Holistic Planned Grazing with Clive Bright

Clive raises 100% pasture-fed organic beef on his 120-acre farm in Ballymote, Co.Sligo, and he sells his beef direct through his business ‘Rare Ruminare’. His livestock are a mix of traditional breeds such as Hereford, Shorthorn, Angus, Irish moil and Galloway, well suited to thrive on the farm’s species-rich grasslands. Clive practises mob grazing as a planned grazing framework wherein the animals are moved daily to new pasture and only graze grass that has fully recovered. This dramatically increases the natural plant species diversity in the fields, as the sward is grazed relatively evenly, the whole sward gets to recover and compete equally. This model also ensures that because the animals are only allowed to eat "recovered" grass that Clive is always farming within the natural potential of the land. If the herd is too big and the rotation is too short the grass will not be recovered, become over-grazed, and the model will fail. 

What You’ll Learn: 

• Learn the benefit of mob grazing on soil health and species diversity 
• Practical experience on how to fence for mob grazing using portable fencing units
• How to map and plan for mob grazing 

Course Elements: 

• Indoor and Outdoor Classroom Learning
• A tour of the organic farm, gardens and greenhouses
• Practical sessions on field design and fence planning 
• Q&A sessions throughout the day as we review each session and put theory into practice

Good to Know:

• As we’ll spend time walking and learning around the farm please bring suitable clothing and footwear - and allow for changeable weather!
• Refreshments and Lunch included; eat alongside our students, cookery school teachers, farm staff, gardeners and visiting experts
• The course is held at Ballymaloe Cookery School’s Organic Farm and Gardens in Shanagarry, Co. Cork P25 R274
• Please arrive from 9.30 for a 10am start

Additional Info

Discounted Places Through NOTS:

Eligible participants living in Ireland can avail of a generous cost reduction on this course through our course partners National Organic Training Skillnet. Go to the NOTS webpage and sign up through NOTS to avail of their reduced price offering and to get the course for just €60. Once you sign up and pay the reduced rate through NOTS, they will notify us, and you will be all set for the course on May 14th! Please note – to qualify for the NOTS rate, you must be a) resident in Ireland; and b) employed in any sector (either full-time or part-time).