Birch Cottage has a new website of its own
Visit the Birch Cottage website to bookWelcome to Lackan Cottage Farm
We’re Steve and Claire Golemboski-Byrne, we live here off grid with our daughter, our dog, cats and horses. We make all our own energy using wind and solar, grow as much of our own food as we can (it varies widely) and have used permaculture design principles to help us create a great place to live.
Here on the website you’ll find stories about the projects we’ve undertaken – what works, what doesn’t. You can come stay in our guest cottage – Birch Cottage and we will show you round, or maybe you just want to find out how to do some of this stuff. Either way, welcome.
Where has the truck gone?
We've had lots of emails to ask why the truck isn't available to stay in at the moment. The simple answer is that during lockdown, we spent a lot of time redecorating and sprucing up Birch Cottage, and then realised that the truck needed even more work doing to make...
A tour around Lackan Cottage Farm
As it looks as though we won't be doing any actual tours around or opening for visits in 2020, I made this somewhat inpromptu video tour where I had a good walk round and covered most aspects of Lackan Cottage Farm on the way. Usually I'd be answering questions as I...
Our new venture – Off Grid Kit
Over the years hundreds of people have come to us for advice about off grid energy, and over the last two years Steve has increasingly been supplying equipment to people all over Ireland on an occasional basis. With increasing interest in energy security in uncertain...
Enjoy a safe and relaxing stay in a rural setting
Here at Lackan Cottage Farm, our guests health and wellbeing has always been incredibly important to us, which is why we used materials and finishes free from harmful chemicals when we renovated Birch Cottage. From food safe paints to natural local timber inside, to the fresh smell of the birch wood next to the cottage, this has always been a place to come to retreat, relax and rejuvenate.
Subscribe to our YouTube channel
We're in the process of creating more video content so that you can take a look around, and find out about all the projects and systems here at Lackan. We're also going to be moving a lot of our course content online over the coming months as it looks like Covid-19...
May garden update
Normally this would be a hectic time of year with courses running and guests staying, but we have time to spend in the garden and are concentrating on the veg. It's great to hear how you are all getting on with growing in lockdown - keep us updated, we love to hear...