Killowen Farm’s Nicholas Dunne, a member of the safefood Knowledge Network, reveals what running a dairy farm and successful business entails.
County Wexford’s Killowen Farm is located in Courtnacuddy, a small village outside the town of Enniscorthy just under the Blackstairs mountain. It is run by three generations of the Dunne family. Nicholas and his wife Judith, along with sister Pauline help to produce the award-winning Killowen Farm range of natural yoghurts. Grandparents Tom and Mary still play an active role on the farm, keeping the machines running, while the youngest Dunnes, Charlie, Martha and Anna help out too.
Nicholas was a full-time dairy farmer until 2003 but his knowledge of the dairy industry prompted the family to branch out. “I was a full-time dairy farmer but I was also involved with our local milk co-op and was on the board of Wexford creamery which gave me a great insight into the dairy industry,” he explains.
They started Killowen in 2003 and have been building the business in retail and food service since then. “Both my wife Judith and I wanted to take our milk to market and Killowen Yoghurt came from that need.” The award-winning range is, says Nicholas, as natural as you can get. “As a family, we want to make natural products that we’re happy to feed to our children and eat ourselves, so we never use preservatives or additives. Our natural yoghurt is made with only milk and live cultures ‒ good bacteria that help keep your digestive system working well.”
When they decided to expand into the product market, Nicholas and Judith signed up to courses and workshops set up by BordBia, Local Enterprise Office (LEO) and Enterprise Ireland to educate themselves on the skills needed to run the business.safefood’s Knowledge Network has also proven to be a great resource of information and inspiration. As a member of the Knowledge Network, Nicholas has been invited to speak at a number of the organisation’s events in the southeast. “It’s about sharing our story and experience with others,” he explains, “and in turn hearing others speaking about their experiences. We are always learning from their stories.” If someone is considering joining the Knowledge Network, Nicholas recommends it wholeheartedly. “All our food business depend on producing safe food and safefood has in-depth knowledge and so much experience in this area. Getting involved in the Knowledge Network is a great way to learn new skills and keep up-to-date with the whole industry.”
As for the day job, life on the farm is, unsurprisingly, busy for Nicholas, with an early start every day. “An average day for me at around 6am,” he reveals. “The first thing we do is check the farm to make sure that everything is okay and the cows are starting to be milked and that a plan is in place for the rest of the day. Then I head to the where yoghurt is already made and packing is about to start. I find it helpful if I am able to sort out problems early in the day ‒ knowing all production is up and running leaves me with the rest of the day free to concentrate on the business.” The wellbeing of the farm’s herd is a priority for Nicholas and his family.
“The cows live out in the fields from February to November and eat about 70 kg of grass daily,” he says. “Their lifestyles involve lots of fresh grass, clean air and a gentle routine which they enjoy. In winter they move indoors and enjoy a varied diet of grass silage, maize silage, beet, straw and meal. They all have names which reflect their personalities: Bella, Sunbeam, Dew and Mitzi are just a few.”
Maintaining a successful business and safe work environment are Nicholas’ main priorities and both require hard work and dedication. “I think the single biggest challenge for us is to keep everyone here focused on food safety as a lot of what we do is repetitive, he says, adding, “The biggest job every day is to be better at what we do and to instil this into our business. But this is also what we enjoy most about the business too ‒ the feedback from our customers telling us the product tastes great.”
ABOUT NICHOLAS
Where are you from? I am the 8th generation of Dunnes farming on this farm here in , Co Wexford. Courtnacuddy
Is there a book that influenced you? I only read when I’m on holidays but Kane and Abel by Jefferey Archer is a favourite.
What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?
I love all kinds of sports and cycle a good bit. We’re very lucky that our family loves farming so
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