CILL ULTA – CURAÍOCHT AN PHOBAIL EIP - TURAS TAIGHDE AGUS FÍRICÍ - RESEARCH AND FACT-FINDING TRIP

by Cill Ulta LAN Ctr November 29, 2022

Mar chuid don tógra Curaíocht an Phobail rinne muid turas taighde agus fíricí síos go Iar-Thuaisceart Thiobraid Árainn. Thug muid cuirt ar Canvas Brewery, gnó féinchothaitheach a dheanann a cuid beoir féin. Soláthraíonn an fheirm na hacmhainní go léir, agus déantar iad a bhainistiú ar bhealach inbhuanaithe chun saol na feirme a chothú. Próiseáiltear an táirge ar an bhfeirm agus díoltar go díreach leis an custaiméir é.

Bhuail muid isteach chuig Cáis na Tíre. Tá an fheirm seo suite i dTiobraid Árann Thuaidh, achar gearr ó Thír Dhá Ghlas. Feirme caorach le tréad 230 beostoc ag táirgeadh a gcáis féin. Bíonn na caoirigh Friesland amuigh faoin aer an chuid is mó den bhliain ag cothú ar fhéar úr. Tógann sé 7 lítear bainne caorach chun 1kg cáise a tháirgeadh i gcomparáid le 11 lítear bó nó bainne gabhair. Tá an cáis ceardaí ar fáil i go leor siopaí ar fud na tíre (arna dháileadh ag Horgan’s Delicatessen Supplies) agus tá sé á sholáthar do Siopaí Bia Sláintiúil Neamhspleach. Is féidir seachadadh a shocrú go díreach chuig an gcustaiméir fosta. Agus an treocht reatha tacaíochta dúlra á cur chun cinn, cuireann an bhfeirm Brookefield turais agus cainteanna bunúsach ar fáil do ghrúpaí idirnáisiúnta turasóirí chun taithí a fháil ar fheirm Éireannach a bhainistítear go hinbhuanaithe. Is é an fiontar cúplála a fhorbraíonn leis an sruth turasóireachta seo ná táirgí a dhíol as an beachlann, mil bláthanna fiáine agus coinnle céir bheach déanta ar an bhfeirm, a dhíolann ar phraghas maith. Ag spreagadh an chaidrimh idir feirmeoir agus custaiméir, díolann Brookfield Farm táirgí ceardaithe go díreach ón bhfeirm. Is tionscal tinteáin ach sláintiúil é fás fraochán in Éirinn le saothróirí ag díol an chuid is mó dá mbarr go díreach óna bhfeirmeacha nó i siopaí áitiúla. Tá sméara ghorma ag fás i nDoire an Bhile ó 1965.Is í an fheirm fraochán is mó in Éirinn í le oibríocht 20 acra díreach taobh amuigh de Chúil an tSúdaire. Maireann séasúr sméara ghorma na hÉireann de ghnáth ó dheireadh mhí Iúil go deireadh mhí Mheán Fómhair. Tá a cuid sméara gorma a dhíol chomh maith in Dunnes Stores, Tesco agus Super Valu.

*Béarla

As part of our EIP, Curaíocht an Phobail, we had a research and fact finding trip to North-West Tipperary. We visited with Canvas Brewery, a self-sustaining business who produce their own beer. All resources are provided by the farm, managed in a sustainable manner to sustain farm life. Produce is processed on the farm and sold directly to the consumer.

We also dropped in to Cais na Tíre. This farm is situated in North Tipperary, a short distance from Terryglass. A sheep farm with a herd of 230 livestock producing their own cheese. The Friesland ewes are outdoors for most of the year feeding on fresh grass. It takes 7 litres of sheep’s milk to produce 1kg of cheese compared to 11 litres of cows or goat’s milk. The artisan cheese is available in many shops nationwide (distributed by Horgan’s Delicatessen Supplies) and is being supplied to Independent Health Food Stores. Delivery can also be arranged direct to the customer.

Promoting the current trend of supporting nature on the farm, Brookefield offer tours and introductory talks to international groups of tourists to experience a sustainably managed irish farm. The coupling enterprise which evolves with this tourism stream is the selling of the by-product from their apiary, wildflower honey and farm made beeswax candles, which sell at a premium price. Encouraging the relationship between farmer and consumer, Brookfield Farm deliver artisan products direct from the farm.

Blueberry growing in Ireland is very much a small, but healthy, cottage industry with growers selling most of their crop either directly from their farms or in local shops. Derryvilla has been growing blueberries since 1965. it is the largest blueberry farm in Ireland with a 20-acre operation just outside Portarlington. The Irish blueberry season normally stretches from the end of July to the end of September. Their blueberries are also sold in Dunnes Stores, Tesco agus Super Valu.

Curaíocht an Phobail Project is a European Innovation Partnership (EIP) co-funded by the Department of Agriculture, Food, and the Marine and the European Union, under the EIP Funding programmes.