Beechlawn organic fruit and vegetable farm part 1: background

Here is an article on an organic vegetable and fruit farm in east Galway called Beechlawn. It is mostly an intro to their growth as a business. they held a farm walk last Saturday - details on the next one is at the end of this article.

Pictured on the right are the good folk from beechlawn: Una, Padraig and their two kids, Roisin and Maebh.

In the Irish Examiner next week (thur) I'll have a 'hard look at the economics of thier business' type of article. Links for IOFGA, NOTS and Merf are all over there on the left.

Of all the agricultural sectors that are underperforming in Ireland at present, organic horticulture is one of the most glaring. Rising consumer demand, trainees produced each year, and yet the numbers of full time commercial organic horticulturalists is low.

There are less than 200 licensed by the two certification bodies, and many of these have a mixed enterprise. It has been estimated that there are no more than 60 professional certified organic horticulturalists in Ireland at present.

Beechlawn Farm in east Galway, however, bucks the trend. Una Ni Bhroin and Padraig Fahy manage an ever expanding growing, wholesaling and retailing (box scheme and farmers� markets and wholesaling) enterprise.

Fresh from getting married (to each other) and Padraig�s chairing of IOFGA for two years, they have put another 8 acres into conversion, to add to their present four.

2001 was the year they started growing on half and acre, as fresh faced graduates from the Organic College in Drumcollagher, Limerick.

By 2003, their organic licence was granted, a 2nd polytunnel erected, heated propagator bought, grant received from Galway Rural Development and considerable other equipment was purchased, including a rotovator, tractor, two wheel rotovator, plough, and tiller.

2004 and 2005 saw more polytunnels, their box scheme grow, and more farmers markets be added to their repertoire.

Just last year they erected their latest polytunnel - 10,000 square feet in size � which brings their total to five, at 16,000 sq ft.

They continue to sell direct through a box scheme, and have been instrumental in not just selling at, but opening a range of regional farmers� markets. Their vegetables are now on sale at Loughrea, Athlone, Ballinasloe and Oranmore .There is also a small but increasing wholesale dimension to their business.

The couple have been full time since last year. Indeed the farm and food business has been employing people since 2005. They also take volunteers. Many organic operators do, but the scale at which they do at Beechlawn is quite something: 60 since starting and counting! They�ve had so many, in fact, that they have built a small wooden house on site for the volunteers and farm workers to stay in.

According to Una �Alex our Ukrainian farm worker is a marvellous addition to our workforce - he�s a university student with the Macra na Feirme seasonal horticultural farm worker scheme. He�s with us from March to October and at this stage he�s so well trained in he could nearly run the farm himself�.

�Eva is another gem. Eva is a volunteer who came to help us two months ago. She�s been running market stalls for us all alone giving us the space to catch up with paperwork, orders for seeds, pay the bills and whatever the hidden tasks are�.

She goes on: �We currently also have a Japaneze, German and French volunteers staying at the farm. The three of them are exceptionally helpful. Thank God for the WWOOFERS�Where would be without them?�

WWOOF is a volunteer scheme that enables people to contribute to the various activities on an organic farm.

Another great source of help arrived on their last farm walk, conducted on behalf of the National Organic training Skillsnet (NOTS). This came in the form of Merf, Dr. Charles Merfield, the affable Teagasc organic crop scientist.

�Merf spotted Red Spider Mite on the recent NOTS walk we held, and we had other pest problems too. We dealt with this and other crop issues through products from Fruit Hill Farm organic garden supplies and then a follow up of biological control� according to Una.

Beechlawn (click here for their site) Teagasc national demonstration farm walk for those interested in learning about organic horticulture. It is being held on Wednesday 17th September at 6 pm (admission free)

national organic week: things to do

Five of the best things to do for national organic week:

1: Clare: Visit an award winning organic goat's cheese farm
First up, there�s a chance to visit the place where multi-award winning organic goat�s cheeses are made. St. Tola�s organic farm is in Inagh, Co. Clare. There will be an opportunity to see the herd of goats, to learn how the cheeses are made, and of course to taste them. This is a good one for the kids, and who knows, they might even be tempted to try the soft cheese while they are there. This event is on Thursday 25th October from 11am to 4pm (065 6836633 or here).

2: Leitrim: Go the organic nine-yards
The Carrick branch of the Western Organic Network are holding an event called �A Taste of Organic Living�. The aim is to �celebrate and showcase all that is good in local organic and artisan produce, holistic and naturopathic medicine, healthy and sustainable living, and local creativity�. Expect events talks and demos. They are making a special effort to hold a �pushing organic farming and food forward� forum, which should prove interesting. This is on Monday 29th October 11 am - 6 pm. (contact WON on 071-9640688 or e-mail info@westernorganicnetwork.com)

3: Leitrim and Limerick: Get an organic job
The Organic Centre, Rossinver Co. Leitrim are holding an event for anyone with an interest in learning more about producing organic food. This is called �Training and Education Opportunities in the Organic Sector� and is open to all. The staff of the Organic Centre will be on hand to answer questions about the 2008 programme. This event is on Wednesday 24th October 2pm � 6pm. (phone 071 9854338 info@theorganiccentre.ie or click here)
or
National organic week Information Day in Dromcollogher. On Tuesday Oct 23 2pm
Tour of the college gardens, including the polly-tunnels, herb gardens, compost areas, vegetable plots, green manure beds and the bee hives. Plenty of advice and assistance, from growing to grants. And, a potato tasting to finish off the day! Phone 063-83604 or click here for more

4: Dublin: Check out the new place where the Dublin food co-op now lives:
And finally, for events, there�s the launch of the new Dublin Food Co-op�s premises. This will be by Minister John Gormaley, �who has been a member for about 20 years� according to Pauric, the development officer with the Co-op.
This new venue is fully twice the size of the previous place, and has excellent, dedicated booths for stallholders. There are few if any places in Ireland with as much variety in organic food and other organic options: there are not that many places where you can buy organic yoga suits for the yummy mummy who has it all. But you can in the co-op. The new venue is 12 Newmarket Dublin 8, off Cork Street, in the heart of the Liberties. You may have missed the launch last weekend, but there's always the lunch to be sorted. So why not drop by this Thursday (2-8pm) or Saturday (9.30-4.00pm). (for more try here or ring 01-873 0451 - check out the domain name!)

5: All over: Who says organic food is expensive? Git yer self some free top scram at 3 tastings of organic food for the week

There are also some organic food tastings being held all over Ireland. Watch out for them at your local supermarkets or farmers� markets. Let�s face it, farmers� markets are more interesting places to hang around than supermarkets, so there isn�t much point in listing the tastings at supermarkets here. Though it's listed as such, eating strawberries in a supermarket is not a 'what's on' event, by any stretch of the imagine.
Friday 26 October 11.00am Carrick-on-Suir Farmers Market, Heritage Centre Grounds, which will be an organic cook-in:
Thursday 25th October 9.30-2.00pm �Omega Beef Direct� Christmas Gift Voucher Launch with Joe Condon of Omega Beef. All recipes from Scott Walsh of award winning restaurant Q82 in Dungarvan Omega Beef Organic Meat Stall at Dungarvan Food Market, The Square, Dungarvan, Co. Waterford:
Saturday 27th October 9am-2pm multi-tastings at the Oracle Farm and Coolanowle Organic Farm Stands at Carlow Food Market, Potato Market, Carlow Town.