Suzanne Campbell

But are you relieved you don't have that in your worries at night, the cost of fertiliser anymore?

Yeah, well, Dad talked about minimising stress in man and beast, so fertiliser is volatile, fuel is volatile, so anything we can do to reduce that.

We produce our own feed, and so, yes, contractor costs can change and seed costs, but in general it's fairly predictable, it doesn't swing too much.

And then fertiliser, I can kind of just forget about it.

Should our measures of success change?

So the rest of you do it as well?

Is he having a little go at you there?

Yeah, it's a passive aggression there.

That's our communication style around here.

I think it's very Irish family communication style, isn't it?

You can say a lot without saying anything.

Oh, yeah.

Oh, yeah.

But like at the end of the day, the farmer who is farming here before you is happier with the changes that you've brought.

Less inputs and less a victim of volatility has made life a little better for everybody around here.

Suzanne Campbell on the Meredith Fertiliser Free Family Farm, somewhere between Stradbally and a thigh.

Let's just temporarily take a little detour off this road to fossil fuel free farming and stick with what Keith Meredith was talking there about mental health.

Last month, a farming support initiative received a national recognition for its impact on rural well-being.

On Ferrum Ground 2 won at the ANTA Star Awards 2026, highlighting emerging adult learning programmes making a real difference.

The initiative works with ag professionals, advisors, vets, veterinary nurses, inspectors and so on.