Manx Charcuterie
Ballacosnahan Farm
Ballacosnahan Farm is a 200 acre farm stretching from the top of Slieau Whallian down to the river Neb and has been in my family for over sixty years, it is where I grew up.
It faces west and on a clear day you can see Northern Ireland, the Mountains of Mourne, the Mull of Galloway and the Aireshire Hills. In my childhood there were no Loaghtans on the farm, only white sheep, some beef cattle and some pigs.
I moved back to the Isle of Man in 2003 to a cottage overlooking the sea with 5 acres of fields. A good friend gave me 6 ewe lambs, as “you need something to mow the grass”. I had no idea then that I would become completely hooked on these sheep and end up with a flock of about 900.
I took over the farm in 2014. I have reduced the flock as 900 was too many we now have between 500-
Today my partner and I farm together, we left the cottage 2 miles away and moved back to live on the farm 7 years ago. We have only Manx Loaghtans and a handful of crossbreeds. I still know most of my ewes and rams individually and pride myself that my sheep have the highest level of husbandry and care.
Although I am not registered as organic I do farm in an organic way.