Ballyowen, Co. Wexford – Just outside Gorey, dairy farmers Alan and Cheryl Poole are showing that productive farming and caring for nature and water can go hand in hand. The couple will take part in an upcoming online Q&A as part of their role as newly appointed Farming for Nature Ambassadors.
Farming 42 hectares (103 acres) in Ballyowen, the Pooles run a conventional dairy enterprise in derogation with 72 cows. While the system is efficient and high-performing, over 20 per cent of the farm is managed specifically for nature and biodiversity.
Alan says their approach is driven by responsibility to both their children and the land. “We see ourselves as curators of this bit of land,” he explained. “We get up in the morning and are worried about the climate and the environment. We think we have an opportunity here to make a difference.”
“We get up in the morning and are worried about the climate and the environment. We think we have an opportunity here to make a difference.”
As the farm is the family’s sole income, performance remains central. The Poole herd is made up of high-EBI cows, delivering strong milk solids while maintaining a low somatic cell count. Slurry is applied only when conditions are right, using a dribble bar system, with close attention paid to weather forecasts. As a result, the farm has achieved nitrogen efficiency levels of around 38 per cent, while maintaining a strong focus on the natural life on the farm. “Every decision we make considers the impact to the natural environment,” Cheryl adds.
Chemical nitrogen use has been reduced through the introduction of clover and multi-species swards, with further plans in place to improve water quality. A recently constructed pond and swale capture sediment run-off from the road, helping to protect the River Bann, which runs alongside the farm.
Cheryl said these measures are driven by personal values rather than regulation. “We’re doing this because it’s the right thing to do,” she said. “We have the beautiful river Bann running through our farm. We have seen kingfishers, otters, salmon redds, amongst so much wildlife on the river. Our children spend their summers in the river. Working for water quality is not something that we need to think about, it just has to be done.”
Despite being in derogation, the stretch of river running alongside the farm is classified as Blue Dot, meaning the water is in pristine condition and safe for their children to play in.
Wildlife plays a central role on the farm. Over a kilometre of wildlife margins, hedgerows managed on a three-year rotation, and the division of large fields into smaller blocks have helped create habitats for birds and insects. The family has also installed barn owl and swift boxes, planted a traditional orchard, and built a sand martin wall.
In nominating the Pooles, Hannah Denniston, Assistant Agriculture Inspector at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, said they “have become increasingly invested in leaving space for nature while maintaining a viable working family farm. They are passionate about demonstrating how the two can work together.”
The family also works with their local secondary school to support the pilot Climate Change subject for the Leaving Certificate and regularly welcomes visitors interested in learning more about nature-friendly farming.
Alan and Cheryl are showing that nature-friendly practices can be rewarding and replicable, demonstrating how small, visible actions can have a measurable impact while maintaining a profitable dairy system.
They will be discussing their farm and farming methods at an upcoming online Q&A:
Ask the Farmer – January 20th at 8pm
“How to work an intensive dairy farm and create a haven for biodiversity”
👉 Register here
A short video about the Pooles’ farm can also be viewed here.
The Farming for Nature Ambassador Awards are supported by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and the National Parks and Wildlife Service.
