Farmers are being urged to attend the national farm forestry demonstrations which will run for a fortnight from October 6th to October 16th at venues around the State.
In the midlands, the focus will be on Tommy Murphy's farm at Clonarney, Delvin, Co Westmeath, where over 300 farmers are expected to gather tomorrow week.
Mr Murphy, a dairy farmer, has 50 acres of an out-farm under forestry. Most of this plantation is hardwood, which is slightly unusual, according to Teagasc national forestry adviser Jim Reidy, based at Athenry, Co Galway.
"What we are attempting to do is to encourage farmers to look at forestry as a very good enterprise which will deliver a good living to farmers.
"Farm forestry is 100 per cent grant-aided and it is a very good enterprise for part-time farmers to be involved in because it is the kind of alternative which allows the farmer his own time."
During the demonstrations, farmers will be given information about grant aid, technical and financial issues and forest management. They will also get live demonstrations on mounding, planting and fencing and the maintenance of forests and vegetation control.
Farmers are taken right through to the end of production and there are displays of pruning, branching and thinning.
"We do not neglect the environmental aspects either and part of the demonstration is given over to that in relation to broadleaves, wildlife habitats and landscaping," said Mr Reidy.
He added that one aspect of forestry, growing Christmas trees, had received a setback in the midlands in recent years.
"I would like to advise farmers that there is an organisation representing people who grow Christmas trees commercially and no farmer should get involved in growing trees without consulting these people.
"Because Christmas tree production is not grant-aided in any way, we advise farmers not to get involved in planting even a single tree before they have a buyer for their product."
Teagasc has now appointed four foresters for the State. One of them, Ms Mary Ryan, is based in the Teagasc office in Tullamore, Co Offaly. Those who want to see the forest in Delvin should go to the local cattle mart where a bus service will run every 30 minutes to the farm during the demonstration.