Organic Matters

This week on Organic Matters, we speak to Marian Clarke from Doon Social Farm part of Ballyhoura Rural Services based in County Limerick. As well as catering to the local community and several groups who may be vulnerable or have special needs, the farm runs a shop, café and a thriving organic egg and veg business.

Everything produced on the farm is sold into the local community and neighbouring areas with salads, potatoes and eggs under the ‘Happy Hen Eggs’ brand best sellers.

Marian walks presenter Hannah through their different initiatives, from setting up a café for the local community and the farm itself to working with different groups and individuals as a social enterprise as well as their plans for the future.

This week on Organic Matters, we meet suckler and tillage farmer Jim Stafford. Jim breeds Aubrac cattle, which originally hail from France, alongside his suckler herd. He breeds them both for pedigree breeding purposes and for organic beef and achieves excellent carcase weights.

He also grows combi-crops of cereal and pulses for animal feed as well as oats for Flavahans.

Jim talks about the importance of maintaining soil health and fertility on his farm with a strong focus on soil sampling and keeping a keen eye on his soil's trace elements.

This week on Organic Matters, we meet Steve Collins who farms in West Cork. Having returned from overseas after working on development projects for several years, Steve and his wife Claire purchased a farm in a scenic, but rocky area of the county.

Passionate about producing high-quality, nutritious food, Steve and his family now focus a lot on growing both blueberries and aronia berries, including producing an aronia berry juice.

As demand is strong, Steve is collaborating with another organic family farm in Poland as well as engaging with other local Irish organic farmers to increase the continuity of supply.

This week on Organic Matters, we meet Tony Murphy. Situated in the centre of Cork county, he farms Angus cattle and Beltex sheep as well as tillage.

When we meet, Tony is harvesting arable silage. He breaks down exactly how he makes arable silage, which is usually sowed from the 1st of June and mowed in just 14 to 16 weeks later, touching on seed mixtures, ploughing depth, and fertilisation.

Tony also speaks about other issues including animal husbandry, the importance of soil health and much more.

This week on Organic Matters, we speak to suckler, sheep and tillage farmer Angus Woods.

Angus began the conversion of his farm in January 2024 having experimented with some organic practices in recent years to help futureproof the business.

He talks about the different reasons why he decided to convert to organic and the measures he's taking in his first year of organic conversion to meet organic standards.

This week on Organic Matters, we visit the farm of John and Marcella Mallick near Tinahely in Co. Wicklow.

They have been organic farming since 2011 and as well as running a suckler and sheep enterprise with Galloway cattle, and Scotch sheep cross with Texels, they also grow organic barley for Waterford Distillery to brew into whiskey.

They talk about their experience farming organically over the past 10 years or more from modifying animal housing to organic crop management.

This week on Organic Matters, we meet Brian McCarthy from Cork Rooftop Farm.

With a background in the wholesale flower business, Brian started experimenting with vegetable growing during the pandemic on a small rooftop space and has now taken on a long-term lease on a former 60-acre dairy farm growing vegetables organically just outside Cork city.

Now in his first year of organic conversion, he talks about his keen interest in building a business that grows organic vegetables at scale, selling into a range of different markets from direct sales to supplying into supermarkets and supporting local employment.

Brian also speaks to presenter Hannah Quinn-Mulligan about the steep learning curve of engaging in organic vegetable production from dealing with soil type and difficult field conditions this season to operating a solar-powered seeder and weeder as well as his plans for the future.

This week on Organic Matters we speak to David Sexton of Kildare Farm Foods. David and his wife Susan have been building their farm business near Kildare town since 1996.

In recent years they have started to convert to organic farming and now sell a wide range of their own organic farm produce in their farm shop. The business also offers a range of recreational activities alongside the farm shop and a restaurant, attracting over 150,000 visitors each year.

David talks about their experience developing the range of organic produce available for sale in the farm shop and restaurant as well as their future plans and aspirations.

This week on Organic Matters, we speak to husband and wife team, Dominic Leonard and Alison Duck, who farm 250ac near Durrow in Co Laois.

They run a mixed enterprise including tillage and livestock. Dominic explains the farming system and why he thinks sheep are an important part of the arsenal organic farmers have when it comes to managing land.

They speak about getting LEADER funding to open a farm shop and tearooms to sell their organic meat directly from their farm. They share their experiences, including the challenges of running a micro-business, and why after eight years, they decided to close it.

Produce from the farm is now sold at their local farmers market in Abbeyleix every Saturday.

This week on Organic Matters, we speak to Kate Milligan the Commercial Director at Airfield Estate. The farm is 38 acres and sits next to Ireland's largest shopping centre, Dundrum, in the capital city Dublin.

With its 2-acre food garden certified organic, it is currently converting its farm to organic production, which includes a mix of enterprises including a milking jersey herd and laying hens. As part of its remit, it supports both educational and recreational activities, hosting up to 11,000 children each year, as well as running other outreach such as corporate events, weddings and the very popular FarmerTime programme.

Kate speaks to presenter Hannah Quinn-Mulligan about the work they do and their future plans.