Tom Slattery, the Irish Farmer, is “cracking on” towards Sunday when he expects to complete “a torturous week” of spreading slurry on silage ground. His 140-acre family farm is in Dingle, in the heart of west Kerry, southwest Ireland. They also work 25 acres of rented land.
Wednesday’s video showed him using the Valtra T172 to spread 60,000 litres of slurry just a week after baling. This job has to fit into two to three hours per day after milking the dairy cows so that day he only got started at around 1.30pm, managing to get everything done despite eventual rain.
He describes the Valtra T172 as “nice and comfortable” with which he’s able to spread seven loads and still “feel as fresh as ever”. It can be backbreaking work with less technologically advanced equipment.
Tom and his father complete all the machinery work on the farm. This includes slurry, silage, fertiliser spreading and hedge cutting.
His father had the first Valtra in west Kerry, preferring it over other brands. Now they have five. He says they are good, reliable tractors that are easy to use. Having their own equipment gives them flexibility to do the work they love when they want to do it. It means a very busy schedule in May and June – between artificial insemination, farming, and cutting silage – but they love it.
“The show must go on,” he says.