailers as they roll by. The red clover in Cross is baled and over to the sheds and the first cut is starting to be picked up this evening. The N3 is just so busy that it is easier for Smiths Brothers to do their work late in the evening and at night as the traffic calms.
The new CAP Schemes of BISS, CRISS Eco and ANC schemes are being sorted again for another year but we had to get help with filling it in. There is still a glitch in the online system and I cannot see our own data. We would not be able to farm without this subsidy for the production of food. We, farmers, need to put the real cost and a decent wage on all food products as against the sale of our cattle, sheep milk etc to either the processor or mart. When you go into some supermarkets, it is a worry to see only our food, milk and butter prices dropping so low, as it is impossible to produce food at this price.
Heat
The robot automatically records heats so no need for the tail painting and the standing and observing of other years. The first serves are being done and we may have to synchronise heifers this year as they are across the road, and you would take your life in your hands to be walking across the N3 a couple of times a day - especially with the repairs at the moment. We received our letter telling us that the Bypass will be taking some of our land, but they have created a corridor of over 300M so it could go anywhere along it. Sometimes I do say we may never live to see it, but something has to be done with the traffic in Virginia.
Rural development
Our best wishes go to all involved in rural development and the new LEADER programme. The three areas where support is provided are economic development and job creation; rural infrastructure and social inclusion; and sustainable development of the rural environment and climate change mitigation and adaptation. All topics are relevant to farming and we hope for the rollout of meaningful projects and rural social enterprises to keep all our rural communities going. Let’s hope that the LEADER funds will be used wisely.
Social entrepreneurship is defined as attempts to further broaden social, cultural, and environmental goals often associated with the voluntary sector and draw upon business techniques to find solutions to social problems. This year, Virginia will celebrate its 80th Agricultural Show and we are pulling out all stops to have a very special show. We hope people will come and enjoy a few days here and hope they bring home great experiences of their visit to County Cavan. Perhaps they too will return for holidays - this is part of the social enterprise we contribute to.
Remembering Sylvester
We in the agri world, up this end of the county lost a special person, Sylvester Cullen, who worked in Gilsenan’s Agri for 38 years. The many hundreds of customers and suppliers who visit Billywood knew Sylvester in his special office where he sorted all accounts. He came from Dublin but his mother and father were from Killinkere, where he built his own home with his wife and son.
Paddy O'Reilly from Mullagh penned the following poem in memory of Sylvester:
Gilsenans in Billywood will never be the same
For in Sylvester’s office you would swear you were in Spain
He kept a fire a glowing, he loved the bit of heat
As he sat behind the desk in his swivel seat
If you happened to be there on time, you got the mug of tea
A good ould chat, a few ould laughs and then you are on your way
We have lost a gentle giant, a very gentle soul,
With a brilliant sense of humour, the stories that he told
Heavens gained an angel, and we have lost a friend,
Goodbye and God be with you, Syl, until we meet again.