Issue 15 Spring 2013 - National Rural Network

More documents

Recommendations

Info

Organic Farmer Explores New Horizons Dominic and Alison Leonard and their children, Sorsha, Lucy and Valentine on their organic farm at Castlewood, Durrow. Funding under the LEADER programme is helping organic farmers Dominic and Alison Leonard to develop a farm shop and to capitalise on the amenity value of their farm. The Leonards run Castlewood Organic Farm, located along the River Nore near Durrow in Co Laois. Dublin-born Dominic and Australian-born Alison have been organically farming the 100 ha farm for the past 10 years. They were recently approved by Laois LEADER Partnership for funding to develop a farm shop and coffee shop. The projected cost of the venture is €115,000 which will receive 75% funding under the LEADER programme. They are also planning the establishment of a small meat processing unit at a cost of around €125,000. This will enable them sell fresh meat directly to consumers from the new farm shop. Dominic Leonard took over the farm from his uncle in 2000 and immediately started converting to organic. The system now consists of 30 suckler cows with the progeny being reared to beef, a sheep flock of 120 ewes, a free range pig enterprise and a tillage mix of spring wheat, oats and peas. Around half of the tillage output is used on the farm with the balance being sold to other organic farmers. The bulk of the organic beef is sold to Slaney Foods in Bunclody and most of the lamb goes to Irish Country Meats in Camolin. For the past five years, they have been selling frozen beef and lamb directly from the farm to consumers. The animals for direct sale are slaughtered in a nearby abattoir in Johnstown, Co Kilkenny. The bulk of the organic pork is sold directly from the farm. The pigs are slaughtered and processed in an abattoir in Dundrum, Co Tipperary. Whatever is not sold direct is channelled through local butchers. The new farm shop, now under construction, and the onfarm meat processing unit, will enable the Leonards to add value to meat from the farm. It will also sell local fruit, vegetables, oats and cheeses which Dominic said will not necessarily be all organic. The farm, which is very scenic, will be open to the public who can ramble around the many walks and savour the beauty and tranquillity of Castlewood Farm. The coffee shop, which will open later this year, will add a further attraction and act as an additional income earner for the enterprising couple. Organic Farming Scheme Re-Opens The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine has announced that applications are now being accepted for the 2013 Organic Farming Scheme. The closing date for applications is 15 May 2013 and decisions will be made at that stage on the level of funding and on the number of successful applicants. Farmers accepted into the scheme will enter into a contract for a minimum of five years and could qualify for yearly payments of up to €283/ ha during the conversion period and up to €142/ha on achieving full organic status. Full details can be found on the organics page on the Department’s website. p4
N N NATIONAL RURAL NETWORK N N NATIONAL RURAL NETWORK Cork Farmer’s Homemade Fruit Compotes R R N N NATIONAL RURAL NETWORK NATIONAL RURAL NETWORK Clotilde Fitzgibbon has brought a little bit of France to the village of Glanworth, near Mitchelstown and to consumers in the Munster region. Apple-based fruit compotes produced by Clotilde in her kitchen are now selling in 25 shops, including Supervalu and Centra stores, less than two years after the product hit the market. French native Clotilde came to Ireland 20 years ago and married tillage farmer Paddy Fitzgibbon. The couple have three children, aged 18, 16 and 11. She was asked by local dairy farmer Pat Landers what French products might work well in Ireland. Having grown up on a farm, she suggested apple-based fruit compotes. She formed a business partnership with Pat Landers and Clotilde’s Compotes was born. It is a handmade, homemade artisan product, naturally high in fibre and dairy free with no added sugar. It comes in six different flavours and, having gained a foothold in Munster, Clotilde and Pat are now starting to put their toes in the Dublin market. Clotilde’s Compotes is an active member of ‘A Taste of Ballyhoura Country’, the initiative established by Ballyhoura Development to showcase the region’s craftisan foods. Clotilde did a marketing course run by Ballyhoura Development and also completed the Ballyhoura Country Code of Practice which puts special emphasis on traceability and labelling verified by independent assessment. She was one of just 11 food producers selected to participate in last year’s Enterprise Ireland Supervalu supplier development programme which is aimed at assisting emerging Irish food companies to achieve retail listings. The six-month programme, which is supported by Bord Bia and Teagasc, helps companies to achieve the product quality, service standards and technical innovation to reach supermarket shelves. The product is gaining popularity across all age groups. It is particularly suitable for groups such as coeliacs and diabetics and for people who cannot digest raw fruit. It has a shelflife of eight weeks. Professor Joe Carey and his team in UCC are currently testing the nutritional and potential health benefits of the compotes. Clotilde Fitzgibbon with a selection of her fruit compotes. Clotilde is now fast approaching the stage where capacity in her kitchen cannot meet demand. “We are not producing enough to deliver an income. The next big decision will be on commercialising the operation through outsourcing the production,” she said. Rural Development Directors Meet In mid-March, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine hosted a meeting of the Directors of Rural Development of all the EU member states in Dublin. The group discussed a variety of topics related to the development of the new Rural Development Programme as well as having an opportunity to visit an operating farm partnership and a renewable energy-related farm enterprise. They also experienced a number of examples of Irish heritage and culture. The response of the delegates to the event was very positive. p5
Page 1 and 2: R N N NATIONAL RURAL NETWORK Award
Page 3: N N NATIONAL RURAL NETWORK N N NATI
Page 7 and 8: N N NATIONAL RURAL NETWORK NATIONAL
Page 9 and 10: N N NATIONAL RURAL NETWORK NATIONAL
Page 11 and 12: N N NATIONAL RURAL NETWORK N N NATI

Issue 15 Spring 2013 - National Rural Network

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?