With five young children, a typical day for Michael and Marguerite can be quite hectic!  As both Michael and Marguerite milk the cows together, they have to use a giant check board to make sure the children have done their daily tasks, such as had their breakfast and brushed their teeth.  We asked Michael to let us know what a typical day in spring is like...

Myself and Marguerite get up at 7am and milk the cows.  We are finished by 8 am, and have breakfast with the kids, and get them ready for school at 9am. After breakfast we complete any computer work and paper work that needs doing, and make decisions about the farm for the day or the week ahead.  Once a week we both walk the entire farm to estimate what grass is left on the farm, to ensure that we have enough for the cows to eat.
	I carry out any general farm work that needs doing.  This usually entails maintaining both land and machinery, and moving our cows around to fresh grazing pastures.  At other times we might be silage cutting, baling silage or re-seeding older paddocks with new grasses. I am involved with two discussion groups, helping ourselves and other farmers learn from each other.  We are also members of a government farming advisory service, who help us with any important farming decisions we may have.
Between 5 and 6, myself and Marguerite milk the cows, and then spend the rest of the evening with our children.  They are all involved in Gaelic football, hurling and road bowling, and the girls go to local Irish dancing and art classes. At the weekend, we milk the cows, and we both like to unwind in our local pub ‘Coachman’s Inn,’ and get ready for the week ahead.

to find out more about Michael Crowley