BETTER Farm Crops - Cork

The Crowley farm is run on a full time basis by John and Denis (brothers) with the help of their father Denis senior.

Traditionally the farm was heavily involved in sugar beet production and the loss of this crop brought about substantial change in the farming system. As well as the inevitable financial loss, farm rotation also suffered and winter cereals are now the main focus. John and Denis are the two main labour units on the farm with some additional help at harvest and planting. Therefore efficiency of operation is key to completing the necessary farm operations in a timely manner.

The farm size is 384 hectares – (336 ha owned and 48 ha rented/leased). Soil type varies with location across the different farms from medium to heavy. Current land use is cereals only.

The Crowley’s holding extends across North Cork within a radius of 50 miles from their base in Mallow. All grain is stored and dried before sale to maximise returns. One of the main challenges on the farm over the coming years is to maintain yields with their current rotation.