TEAGASC ORGANIC FARM WALKS 2013

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TEAGASC ORGANIC FARM WALKS 2013

Teagasc organic demonstration farm walks are in full swing now, running until September 19th. These include three farms new to the initiative. (Full listing here)

Teagasc's Dan Clavin spoke about this year's walks.

(photo: (C) Oliver Moore of farm walk on Sean O Farrell's farm, National Organic Week 2012)

Oliver Moore: why did you select these new farmers?

Dan Clavin: We need to freshen it up each year. You need to show people different things, and there are geographic considerations too. There are walks in each of the provinces and in general, they are well spread out. The ones chosen are good producers, with good access to markets and they are also good communicators. The main thing however is that they are successful at producing crops, farming animals, and have good markets.”

OM: Tell me about the farms where demonstration walks are being held?

DC: John Curran (Friday 12 July) is a beef and sheep farmer near Navan in Meath, and is a member of the Leitrim Organic Farmers Co-Op. The north east is not an area we have many organic farmers, so we'd hope to start to develop some there.

Alan Jackson (Thursday 22 August) is near Riverstown in Birr, Offaly, and farms beef and cereals. Pat Mulrooney (Friday 23 August) did walks before, but hasn't in a few years. He's back this year. Paddy Byrne is in county Dublin, and he direct sells vegetables (Tuesday 10 September), including partly through a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) type set up.

OM: There is only one dairy walk. How did you select the enterprises you've chosen?
DC: True there's only one dairy walk .We think dairy has the most potential in the south, and Pat is in south Tipperary. Beef cereal and veg have the most potential and thus the most walks. There probably are a few more direct selling producers hosting walks than there are proportionally.”

OM What would the format typically be for a walk?
DC: It differs from sector to sector, but we cover the same topics we cover in the organic training courses. So that's context, production, the standards and the market. For beef, the walks would tend to cover all relevant aspects - grass reseeding, soil health, nutrient management, breed selection and more for production for example. There is a lot of useful technical information made available and discussed.

OM: Some of the walks this year are marked “BTAM approved”. What does this mean?
DC: BTAP approved means “beef tech adaption programme.” This is a Department scheme, based around discussion groups. There are a few dedicated organic ones around Ireland: one in the south, Elaine (Leavy the other Teagasc Advisor) has two in the midlands, while John Brennan (Leitrim Organic Farmers' Co-op) has onein the north west too. Farmers learn about the latest developments, practices and technologies at the BTAM walks. Attending an event is a compulsory part of the scheme, and the organic demonstration walks marked 'BTAM' count. There is one in each province.

(BTAM walks 2013 are: Thursday 19 September Patrick O Connor, Mullinroe, Clondrohid, Macroom, Co Cork Beef; Friday 26 July Pat Booth, Heath, Kilone, Stradbally, Co. Laois Beef, Cereals; Wednesday 28 August Mark Duffy, Bellview, Clogher, Ballybay, Co Monaghan Beef; Tuesday 16 July; Oliver Dixon, Ahena, Claremorris, Co Mayo Beef, Cereals.)

OM: Are the walks primarily designed for conventional producers thinking about organic?
DC: They are useful for organic farmers too! This year, we're also emphasising that the public, consumers, are more than welcome. All farmers, family farm members, and members of the public are more than welcome. They will get to see organic farming in practice and to meet and speak with the producers and the sector’s experts.

All walks start at 2pm.

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