With only half of farms having a succession plan in place, and a cohort of young men and women dying for the chance to get farming but with no access to land, we explore farming partnerships in Westmeath.

We are in the middle of January and often the long dark winter nights can be challenging. Brenda Donohue wants to hear from people around the country with interesting ideas to have fun at this time of year.

Sailing clubs are supporting a unique project to restore native oysters in Dublin Bay, which is spearheaded by coffee distributor David Lawlor of the not-for-profit Green Ocean Foundation.

Spring is coming to the fertile lands of the Jordan Valley. Ollie Moore, a member of Talamh Beo, has just returned from visiting Palestinian farmers there.

With Pat O’Toole, political editor of the Irish Farmers Journal and Dr Cara Augustenborg, a member of the Climate Change Advisory Council.

Countrywide Full Episode 18/01/2024

Hill sheep farmer Mary-Catherine Murphy lives in the hills above the highest village in Ireland, Roundwood in Co Wicklow. We find out how she fared during the cold snap.

Our regular reporter Diarmuid McIntyre lives near the Ballyhoura Mountains in Limerick. He bumped into John Hughes and Michael Nolan of Activo, working on behalf of the ESB, getting power back to some of his neighbours under very difficult conditions.

We hear advice from a couple who “out-winter” their cattle in a part of Scotland where temperatures can drop as low as -15C.

With so many without power or water this week, one of our most valuable services is the Meals on Wheels network under the umbrella of Irish Rural Link, delivering 15,000 meals a week. Brenda Donohue visited Sona Sasta, Meals on Wheels in Summerhill in County Meath where she joined John and Carmel Swan knocking on doors with dinners in hand.