Ewan McCracken

Growing up on a spring calving farm, there’s really only two things I’ve ever known about farming. Grass and small cows. This interest in all things green is what drew me to study Dairy Business at University College Dublin, where I got the opportunity to look in detail at how the Republic of Ireland excels in evolving dairying around their most abundant resource.

After graduating in 2023, I came home to farm, but quickly felt that my progression had halted. I wanted to be part of something more than just the farm.

Luckily, the first Nuffield Farming Next-Gen Scholarship had been announced for 3 Northern Irish young people. Fast forward to now and I have just completed the scholarship program in November 2024. As a result, the networking I have gained from this experience has led me to host visits, write articles for magazines and newspapers, but more importantly has given me the confidence to look at pursuing roles in my co-op or to address the concerning lack of grass management within Northern Irish education, which is what drove me to study in the south in the first place.

I would like to give a massive thank you to the Thomas Henry Foundation who’s generosity made this experience possible.