Padraic Greene hails from a dairy farm in Barntown, Co Wexford.
Career Path to Date:
Upon finishing his Leaving Certificate, Padraic relief milked and worked as a Barman for 3 to years. At 21, Padraic went to New Zealand for 18 months & started as a farm assistant and worked his way up to a 2IC. Upon his return he spent a short while on a high input farm in Cappoquin before joining Bill & Audrey O’Keeffe on the home farm in Conna, Co Cork milking 370 cows.
During his 1st year as Farm Manager Padraic began Sharemilking & states “I learned more in those 4 years than what I had learned in the previous 15 years not just in farming but also self-development, leadership and running and growing a business to name a few”.
Padraic made a decision to move back to Wexford with his Fiancée Sarah in December 2019.
What is your future ambition?
Currently farming within a partnership in Wexford, the ambition is to expand & build a profitable sustainable business.
What has been your biggest learning experience to date?
If I had to pick one area, the biggest learning to date would have to be working on your self-development daily, by reading helpful material, listening audio books and developing your network this has giving me the most benefit over the last 4 years by far.
What was the most difficult aspect of your farming career to date?
2018 was definitely the toughest terrible spring and a worse summer but I am glad to have gone through it at an early stage learned a valuable lesson on how to run a business so it can stay profitable through the hard years.
What is one specific highlight from your farming career to date?
The 1st day I met Matt Ryan for a coffee … A LIFE CHANGING EXPERIENCE!
What inspired you to try and progress in the industry?
New Zealand! Like a few others on this I had no real intention to farm until I went to NZ, It opened my eyes that farming could be profitable; enjoyable, and you didn’t have to work 7 days a week 13 hours a day to farm. I saw the opportunity for young people like myself to work their way up the ladder without a college degree which was something I had not thought was possible before that.
What is one thing non-farm related about me?
I lost 2.5 stone in the last 12 months and have taken up half and full marathon running. Anyone looking to change their mindset and improve your physical fitness I would highly recommend David Goggins book “Can’t hurt me”.