Shalvanstown Organic Farm

Pictured – Ray Cogan in the Square field, circa in1950s

Shalvanstown sits North West of Slane village in county Meath – farmed by my grandfather and grandmother Ray and Nancy Cogan from the nineteen forties, the image above shows also his brother Anto and two of his sisters Netta and Olive. He was preceded by his father and grandfather who had been merchants and farmers in Slane. Now an organic and Biodynamic farm for more than 25 years, we have raised cattle & sheep, grown many vegetable & cereal crops including barley for Waterford Distillery and their unique terroir project, & even held music festivals. Some things remain the same, a love of the soil and a deep desire to increase its richness and diversity through multi species pastures, companion cropping, green manuring, sensitive tillage and the all important use of Biodynamic compost preparations and sprays.

The future is more exciting now than ever as we explore the biochemical sequence, the use of humic acid along with fungal dominated composts. With these tools we become carbon sequestration sites – Carbon farmers producing nutrient dense enlivened food for receptive communities and individuals