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By SHEILA KELLEHER
What is Social Farming? Social farming offers people with disabilities the opportunity to spend time on a family farm, taking part in day-to-day farm activities. It is both a traditional and innovative approach to social integration, using agriculture and horticulture in local, rural regions to promote and generate social inclusion. Social Farming activities focus on people’s potential and encourages participants to socialise and gain confidence. It increases people’s self-esteem and capacity, improves community connections and relationships, as well as their health and well-being. The farm is not a specialised treatment farm; it remains a typical working farm where people in need of support can benefit from relationship building through farm activities in a non-clinical environment. IRD Duhallow was delighted to receive funding from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine this year to develop a social farming programme for the Duhallow region. Duhallow Social Farming
Peggy Lynch receiving a new medical cabinet as part of the social farming upgrades 12
Nora, Louise & Martin with Peggy & Aoife Lynch operates as a voluntary model to enable real working relationships and friendships to develop. The Duhallow Social Farming programme adapts to each host farm environment and the needs of each individual participant. Host farms are supported with any maintenance and on-farm safety improvements, as well as access to relevant training opportunities. Our farmers have taken part in a first aid and ‘safeguarding vulnerable adults’ course, as well as an introduction to social farming online course. What is involved? Participants go to the host farm once a week for 2-4 hours on average. A range of activities
take place on our host farms, from feeding and checking in on animals, to planting and growing vegetables and flowers. Of course, the most important job on all our host farms is the cup of tea before home time! Social farming can take place in farms ranging from 1 acre up to several hundred acres in size and across all sectors, including mixed farms, dairy, suckler, sheep, equine, horticulture, etc. Each participant will be matched to the host farm depending on their own abilities and interests. IRD Duhallow will facilitate an induction day where the participant and farmer meet; the participant gets to see the farm and they both
Nora feeding the goats with Aoife Lynch DiscoverDuhallow@irdduhallow.com
Issue 64 May 20th, 2022
