Missing animals but not the work

AS 65 approaches, some can’t wait to get away from their jobs, but for others. the break can be difficult to accept.

It is even harder for farmers, working close to nature, in tune with the seasons and the cycle of birth, life and decay, as they till the land, watch crops grow and care for their animals.

Yet, voluntary retirement for many farmers from their inherited or acquired attachment to the land comes earlier than for most others, thanks to the Scheme of Early Retirement from Farming (ERS), jointly funded by the EU and the national exchequer, and administered by the Department of Agriculture and Food.