BUSY mum-of-three Edel Burke Curtin, who was recently awarded a Practice Support in Social Farming certificate from UCC, will be opening the study books again. Originally from Lorrha, Edel was this week accepted on a Turas learning programme on how to create a climate-resilient world.

Garda Sergeant Edel, her husband Dominic and their three children Kathleen, Isobel and Dominic Jnr have always had an open farm policy, welcoming many groups to their farm in Lacken.

“Farm safety is always a top priority. I saw the Social Farming course advertised and felt it would add knowledge to my training in An Garda Siochana and as a social farmer, in learning how to use the farm as a therapy tool to promote people with disabilities or people with poor mental health, and help them live and work a more inclusive life.”

Her next six-month course, run by Ireland’s Knowledge Centre (IKC) in conjunction with MTU, TCD and UCD, will coincide with the agricultural show season of which the family are great supporters.

And to top it off, her VDL Arkansas mare Corgrigg Mia recently produced her 14th foal in a row: a colt by Ger O’Neill’s Castlefield Kingston.