STAP

Connemara Farmer

I'm flaked out, had the on farm meeting on my farm today. It went very well, about 15 farmers attended. Got some nice compliments re the sheep tunnel and the sheep themselves. The great weather didn't hurt one bit

How are other groups doing?

eire23

No group meetings held yet for our group and no word of it either, must actually find out what the story is.

Did yer meeting go on for long con? Ours generally last about 45 mins with very few questions asked and everyone makes for the gate as quick as possible!

Connemara Farmer

eire23 wrote: »

No group meetings held yet for our group and no word of it either, must actually find out what the story is.

Did yer meeting go on for long con? Ours generally last about 45 mins with very few questions asked and everyone makes for the gate as quick as possible!

Our meetings usually go on for two hours, actually we had to put a two hour target limit on them so much discussion usually takes place, then back to whomevers for tae & sangichies. Yesterdays meeting was just over two hours, and that was with lads dying to get back to their own place as they're lambing.

I think if our meetings were 45 mins with no input I'd have a very different view of STAP than I do now.

Facilitator was out on Monday and asked what was up for discussion, I told him everything, failed reseed, twin lamb probs in tunnel, back end management last year, management this spring etc. There was no shortage of topics of debate.

Green farmer

I think the stap is loosing steam fast. The easier options have been done in year 1&2 so a lot of guys are getting lazy about doing year 3. I personally like it and would like to see programme through.

rangler1

Connemara Farmer wrote: »

Our meetings usually go on for two hours, actually we had to put a two hour target limit on them so much discussion usually takes place, then back to whomevers for tae & sangichies. Yesterdays meeting was just over two hours, and that was with lads dying to get back to their own place as they're lambing.

I think if our meetings were 45 mins with no input I'd have a very different view of STAP than I do now.

Facilitator was out on Monday and asked what was up for discussion, I told him everything, failed reseed, twin lamb probs in tunnel, back end management last year, management this spring etc. There was no shortage of topics of debate.

Yea, two hrs here too, sometimes runs over that, most of our group are all sheep.......very often the sheep enterprise is the poor relation on a mixed farm and if you have those farmers attending.......success of the group really depends on the farmers, not teagasc

Username John

eire23 wrote: »

No group meetings held yet for our group and no word of it either, must actually find out what the story is.

Did yer meeting go on for long con? Ours generally last about 45 mins with very few questions asked and everyone makes for the gate as quick as possible!

Our group was the same, with some lads turning up til the sign in sheet went around, and then disappearing immediately afterwards...

So I bailed out of it last year, bit disappointed as I am a big fan of the idea. But I felt I wasnt learning, so couldn't justify the time, so that was that...

eire23

rangler1 wrote: »

Yea, two hrs here too, sometimes runs over that, most of our group are all sheep.......very often the sheep enterprise is the poor relation on a mixed farm and if you have those farmers attending.......success of the group really depends on the farmers, not teagasc

Nail on the head rangler, im the only one with all sheep in our group. Majority would have cattle and a lock of sheep and would be in BTAP as well. If people aren't willing to talk and ask questions the teagasc lad cant pull talk out of them.

Connemara Farmer

Our group would be predominantly sheep farmers, a fair few would also have a few sucklers, but they are sheep enterprises in the main. A mix of hill and lowland with the bias in favour of the hill farmers.

Our farmers would be very talkative, I don't think we have any shrinking violets.

Green farmer

rangler1 wrote: »

......success of the group really depends on the farmers, not teagasc

Pretty much sums it up