Man in a Summer Hill Natural Dairy Farm shirt holding green leaves among a group of people.

Farm-specific advice

Practical next steps

Built around your system

Who it is for

For farmers ready to look closely at their own system.

Consultancy is best suited to farmers who have attended a talk or course, are already experimenting with natural farming, or want a clearer route before making changes on their own land.

The aim is not to sell a generic programme. It is to understand your farm as it is now, then identify practical next steps that suit your ground, animals, labour, and budget.

The approach

Most of the work is figuring out what to do first.

KNF has plenty of inputs and most of them are useful eventually. The question on every working farm is which one earns its keep this year, and which can wait. We walk the land with you, look at the soil and the stock, and put together a plan you can actually do alongside the rest of the work.

Brown cow resting on lush green grass in a foggy field with a distant cow barely visible.

Walk the land

Read the farm context

Plan the first changes

Frequently asked questions

What happens after the first visit?

You receive a written summary with recommended first steps, including any inputs to make, observations to track, and a suggested order of work. From there, ongoing support is optional and arranged to suit you. Some farmers prefer occasional check-ins. Others book seasonal visits across a full year. There is no fixed package you have to commit to.

Can I just take a course instead of hiring a consultant?

Yes, and for many farmers a course is the right starting point. A course teaches you the method and the inputs in a hands-on setting. Consultancy is for when you want someone to look at your specific land, livestock, and conditions and help you sequence the changes. The two work well together.

What kinds of farms do you work with?

Mostly Irish dairy, beef, sheep, mixed farms, and market gardens. The principles apply across enterprise types, but the priorities and inputs differ by farm. We are happy to talk to any working farm or grower who wants to understand whether the method fits their situation, regardless of scale.

Will I have to stop using my current inputs?

No. The approach is to reduce dependency, not force an overnight switch. Most farms keep their existing inputs for the first season while building up natural alternatives in parallel. As farm-made inputs and soil biology take hold, conventional inputs are scaled back gradually, on a timeline that works for your operation.

How long before I see results on my land?

Soil biology responds within one growing season for most farms, with visible improvements in pasture, animal health, or crop quality typically appearing within twelve to eighteen months. Cost savings on inputs often arrive sooner. Deep soil change, the kind that compounds year over year, is a three to five year horizon.

Do I need to be organic or already practising natural farming?

No. Most of the farms we work with are conventional and run on standard inputs. Natural farming methods can be introduced gradually alongside what you are already doing. You do not need an organic certification, a regenerative track record, or any prior experience with KNF to start.

How does a first consultancy visit work?

A first visit usually takes half a day on your farm. We walk the land together, look at soil, pasture, livestock, and current inputs, and talk through what you are trying to achieve. You leave with a written summary and a recommended first set of steps. There is no obligation to continue beyond that initial visit.

Natural farming advice for your own land.

For farmers ready to look closely at their own system.

Most of the work is figuring out what to do first.

A farm visit focused on practical decisions, not theory for its own sake.

Farm walk and context

Soil and Biology Assessment

Input Strategy

Transition Plan

A simple process before anyone lands in the yard.