Tipperary poultry farmer emerges victorious in prestigious competition
Kylie Magner on the family farm in Moyglass, Co Tipperary. File Picture.
Kylie Magner from Magners Farm in Moyglass, Co Tipperary has won the second Newbie project new entrant competition.
The Newbie Network is an EU Horizon 2020 funded project with 10 European partners and offers a unique platform by bringing together new entrants, successors, advisors, researchers, important regional and national actors and relevant stakeholders in national networks.
The aim is to enable new entrants to successfully establish a sustainable farm business in Europe.
Meanwhile, Kylie and her husband Billy purchased their 20-acre farm in Moyglass around 2004.
She developed a free range poultry enterprise on the farm selling eggs at local markets initially but during Covid-19 restrictions last April, farm gate collection and online sales ensured a market for the eggs produced on the farm.
As a licenced egg packer Kylie can sell her eggs direct to consumers as well as packing eggs for other farmers - a potential revenue stream that can be utilised in the future.
She has also developed a portable hen coup called the ‘Mobile Hen’ that facilitates rotational grazing of the free range hens around the farm.
This is being developed as another element of the business.
"I’m absolutely delighted to accept the award from Newbie and Teagasc,” she added.
“The past few years have been busy setting up our pasture range egg business and we are really looking forward to developing further income streams on our farm with Mobile Hen.
“It’s great to be involved in farming at the moment, there are some really positive initiatives around regenerative agriculture which we’re very proud to be associated with.”
Cattle and sheep have been added to the farm to graze ahead of the hens and add new products to the farms offering of produce.
Kylie has also added a chicken broth product that is produced from spent hens eliminating waste from the system.
