Thatcher Frank Gilligan was busy in recent weeks thatching Simon and Jennifer Bullock’s 300 year old thatched cottage, the family home on their farm at Aghalane in Co. Fermanagh. 

It is just one of the traditional practices that young adults - who have recently been joining them for social farming - have been able to experience. Although not engaged in the actual thatching, brothers Matthew and Ben Geddes were able to help Frank, and Simon and Jennifer tidy up some of the straw - just one of a range of day-to-day tasks that they have been undertaking during their time at Annagh Social Farm.

The Bullocks are major advocates of social farming, which they have wholeheartedly embraced in recent years. They explain that “social farming is the practice of offering family farms as a form of social service. 

The farm is not a specialised treatment farm; rather the farm remains a typical working farm where people in need of support benefit from participation in the family’s daily life and farm activities in a non-clinical environment.” Their vision is “to have an integrated society where everyone is respected, valued and supported.”

A focal point on Annagh Social Farm is the Bullocks’ traditional whitewashed thatched cottage, dating from 1720; it is where Simon Bullock, a son of Joan Bullock and the late Storey Bullock was raised and continues to live.

The house has been in the Bullock family for about six generations; a renovation was done in 2000 and it remains “pretty much unchanged,” according to Simon.

Prior to walking around the farm, and taking in other landmarks such as the old bridge, Simon introduced me to thatcher Frank Gilligan, who recollected that he started thatching in 1989 at his home in Belcoo, built about 1880. 

Frank, who is possibly the only thatcher in Fermanagh, and one of about four or five thatchers in Northern Ireland, explained that he uses wheat straw from Devon and scallops (hazel keepers) from Ballintra, Donegal; the thatching rods are hazel and sally. His great uncle Peter Timoney was a thatcher and through watching him, he taught himself to thatch. 

“He thatched with rushes,” said Frank. He recalls that his father Johnny used to help him with the thatching years ago; he would have cut the hazel rods and cleared away the thatch when Frank was thatching a house.

“It takes about two months to do a house, depending on the weather,” said Frank.

No stranger to the Bullock farm at Aghalane, he has done thatching work on the cottage roof on a number of occasions over the years, including his most recent visit, which also coincided with the placements of two local young men participating in social farming there.

For the past number of years, Jennifer, who works as an occupational therapist in the Republic of Ireland, and Simon have been offering social farming on their farm - one of two social farms in Fermanagh. 

Simon explained that they have two boys, David, 14, and Mark,12, with autism. Wondering about ‘their future prospects’ and ‘what opportunities there were going to be for them after school’ proved to be a motivator for their social farm. Simon went on to say that to fulfil individual needs, he and Jennifer decided to open up the farm more to people with disabilities.

The couple attended a social farming conference at Harper Adams University and have been on different study trips. They joined Care Farm UK and are now members of Social Farming Ireland.

The couple own another farm at Aughnacloy - which is similar to the farm at Aghalane. Simon explains that they have six people with learning difficulties participating in social farming there. This has been ongoing for five and a half years, he said.

In relation to Aghalane, he said they are members of the Social Farming Across Borders (SOFAB) pilot project. Having joined in 2013, he said they had four participants on that - two from Northern Ireland and two from County Cavan. The placement lasted 30 weeks, he said.

“This time last year we formed Annagh Social Farm Community Interest Company,” outlined Simon, who mentions that this year they have six participants - three through Rural Support, one from the Southern Trust and two participants from the Western Trust (who come out on Mondays and Tuesdays.)

“They are taking part in normal day to day farming activities,” said Simon, who keeps beef cattle and hens. He is very keen on conservation and horticulture at the farm which offers large gardens, orchard space, a greenhouse and its ENT wood; all areas are clearly defined with signage.

Simon finds it very rewarding engaging in social farming and believes “it gives new life to the place.” His mother, Mrs. Bullock, and Jennifer’s mother, Mrs. Patton come for the fruit picking on the farm, and Mrs. Bullock makes jam with the participants. Volunteers also come to make scones. 

A new workshop, which is creating a new larger workspace for the fulfilment of different jobs, is currently being developed.

The Bullocks, who also have a daughter Emma, aged eight, plan to run workshops, including a recently launched 20 week art course, led by local Art Therapist (trainee) Genene Hunter.

In reference to the tasks on the farm, Simon highlights “there are always things to be done” and he says he likes the participants to do different things each week. “They are always useful jobs,” he emphasised. 

Their week is certainly a full one for the Bullocks, thanks to operating their social farming between Aughnacloy and Aghalane. Having taken the practice well and truly on board, they have been telling other people about it. “We want places for David and Mark to go in the future,” feels Simon.

He stresses with social farming “there is good social interaction” and he also feels there are benefits for the farmer and the farming family.