OUR STORY · Sherkin Island - IRELAND
How some small fields became our fairy farm
The Fairy Farmers began with a little bit of family land, an idea of having woolly animals on a windswept and salty island off Cork's coast. In having animals on the land we hoped that it would bring fulfilment to us but also to our families.
Sherkin is an island and a place, here the Westerly Winds are freshest and the earth alive. on this island, the land and sea come together to meet the sky. Surrounded by the blue seas of the Atlantic-the waves constantly whisper its secrets to any willing to listen. Here on Sherkin, Mother Nature is always very near, and for us having animals has very much strengthened this relationship to nature. With this in mind, having a flock of sheep or a herd of alpacas and cows would mean reengaging with the land and the sea, the sky and the wind.
We initially started with 3 alpacas, 3 cows and 2 sheep. Since then we have carefully grown and nurtured the herd and flocks. To our relief we saw that sheep and alpacas were well suited to the West Cork climate and more than able to weather the winds and rains that come at certain times of the year. It hasn't been an easy journey, with many hard lessons learnt along the way and I'm sure more lessons ahead. However, animal health and welfare comes first and foremost, with healthy animals being happy animals as our mantra.
The shaping and structuring of the farm is an ongoing project. With fields traditionally meant for cattle now home to sheep or alpaca's. This means mending wires, replacing old wooden posts or cutting back any brambles that are all to eager to hold onto an animals wool. For us, it requires much patience, perseverance and a willingness to follow our vision for the animals and the farm.
The animals have taught us the rhythm of the seasons. From watching the condition of their graze, to ensuring have they appropriate shelter from Atlantic Winds, or noticing the quietly lit sky while holding a lamb during a late night bottle feed. Minding animals means following a number of simple principles, for instance observing and watching both animals and their surrounds. Caring and developing native ecosystems around our animals to ensure varied food sources. Harvesting and storing resources for future use and yields, and welcoming the development of a wildlife ecosystem alongside our woolly animals.
A farm is never finished. It grows with the people, creatures and small daily rituals that make it home.
Today, The Fairy Farmers is still a work in progress — and that is exactly how we like it. Achieving a milestone brings joy and at times relief. It is a place for animals, craft, untrammelled nature and evening stories. All rooted in our joy of caring for animals and being close to land and sea.
Every animal here has a name, a personality and a story. This website is a place to share those stories, document the farm as it develops and enable us to link in with anyone out there beyond the island's shores.
The Fairy Farmers is very much a work in progress - and that’s part of the story.
