Clive Bright is a “suckler to beef” farmer on his 120 acre farm in south Co. Sligo, Ireland.
After taking over his family farm in 2003, Clive found that conventional farming was not for him.
Since then, he became certified organic with the
Organic Trust and has been implementing Holistic Management concepts for over 10 years. He is a
Farming for Nature Ambassador and also sells his own meat produce through his direct sales business,
Rare Ruminare.
Clive said, "We try to manage the farm as an entire ecosystem, a habitat in which the livestock are just one element. The soil and soil life are of equal concern as we know healthy biological soil grows mineral-rich, diverse grass pastures. This in turn grows healthy animals that produce nutrient rich, healthy meat."
While researching a route to move away from conventional farming, Clive stumbled across Allan Savory and used YouTube and readings to learn more about Holistic Management. With a background in design, the Holistic Management Framework appealed to him. It allowed him to look at a problem within the farm and find a solution using Holistic Management principles. “Good design is all about finding the root cause and designing a solution,” Clive explained.
Taking advantage of Covid lockdown, he finally found the time to do formal training in Holistic Management with 3LM. After doing the Holistic Planned Grazing course he has been diligently using a grazing chart and the other monitoring tools. This has helped him solve the unsolved problems discovered in previous years. The grazing plan has also allowed him to switch his focus from looking at the grass on a certain day to looking at the whole farm. He said, "I find it easier to plan by looking at the big picture, which prevents overgrazing."
Below is an image of Clive's grazing chart which he uses daily on the farm.
Due to his previous study and having a holistic mindset before entering the course, Clive believes that completing the courses gave him that final push to take his understanding and implementation of Holistic Management to the next level.
Farming for Nature
Farming for Nature recognize farmers who are farming to make a difference to nature. Each year farmers get nominated and selected through farm visits and interviews. The chosen farmers become ambassadors for change, and educate farmers on different forms of farming practices that are good for nature. This form of knowledge transfer allows for growing community support.
Below are more photos of Clive’s grass fed animals enjoying their grazing.
Rare Ruminare
Clive sells his meat via his direct sales business,
Rare Ruminare. He produces 100% pasture-fed organic meat from animals that graze on natural species-rich pastures. After deciding he did not want to raise high-input commodity livestock, with little profit, Clive explored different options on how to sell his produce.
He brings his animals to his local abattoir where they process the beautifully marbled meat with a depth of flavour. He sells three products - a 20 kg beef box, a whole lamb box or 10 kg rose veal box.
The produce is packed and couriered nationwide in sustainable Woolcool boxes which are lined with sheep’s wool making them 95% biodegradable. With demand outgrowing what Clive can supply, he believes that there is a market for similar businesses throughout the country. "Ideally, a farmer would supply their own local areas to create short food chains and a resilient supply of meats for local communities," said Clive.
