About National Organic Week

15 - 21 September 2008

National Organic Week which takes place on 15th -21st September this year. Funded by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, the Week is co-ordinated by Bord Bia on behalf of the Organic Market Development Group.

Activities during National Organic Week

National Organic Week aims to continue to raise consumer awareness of organic food, how to recognise it when shopping and where to buy it. Activities this year include a new outdoor and print advertising campaign supported by radio advertising on key national and local radio stations and week long radio competitions. Organic recipes will be distributed to food writers and regional newspapers nationwide. Also, media interviews will be set up with a range of organic producers.

See the Bord Bia website for more details.

Expect to find articles on:

• Diary of activity in the college garden
• Hints and tips on organic growing
• Links to interesting articles
• and hopefully a semi-regular podcast!

Please let us know if there’s anything you’d especially like to read about. Your comments and discussion are also welcomed - use the comments box below.

Propagation Room at the College

If you would like to learn at the college as a full-time or part-time student, courses start in September and there are still a few places left - phone 063 83604 for details.

If you would like to learn by Distance Learning, the courses start in October and there are a few places left. There is also a 50% grant this year so the courses are cheaper than ever! Please complete the enquiry form here.

To a full house on a stormy wet Monday last, the Minister for Food and Horticulture, Trevor Sargent T.D. presented some fifty Graduates of the Organic College in Dromcollogher with National Awards by the Further Education and Training Authority (F.E.T.A.C.) and I.O.F.G.A. the Irish Organic Farmers and Growers Association.

Mr Sargent himself a past student of the College spoke of the growth of the Organic Sector in Ireland and emphasised that this is not an exotic, niche sector but a central and growing area of food production and consumption throughout the world.

To the Graduates he said, you can have interesting, rewarding and meaningful careers in reclaiming Ireland’s rich food tradition and in building food security in the uncertain times ahead.

Focusing on 2008 the U.N. Year of the Potato, the Minister said we had valuable lessons to learn from our history with this crop. He hoped the primary school scheme would get children directly involved in growing, using and reflecting on food in a local as well as a global sense.

The target of increasing the numbers involved in organics was he said realistic. This presented new opportunities and challenges for existing farmers, growers and new graduates of the College.

Citing examples from mainland Europe he said, we were well positioned to convert many more producers to organic methods and his Department would assist by a variety of grants and schemes.

The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation, he said now understood the value of Organic Production World wide for care of the land, care of people, communities and food security across the world.

Ms Kate Carmody, Organic Farmer and Cheese Maker from Kerry, said Dromcollogher had pioneered Organic Education in Ireland and the biggest threat to the Organic Movement across the world was the attempt by multi national corporations to force Genetically Modified Crops on farmers and consumers.

Praising the Minister for his stand on keeping Ireland’s G.M. free reputation, she urged him to hold firm as Organic stood for fair trade, for food security and for biodiversity, all of which could be threatened by narrowing the supply and control of the seed markets through Genetic Modification control by Trans National co-operations.

Ms Helen Keogh of the Department of Education and Science spoke of the growing number of adults needing to be up-skilled and to learn new skills. Adults she said were in a special position to determine the kind of learning they need and when, where and how it could be delivered.

The variety of methods of learning at the Organic College from day to weekend and Distance Learning Courses, she said showed how education should be going in the future. The College’s innovation she said was acknowledged nationally and internationally in the number of Awards it had received from AONTAS in Ireland to the U.S. Department of Agriculture for its Rural Development Role.

Congratulating the Graduates she urged them to use their skills and knowledge and to be a pal to others thinking of returning to education especially people who may have missed out in the earlier years.

Speaking on the theme of quality food Ms. Eimear Brophy Adult Education Officer of Co. Limerick V.E.C. said there was a growing awareness of the benefits of organics, of slow food and taste in Ireland.

This was to be welcomed for rural as well a urban communities as food was more than just to do with nutrition, but could be a vehicle for reflection on health and well being and education across all ages.

Tom Atkins Organic Farming and land use consultant said there was an increasing demand from people who want to study from home by Distance Learning.

At a time of increasing oil, fertilizer and grain prices, he said the issue of food security and basic farming and growing skills became ever more important. Climate change is real and towns, villages and communities will have to consider “powering down” , avoiding unnecessary use of precious supplies of energy and resources.

The organic movement and skilled Graduates, he said would be key people in rebuilding less wasteful, sustainable and more caring communities.

Mary Lynch Farming and food teacher at the College presented the Graduates with Food Hygiene Certificates. Adding value to food, preserving it and maintaining a year round supply were, she said key elements in getting a good income for the farmer and grower. Organic Enterprise was essential to keep the link between the primary producer and the consumer looking for a wide variety of food.

National Certificate Awards were presented to the following:

• Stefanie Auler, Tipperary
• Michael Higgins, Athea
• Susan Steffes, Canada
• Ryan Coote, Wexford
• Lenka Masterova, Czec Republic
• Pauline Walsh, Knocklong
• Jim Dalton, Ardagh
• Anita O’Brien, Cork
• Catherine Walsh Cork
• Maureen Enright, Dromcollogher
• Claire O’Connor, Longford
• Eoin Glavey, Waterford
• Thomas O’Connor, Kerry
• Melissa Glauser, Canada
• Stephen O’Mahony, Fermoy
• Elaine Harte, Meath
• Michael Rowsome, Newcastlewest
• David Hayes, Ashford
• Kitty Scully, Laoise

Diploma Students IOFGA, FETAC Level 6

• Lucy Bell, Kildare
• Dermot Carroll, Knocklong
• Marion Cronin, Liscarrol
• Lesley Liston, Killmallock
• John Morrissey, Tournafula
• Barry O’Mahony, Fermoy
• Peter Rolfe, Tournafula Limerick.

Distance Learning Students FETAC Level 5

• Jim Burfield
• John Callaghan
• Toni Chard
• Mike Kelly
• Niamh Ni Lochlainn
• Stan Pasley
• Nike Ruf
• Glenda Stanley
• Danny Treanor
• Carmel Whitty

Special Achievement Awards

• Margaret Barry, Ardagh
• Norma Courtney, Ballyhahil
• Denis Crean, Killmallock
• John Geary, Milford
• Paul Grayston, Dromcollogher
• Carlos Figueiredo, Portugal
• Alice Morrissey, Limerick
• Kevin O’Dea, Broadford
• Richard Tiernan, Meath

The College is currently enrolling students for its day, weekend and Distance Learning Courses, which may be taken on a full time or part time basis.

Details on this website. Phone : 063 83604

An tIonad Glas Organic College Dromcollogher

“Food is the medicine and the medicine is in the food”.

Jennifer Allen Naturopath and food writer.

This talk will feature practical steps in getting a balanced diet for people of all ages. Jennifer Allen is a graduate of the college and has experience as a grower as well as a health practitioner.

College staff will be available to advise on courses and careers in the food and organic world.

Admission is free but spaces are limited and booking is advised.

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, Arron’s 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 ‘Slow Food Limerick & Region’ 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

We also welcome 35 new Distance Learning students.

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

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 day’s 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