A career changer to farming following 10 years in oil and gas exploration in Europe, Middle East and Asia.

City life was becoming more difficult to swallow so, as an antidote to this, I began escaping to woodland projects in the UK to volunteer and develop skills. Reading around the topic of sustainable woodland management practices brought me to Permaculture and something clicked.

In 2015, the downturn in global oil price was the cue I needed, and I decided to make the jump to a more sustainable future. I aim to raise awareness of permaculture principles and the integrated design approach for farms here in the west of Ireland. The current agricultural model is 100% dependant upon subsidies and fossil fuel inputs. I am aiming to prove that an alternative to this exists, which not only works with nature rather than against it, but also restores local economies and revives rural communities.