A Cavan beef farmer who has contributed to a new book about nature and organic farming says he can finish his animals at the same time and weight as a non-organic farmer. And, Gerry Fitzsimons says he hasn't bought any feed tor his herd in over 30 years since he feeds them fresh grass all year round. The Mullahoran small farmer told the Wider View programme he farms with attention to nature rather than consciously deciding one day to become an organic farmer.
Gerry was asked to be one of 50 farmers to contribute to "The Farming for Nature Handbook" which launched this week. The book combines scientific research with local knowledge and focuses on highlighting the positive ways farmers can sustain the Irish environment rather than on the damage that has been done to it. Gerry told Northern Sound he is just doing what every farming family in Ireland used to do up until the 1970s:
