Over 70 participants and 40 farms are now active in Kerry Social Farming (KSF) with five new host farmers joining last year. Éamon Horgan, a host farmer from Kilgarvan, speaking at the organisation’s AGM, said that there are many people in Kerry waiting for a chance to go social farming and he urged other farmers […]
Over 70 participants and 40 farms are now active in Kerry Social Farming (KSF) with five new host farmers joining last year.
Éamon Horgan, a host farmer from Kilgarvan, speaking at the organisation’s AGM, said that there are many people in Kerry waiting for a chance to go social farming and he urged other farmers to come forward and volunteer.
Since 2013, Kerry Social Farming has operated a voluntary model of social farming. It provides meaningful weekly working farm visits for people with disabilities and those accessing mental health services and the impact on participants has long been recognised as beneficial.
Over 90 people attended the AGM, held in Killarney, showing the interest in the county in social farming. The attendees included host farmers, participants and their families, service provider agencies, project partners and representatives of social farming projects.
At the AGM, social farming participants Pat O’Connor, Tracy McCarthy, Antoinette O’Sullivan, Seamus McCarthy and Tim Heffernan shared their social farming stories.
Other speakers included Marie Carr (outreach manager, Kerry Parents and Friends Association), Brenda McNamara (a manager of day services with St John of God) and Patrice O’Neill (HSE day service opportunities co-ordinator).
Peter Johnston, assistant principal officer with the Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine also attended, as did Noel Spillane, CEO of South Kerry Development Partnership. Their respective organisations are supportive of KSF’s voluntary and collaborative work.
Last year, almost 2,500 days of social farming were held in Kerry.
For more information visit: www.kerrysocialfarming.ie
