There are around 1.7 million pigs in Ireland, almost all reared intensively on factory farms, with no access to outdoors. We are so happy our piglets will experience something different and feel the sun on their backs!

I’ve seen this birthing miracle countless times, but it never loses its wonder. It’s moments like these that remind me why I chose organic farming, why I commit to sustainable practices, and why I believe in a system that honours the rhythms of nature.

On an organic farm, we do things differently. We don’t rush the process. We don’t separate mothers from their young. We allow Rosie to birth naturally, in her own time, without interventions or artificial hormones. She nests in straw sourced from our own fields, free from chemicals and pesticides. Her pen is spacious, giving her room to stretch, to bond, and to teach her piglets the ways of the world.

This isn’t just about being “organic” or “sustainable” for the sake of a label. It’s about respect—respect for Rosie as a mother, respect for the land that provides for us, and respect for the balance that makes this all possible. When we honour these connections, we create an ecosystem that thrives.

By avoiding harmful chemicals and synthetic fertilizers, our soil remains rich and vibrant, teeming with the microbes that give life to the crops that feed our animals. It’s a circle of life that sustains itself—a delicate dance between sun, soil, plant, and animal. This morning, watching Rosie nudge her piglets to move closer to her for warmth, I was reminded of just how interwoven this dance truly is.