TEAGASC is running a series of 35 field evenings between June 22 and July 1, aimed especially at landowners who have recently planted or are considering forestry.

THE €285 per acre "double" premium negotiated for many farmers by Agriculture Minister Joe Walsh is "so good, it's unbelievable", said one forestry promoter this week.

A proper forest-thinning programme could increase the value of the final timber crop by as much as 40%, a leading Teagasc forestry expert has claimed.

LOW prices for beef and grain, bad summer weather and farming uncertainties are driving farmers into the trees.