The college has started a new term with a vibrant group of new students. The first year are shown below on a visit to Springfield Organic Gardens in Broadford.
We also welcome 35 new Distance Learning students.
The college has started a new term with a vibrant group of new students. The first year are shown below on a visit to Springfield Organic Gardens in Broadford.
We also welcome 35 new Distance Learning students.
Celebrate NATIONAL ORGANIC WEEK with an âORGANIC CONVERSIONâ INFORMATION DAY
Tuesday October 23rd
2-4pm
Information and advice will be available on Conversion to Organic Production for
Dairy, Poultry, Drystock and Vegetables
Tours of the Organic Vegetable Gardens;
Potato variety tasting;
Organic Vegetables & Trees for sale
Admission free
Further details : 063-83604
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## Details
National organic week Information Day in Dromcollogher
On Tuesday Oct 23 An tIonad Glas the organic college Dromcollogher will host an information afternoon to celebrate National Organic Week.
Starting at 2pm there will be a tour of the college gardens, including the polly-tunnels, herb gardens, compost areas, vegetable plots, green manure beds and the bee hives.
College staff will be on hand to provide advice on organic gardening and farming methods as well as grants and schemes to assist growers and farmers in converting to organic.
Organic is now the fastest growing area of the food industry in Ireland and Europe. The present government target is to increase organic production from its present 1% to 5% in the next five years.
The dayâs events will conclude with Potato tasting including a number of Heritage and newer Verities grown at the college.
Admission to this afternoon is free
Group Booking and further information
Phone 063-83604, on e-mail organiccollege.com
Reference Jim McNamara or Sinead Neiland
An tIonad Glas Opens Doors for National Organic Week
To celebrate National Organic Week, An t-Ionad Glas, The Organic College, Dromcollogher brought together a fusion of people, food and information, during itâs Open Day on Tuesday 23rd October.
Throughout the day, staff and students openly welcomed a variety of locals including farmers, beekeepers, slow food campaigners, media, a group of dairy farmers from Mitchelstown and people interested in finding out more about organics. The sun glimmered as visitors were taken on guided walks of the gardens, polytunnels, native tree nursery, heritage apple orchard and enterprise acre. Mary Lynch, Organic Consultant, REPS advisor and part-time lecturer at an t-Ionad Glas, led a discussion group on converting to Organic Milk Production
There was plenty of time for visitors to mingle and chat with staff and students, including distance-learners who had travelled from around the country to sit their FETAC Level 5 examinations. All enjoyed seasonal, organic, local treats prepared in the college. Such treats included freshly baked scones, apple tarts, homemade bread and jams using as much local organic ingredients as possible. Lunch provided an opportunity to celebrate the joy of growing, cooking, eating and sharing local organic produce. Visitors joined together to enjoy a hearty seasonal vegetable soup, a fresh organic salad and had the opportunity to taste a host of organic potatoes. Varieties tasted were both heritage and newly introduced such as Druids, Arronâs Victory, Queens, Desire and Sarpo Mira. This was a perfect opportunity to sample the vast array of organic food that can be grown or sourced locally in Ireland.
Slow Food Campaigners from Limerick joined hands with seasoned growers and experienced farmers to celebrate the craft of quality food production and reflect on the potential joy and taste of local food. Grace Fitzgerald of the âSlow Food Limerick & Regionâ outlined plans to set up a branch of this organisation in the coming months. This group aims to celebrate good, local, healthy and fairly traded food.
The college was a hive of activity with students and staff coming together in meitheal tradition to prepare food and share their experiences. The college weekly market was in full swing with a wide selection of organic vegetables, preserves, cordials, local honey, potted herbs and native trees for sale. Enthusiastic visitors were thrilled to shop local and left satisfied in the knowledge that their purchases were organic, fresh, seasonal, local, environmentally friendly and tasty!
A special free edition of the magazine Organic Matters was distributed at the college and is now available in Health Food Shops and retail outlets for the coming weeks.
Courses continue at an tIonad Glas, Dromcollogher. Bookings are being taken for day and distance learning courses for September 2008. Details of these and Slow Food events can be obtained by phoning 063 83604 or emailing oifig@organiccollege.com .
Ref: Jim McNamara & Kitty Scully 063 83604