Till the Cows Come Home

My memoir is currently unavailable via Shopify. If you would like to purchase my memoir, you can do so via Amazon; Til the Cows Come Home

One farm. Two worlds. Three generations.

Fuelled by dreams of a rural idyll, Lorna Sixsmith and her husband swap the 9 to 5 for a return to her family's ancestral farm at Garrendenny.

They love the fields and lanes of their corner of Ireland where their black and white herd flourishes, the land where the patterns of their lives echo those of generations of Sixsmiths before them.

But a rural existence isn't a heaven on earth. Bad weather, runaway bulls, temperamental farm machinery and cows that refuse to be milked can test anyone's patience. But not for too long – the fields, the animals and the laughter always win out.

Warm, witty and wise, Lorna Sixsmith effortlessly mixes family memories, social history and her own hard-won insights into life on the land.

Praise for Till the Cows Come Home

'A mesmerising tale of Irish farming ... From top cow Delilah to the stranger at the silage table, the jobs, joys and challenges are skilfully tied together … Lorna Sixsmith is a natural storyteller in the vein of Alice Taylor.' – ANN FITZGERALD
'A strong female farming voice and a vivid sense of a rural childhood … Drink in rural life for the first time or get lost in pleasant memories. A must-read memoir.' – SHARON THOMPSON

Amazon Reviews

A lovely, meandering read, just like bringing in the cows for milking! The narrative goes from past to present seamlessly. A gentle tale of farming and family life.

Till the Cows Come Home is like a warm hug from Lorna. Her upbeat nature, her positivity and her ‘just get on with it’ attitude is an inspiration. Till the Cows Come Home might look like a book that would appeal to only one section of society, but don’t be fooled by those cows on the cover. Till the Cows Come Home is a book for all, a journey back to the days of our grandparents and great-grandparents and I guarantee you will also learn something you never knew along the way.

This book has a bit of everything for everyone. Whether you are a well established farmer, keen historian, a budding smallholder or just someone who enjoys people who take a bit of a risk to live their dreams, then this is the book for you.

It combines history, murder (yes that’s right, MURDER!), birth and agricultural lectures in 24 delightful chapters, leaving you feeling a part of Lorna’s wonderful farming family and her many adventures. 10/10 would recommend