Ailbhe Gerrard

Having grown up on the shores of Lough Derg in Co. Tipperary. Ailbhe had a vision to reconnect agriculture to people. Having pursued a successful construction project management career, she gained an MSc. in Environment and Sustainable Development at University College London and MSc. Organic Agriculture at the Scottish Agricultural College. In 2010, she returned home to Tipperary and bought Brookfield Farm beside her home in Coolbawn, near Nenagh.

Soon after, she began transforming the tillage farm into a biodiverse, sustainable farm with broadleaf forestry, crops, livestock, wildflowers and hives.

To support her aims to reconnect consumers to farms and the cycle of agricultural life, Brookfield Farm Hiveshare and Hive Gifts launched in December 2014. The concept is a full cycle of raw Irish honey and beeswax candle production from the ground up. The farm is home to hives of honey bees which produce honey and beeswax for all-natural pure beeswax candles. The farm workshop, with a spectacular views of Lough Derg and the Tipperary landscape is where Ailbhe and helpers welcome farm visitors to enjoy learning about biodiversity, organic farming and beewax candle crafting.

Ailbhe also lectures at Gurteen Agricultural College and is an IFOAM Organic Agricultural Masterclass alumnus.

Ailbhe has been featured in numerous media, including the Irish Farmer’s Journal, the Sunday Independent, Image Interiors and Living, Irish Country Magazine, RTE and Newstalk.

Brookfield Farm business has won awards including: Irish Times Artisan food producers’ award 2014, winner of Bronze in Creative Retail Bank of Ireland Start Up awards 2017, honey awarded national finalist in the Blas na hÉireann 2017 awards. Brookfield Farm has won many fans, including Design Ireland, US Vogue Magazine and US Town and Country Magazine and loyal customers.

Ailbhe is finalising plans to export Brookfield Farm’s beeswax candles.

You can visit Ailbhes YouTube page here