Ériu Farm School: Growing food and Growing futures

Ériu Farm Story:

In March 2026 a group of us attended an auction in Kilkenny, and when we left we had bought the farm at Ballyhick. This was the birthing of Ériu Farm, an idea which had been brewing for many years. Part of this idea is the farm school, which is now in it’s fourth year, and the purchase of the land means it has somewhere to grow and ensure the children of the community can thrive.

Jerpoint farm, which is on the other side of Thomastown, has been an incubator for some of the Ériu Farm enterprises to get started, mainly the dairy, but also the social farming project, working with culinary herbs, farm camps for children and pastured poultry for eggs.  This has been a great opportunity to get up and running and these enterprises are now transitioning to Ériu Farm. We recently received full planning permission for the farm and have started work there, and as part of this are keen to construct a farm school building so the much needed work around education can continue and grow to meet the demand for this vital work.

The long-term plan for Ériu is to have a diverse range of enterprises which in turn creates a diverse range of products and services which we can direct market to a local consumer base.  When the dairy moves to Ériu it will downsize to a micro dairy with the idea of exploring a cow\calf contact system. Although more challenging to manage this is the most ethical system for dairy and creates a second income from beef sales. Raw and pasteurised milk along with yogurt and cheese will be available also. The facilities to emerse children within these systems has the potential to change the way the dairy industry is run not just on a national level but on a global level, this is the value of having the required space on site to educate and change how our children can impact animal welfare and human health into the future.

Ériu farm will be a place for people of all ages to come together, to connect with each other and their food system, to learn what it really means to farm in a way that not only produces nutrient dense food but also cares for the soil and the wider environment in a way that respects the land and builds resilience.

With this Ériu will have a focus on education and we plan to start at the beginning, a farm school for kids.  Our experience from the camps so far has shown us that interactions with farm animals and getting their hands in the soil inspires the children and creates lasting memories and connections for them. Following on from this apprentices and volunteers can get involved and in this way we can prepare young people to start their own projects or become members of Ériu.

Ériu farm education

We believe hands-on, real-world experiences are a great way to learn. That’s why we welcome children to our farm, where we engage them in activities like milking, putting down fresh straw, feeding calves, planting, harvesting vegetables and herbs and cooking with them on the open fire. Learning how to make a fire, how to use a knife, building simple structures, learning the names and uses of different plants, making butter, cheese and yoghurt etc.

In today’s world, many children do not have access to these kinds of experiences. They have a limited understanding of where their food comes from and how much work it is to produce it. And limited possibilities to move and experience with their senses and physical possibilities.

Our observation is that kids love it. Our hope is that it may leave a lasting impression and have a positive effect on their relationship to food, to the nature that supports food production and to the people who produce food.  

There are 3 different ways children can currently come to Ériu farm:

Ériu Farm school days:

From September onwards Wednesdays are Farm school days! The children come to the farm throughout the year every Wednesday to get the experience of all the seasons, they can observe plants and animals grow and develop, experience how to grow their own food from seed to plate. Learning life skills without even noticing.

As part of the first year Farm school we will be building a small round house, that will be our indoor class room to get warm and cozy after a morning out in the field, reflect on the experiences through arts and crafts, make music and have story time.

Shelter building is a most basic human need and children love building and using their hands to create. There is so much to learn while building, measuring, calculating, drawing, using tools safely, problem solving, working together in a team just to mention a few. And all this happens without pressure, to build self confidence.

Eriu farm holiday camps

We offer holiday camps (Easter and Summer) for 3 days children get a full immersive experience of farm and nature. Starting with a morning circle to create a sense for the group, followed by going around the farm to care for all the animals, collecting eggs, feeding calves and doing farm cores. After a homemade healthy snack we make a fire, harvest fresh food and cook a nutritious meal together on the fire. In the afternoon we make cheese, nature inspired arts and crafts, play non-competitive games, explore the woods and finish the day with a story or puppetshow.

Ériu Farm School visits

We welcome school classes to the farm also. This can either be a a once off or regular visit, coming back regularly to experience the different seasons and the development of the animals and plants. It is an exciting nourishing day for everyone.

All the farm education opportunities are run by Cornelia, who loves to share her love for nature and growing food with her own four children, as well as with many others, because she sees the enormous benefits towards their healthy development.

Money raised in this campaign will go directly to supporting the construction of infrastructure needed to enable us to continue and expand our farm school educational projects to give our future generations the knowledge and skills to understand and want to work on the land in harmony with nature to sustain themselves and others.

The plan is as part of the farm school experience to build a small roundhouse, together with a group of children. The roundhouse will be the indoor space for the farm school. This is where we will do indoor activities like drawing and writing about our experiences on the farm, as well as arts and crafts on cold days, have story time, music and singing etc.

Shelter building has always been a human need and to build a lasting small building which will be used for our every day life in the farm school will be a nurturing and ever lasting experience for the children.

Our education will have the effect of increasing biodiversity and overall ecosystem health of land, water, and animal welfare which integrates the entire community starting with the children.