The history of the Stewart family and their farm in County Longford

The Stewart family farm is located in County Longford and has been operating since 1938. The farm was founded by Harry Stewart, who began operations at the age of 19 with two horses, a plough, a cart, and a supply of oat seed. Today, the land covers approximately 500 acres. The enterprise is engaged in livestock animal production (beef and pork) and crop production, growing cereals, as well as garlic, courgettes, and sweetcorn for their own shop.

Currently, four people work on the farm: Phil Stewart, his father, his wife Liv, and a hired worker. Additional staff are brought in for seasonal harvesting and shop maintenance. Liv Stewart, who holds an agricultural engineering degree from Harper Adams, joined the farm work in 2021. In addition to his primary activities, Phil Stewart runs popular Instagram and YouTube blogs, where he shares the realities of daily life on a modern farm with an audience of about 100,000 subscribers on the video platform.

The result of the family's work is a book titled "An Irish Family Farm in Twelve Fields," scheduled for release on September 3rd by Gill publishers. The idea for the publication belongs to Liv Stewart, who suggested describing the history of each field, its name, and its characteristic features. The book reflects the history of several generations of the family. In particular, the authors mention an old tree which, according to local legends, was planted by the descendants of Cromwell 350–400 years ago, as well as personal notes made by ancestors on this tree in 1940. The book is also dedicated to the memory of Phil's uncle, Ian Stewart, who made a significant contribution to the development of the farming business.