#Farming columnist - Paula Hynes

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#Farming columnist - Paula Hynes

A COMPREHENSIVE SERIES OF ARTICLES ON THIS TOPIC

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<span data-contrast="auto" lang="EN-US" xml:lang="EN-US">Ireland may have somewhat of a low-cost dairy system; but now we also have the second-lowest milk price in Europe at the moment. File photo</span>
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farming

Paula Hynes: It’s time to decide — volume game or value game for Irish dairy?

Dairy production globally is a volume game anyway. But if we adapt our cow type on farm, then so too do our dairy processors need to adapt, writes Cork dairy farmer Paula Hynes

<p>Pete and Paula Hynes enjoying 15 years of farming together. Picture: Clare Keogh</p>

farming

Paula Hynes: The menopause can be like the worst storm

Paula Hynes: The day our daughter took a calf to school

farming

Paula Hynes: The day our daughter took a calf to school

Paula Hynes: Will we see any recovery in milk prices?

farming

Paula Hynes: Will we see any recovery in milk prices?

Paula Hynes: Rivers running free as Storm Amy hits

farming

Paula Hynes: Rivers running free as Storm Amy hits

Paula Hynes: The people in our overworked health system deserve a lot of praise

Paula Hynes: The people in our overworked health system deserve a lot of praise

Paula Hynes thanks the dedicated, highly skilled people who looked after her while she undertook tests in hospital last week and looks forward to Millstreet

Mon, 29 Sep, 2025

Paula Hynes: A new arrival at the Dairy Show

Paula Hynes: A new arrival at the Dairy Show

Last weekend we attended the AXA National Dairy Show in Millstreet and with a big team entered, there was lots of help required so the dream team were back to work with us.

Tue, 23 Sep, 2025

Paula Hynes: Maize season makes me wish our contractor had airplanes

Paula Hynes: Maize season makes me wish our contractor had airplanes

While I'm glad Ryanair was not given the task of planting and harvesting our maize, given the delayed flights we have recently experienced, I know our contractors CCS would have as usual given an efficient service

Mon, 22 Sep, 2025

Thanks to all the volunteers at Inniscarra

Thanks to all the volunteers at Inniscarra

Farming is like a merry-go-round, with baby calves on the farm again. Autumn breeding season is just around the corner, and it is hard to believe we will be breeding the show heifers soon, writes Aherla dairy farmer Paula Hynes

Mon, 15 Sep, 2025

Paula Hynes: Black pudding in Cork and Belgium

Paula Hynes: Black pudding in Cork and Belgium

Kasey’s dam calved with a lovely heifer calf by Vierra Sting. It’s our second Sting heifer calf this autumn, and we also had a Chocochip heifer calve with a Blondin Classic heifer calf

Wed, 10 Sep, 2025

Paula Hynes: Lights, camera, action - 'My Story, Georgie' hits the screens

Paula Hynes: Lights, camera, action - 'My Story, Georgie' hits the screens

When you're filming real life, and especially with animals involved, you can’t really do a take two, writes Paula Hynes

Wed, 03 Sep, 2025

Paula Hynes: Proud to be at the cow version of the Rose of Tralee

Paula Hynes: Proud to be at the cow version of the Rose of Tralee

Our brilliant week started off with us becoming grandparents before preparing for the Virginia Show, writes Paula Hynes

Wed, 27 Aug, 2025

Paula Hynes: I'm on an Azores high amid this busy show season

Paula Hynes: I'm on an Azores high amid this busy show season

In the middle of a busy show schedule — including Cavan this week and Inniscarra later this month — Paula enjoyed a visit from farmers working in Portugal's Azores Islands

Wed, 20 Aug, 2025

Paula Hynes: We are simply a showing family

Paula Hynes: We are simply a showing family

We take one show at a time, we discuss show teams as a team, and decide who travels and who needs a rest. The close friends we have made, we compete against each other in the ring, but outside the ring, we are a show family, and we’ve got each other's backs

Wed, 13 Aug, 2025

Paula Hynes: A-maizing maize and genetics insights

Paula Hynes: A-maizing maize and genetics insights

Do you know who cloned the first horse, or who revolutionised the global dairy breeding industry through sexed semen? Paula Hynes explains where you can find the answers

Wed, 06 Aug, 2025

Paula Hynes: The championship of dreams - and it's not the hurling

Paula Hynes: The championship of dreams - and it's not the hurling

A championship we had only dreamed of winning had now become a reality, as Rouge sizzles at National YMA Finals

Wed, 30 Jul, 2025

Paula Hynes: Do you have a beef with the cost of living?

Paula Hynes: Do you have a beef with the cost of living?

The next time you hear a politician or an MEP saying they have got your back, ask them what their stance on EU food security is, writes Aherla dairy farmer Paula Hynes

Fri, 18 Jul, 2025

Paula Hynes: A truly great Yorkshire show

Paula Hynes: A truly great Yorkshire show

A successful show for Georgie and making memories that will last a lifetime

Mon, 14 Jul, 2025

Paula Hynes: A presidential visit to Charleville Show

Paula Hynes: A presidential visit to Charleville Show

A hectic show life makes for a hectic farm life, as there is always work to catch up on, writes Paula Hynes

Thu, 03 Jul, 2025

Paula Hynes: The Royal Highland, a field evening and a farmyard loss

Paula Hynes: The Royal Highland, a field evening and a farmyard loss

It is always great to experience overseas shows, but the days are long so the trips are far from a holiday, writes Paula Hynes

Mon, 30 Jun, 2025

Paula Hynes: Special K with a hint of Chocochip at the Cork Summer Show

Paula Hynes: Special K with a hint of Chocochip at the Cork Summer Show

Last weekend's Cork Summer Show was a great success for Paula Hynes and her 'special K Club' which she hopes to continues in the Royal Highland Agricultural Show in Edinburgh

Tue, 24 Jun, 2025

Paula Hynes: Emilie is not in Paris, but Aherla instead

Paula Hynes: Emilie is not in Paris, but Aherla instead

As French student Emilie settles into our farming life, Paula welcomes more arrivals to prep the show team for West Cork's main show for dairy stock, the Clonakilty Show

Thu, 12 Jun, 2025

Paula Hynes: I greet my guests with a 'Welcome to Fawlty Towers' sign

Paula Hynes: I greet my guests with a 'Welcome to Fawlty Towers' sign

Last week may have been a bank holiday weekend, but with so many shows on the horizon, Paula's been busy catching up and keeping ahead with farm chores ahead of her visitors arriving

Fri, 06 Jun, 2025

Paula Hynes: Water is the source of life, and essential for farms

Paula Hynes: Water is the source of life, and essential for farms

A cow will drink anything from 30 to 120 litres of water a day, so as you can imagine availability is key for successful farming, writes Farming columnist and Aherla dairy farmer Paula Hynes.

Fri, 30 May, 2025

Paula Hynes: Wrapping It Pink for breast cancer

Paula Hynes: Wrapping It Pink for breast cancer

If you are driving around the countryside and see pink bales in a field, stop and take a photo and use #WrapItPink to share the message on social media, urges Cork dairy farmer Paula Hynes.

Fri, 23 May, 2025

Paula Hynes: Hair cuts and grass cuts on the farm

Paula Hynes: Hair cuts and grass cuts on the farm

Once the rain does arrive, there should be a good surge in grass growth as soil temperatures are high, but while we long for some rainy days, hopefully there will be some fine weather ahead still for the summer

Wed, 21 May, 2025

Paula Hynes: From AI to DIY - It’s all go on the farm in Aherla

Paula Hynes: From AI to DIY - It’s all go on the farm in Aherla

The farm always requires some routine maintenance, and the summer months are a chance to tackle some of these jobs, writes Aherla dairy farmer Paula Hynes.

Mon, 12 May, 2025

Paula Hynes: Looking at the world from the outside in

Paula Hynes: Looking at the world from the outside in

Five months without a day off is ridiculous, but that is it takes to keep a farm running and produce food, writes Aherla dairy farmer Paula Hynes.

Fri, 09 May, 2025

Paula Hynes: The ultimate 'sister act' at Emerald Expo

Paula Hynes: The ultimate 'sister act' at Emerald Expo

Life often gives us personal memories at shows, seeing Georgie and Becky as sisters showing sisters Kali and Kasey to win champion and reserve champion colourbreed was special, writes Aherla dairy farmer Paula Hynes.

Mon, 28 Apr, 2025

Paula Hynes: A Kenyan road trip down memory lane

Paula Hynes: A Kenyan road trip down memory lane

Some of you may have seen Paula on the 'Hardest Harvest' on RTÉ, where she visited Kenya and lived with a Maasai community for three weeks, but what most of you won’t know is that she returned to Kenya a year later.

Thu, 17 Apr, 2025

Paula Hynes: The weather has been a-maize-ing

Paula Hynes: The weather has been a-maize-ing

A first for the farm this week was growing maize; we purchased maize from our contractor Niall Canty last autumn

Mon, 14 Apr, 2025

Paula Hynes: Tough decisions and why less is more

Paula Hynes: Tough decisions and why less is more

After what has been another week of glorious sunshine, we had 5mm of rain on Friday night, which was very welcome as the forecast for the week ahead is superb again.

Mon, 07 Apr, 2025

Paula Hynes: A visit to CUH with Becky

Paula Hynes: A visit to CUH with Becky

This week has been so hectic keeping the farm running.

Mon, 31 Mar, 2025

Paula Hynes: Pausing IP on elite Irish genetics would be like driving with the handbrake on

Paula Hynes: Pausing IP on elite Irish genetics would be like driving with the handbrake on

If we are willing to accept the need for IP protection, like most other farmers around the world, then we have a chance to drive forward and make real progress

Wed, 26 Mar, 2025

Trump Speech

Paula Hynes: Ignore tariff threats, food finally has value

No doubt the consumer will be told in time that farmers are making record profits, while the reality is we are getting paid a fairer price for our produce and rewarded for the work we do, writes dairy farmer Paula Hynes.

Fri, 07 Mar, 2025

Baby calves in a barn

Paula Hynes: Your health is you wealth, and it all starts with nutrition

Of course, feeding comes at a cost, but those costs are easily justified in performance on milk yield, writes Aherla dairy farmer Paula Hynes

Fri, 28 Feb, 2025

Paula Hynes: We need to work together to eradicate TB

Paula Hynes: We need to work together to eradicate TB

There are many things farmers can do on their land to avoid their herd becoming infected

Mon, 24 Feb, 2025

Paula Hynes: A true dynasty on our dairy farm

Paula Hynes: A true dynasty on our dairy farm

I often wonder if the consumer knows what it takes to produce food and the sheer hardship that farmers put themselves through

Mon, 17 Feb, 2025

Paula Hynes: A visit from Cambodia via UCC

Paula Hynes: A visit from Cambodia via UCC

The reality is that if you help a farmer, you help a family, writes Aherla dairy farmer Paula Hynes.

Fri, 07 Feb, 2025

Things are heating up on the Hynes farm - literally

Things are heating up on the Hynes farm - literally

Every cow calved is a step closer to finishing the calving season, writes Cork-based dairy farmer Paula Hynes.

Tue, 04 Feb, 2025

Paula Hynes: Evolution, not revolution - there are new policymakers in town

Paula Hynes: Evolution, not revolution - there are new policymakers in town

Farmers right across the EU have not been content with the last few years, but will the new Commissioner be able to change things for the better?

Mon, 27 Jan, 2025

Paula Hynes: Keeping my ear to the ground

Paula Hynes: Keeping my ear to the ground

A camera crew on the farm, and why we need a 'Super Junior Minister for Calendar Farming' - it's all go for our Paula this week.

Mon, 20 Jan, 2025

Paula Hynes: Paying tribute to one of the most influential people in the dairy industry

Paula Hynes: Paying tribute to one of the most influential people in the dairy industry

Paul Larmer, former chief executive of Semex, has inspired and mentored many in the industry over his long and illustrious career

Tue, 14 Jan, 2025

Paula Hynes: The next generation is key - both for the farm and the herd

Paula Hynes: The next generation is key - both for the farm and the herd

Just as cow families are the key to any successful dairy herd, the next generation of farmers are the key to the future of any farm, writes Aherla dairy farmer Paula Hynes.

Fri, 03 Jan, 2025

Paula Hynes: A calf shed upgrade and a threat of bushfires

Paula Hynes: A calf shed upgrade and a threat of bushfires

We were minus a team member for Christmas this year as Becky headed off to Australia the week before with a busy schedule ahead and a big show team to clip before Santa arrived.

Mon, 30 Dec, 2024

Paula Hynes: A truly Royal Ulster Winter Fair

Paula Hynes: A truly Royal Ulster Winter Fair

Some weeks in life are truly memorable; we attended a good friend's wedding in Dublin last weekend. There is nothing nicer than a festive wedding, in what was a quaint little church.

Mon, 16 Dec, 2024

Paula Hynes: It takes work to reduce the workload!

Paula Hynes: It takes work to reduce the workload!

It has been a hectic week on the farm with so many different things happening, and I often think it takes work to reduce the workload.

Fri, 06 Dec, 2024

Vote

Paula Hynes: Could the Dail genotype politicians?

Aherla dairy farmer Paula Hynes says we should pick our politicians, the way she picks bulls for her cows, with rankings for health, housing, finance, agriculture, economy, and climate.

Fri, 15 Nov, 2024

Republican Presidential Nominee Donald Trump Holds Election Night Event In West Palm Beach

Paula Hynes: Trump's victory is a reminder to politicians - forget rural voters at your peril

In what was being called a neck-and-neck battle for the White House, Mr Trump had a landslide victory and will step back into office again.

Mon, 11 Nov, 2024