ORGANICS WITH ALTITUDE!

News from Scotland

2011-03-23T14:23:00.000-07:00

We've been beavering away behind the scenes on various fronts over the past few months. More on all of these fronts soon.

In the meantime, here are two very brief updates.

Maggie Gordon of Barfil has certified organic Galloways for sale in Scotland: just 1hr 30mins from the boat. Contact the Galloway Cattle Society in Scotland for more.

And on that, we've had a feature in their occasional journal which was published recently. Again, more soon.

Weather proof farming: Galloways are go!

2010-11-30T05:17:00.000-08:00

Weather proof, recession proof, climate change proof cattle.

Really, the galloway got it all!

Here are two pics of Joe Condon's cattle taken today and yesterday (R). You can see a deterioration in the weather, but no let up in the cattle's foraging. They love this weather! When goats are coming down the hills in Wicklow, these Galloway cattle go higher.

They develop a double coat of hair in the winter, and have an extra thick skin. This means they don't develop a layer of fat over the winter - Lean, mean eatin' machines!

No expensive, climate busting, potentially GM and ultra-globalised compound feeds are needed for these cattle - they just keep eating the grasses that they themselves help bring on.

As a brucie bonus, this also means that the meat produced is grass fed meat, even over the winter and even for finishing. Who else can claim this?

This is meat that could be produced, literally, if the island was blockaded. This is meat that can be produced when and where nothing else can, and for a fraction of the costs and risks. Other farmers with other breeds will suffer, and will expect some sort of state support if this weather continues. These cattle don't need this.

All of this is also good for the bottom line - compound feeds are expensive, and the consumer pays in the end.

And its not just that there are negatives associated with compound feeds - in this weather it is hard to move them around. Simply put - farmers may find them hard to source and get a supply of.

Joe on the other hand, has no feed or fertilizer bills, and his machinery is a quad bike. The Galloways have access to sheds, but they don't bother to go in as they don't like going indoors.

So costs, with this farming system, simply disappear.

This is farming from the Celtic and Norman times, but it is also farming for the future.

JOHN FEEHAN ON OMEGA BEEF DIRECT FARM PART 2

2010-10-29T05:37:00.001-07:00

Here is part two of Dr.John Feehan's visit to the Omega Beef Direct holding, the model farm for this Organics with Altitude initiative.

Part one can be found here

I walked the Omega Beef Direct farm of Joe Condon in the hills above Ardfinan on the slopes of the Knockmealdown mountains the day after Tipperary won the All-Ireland hurling final in September. It was the wettest day we had had for weeks but nobody cared in the slightest. The ground had no time to soak up all that rain, and rivulets meandered across the boggy slopes to swell the torrents tumbling over the Old Red Sandstone rocks that form the core of the hills. Joe’s Galloways grazed under the pouring rain with total unconcern, inured through their thick coats to such minor vagaries of the weather. They are made for these hills, selected over centuries for this environment, comfortable up here in all but the harshest of weathers. A careful eye is kept on condition, especially in the winter, and extra feed is given where they are not up to standard.

At key stages they are fed in grass paddocks on lower ground. The farm is organic, so no fertiliser is used on these paddocks, with the result that they have a wide diversity of grass and herb species: bents, sweet vernal-grass, crested dog’s-tail, Yorkshire fog, with an abundance of yarrow, self-heal, tormentil, cat’s-ear, lesser stitchwort, mouse-ear and lots of others.

For the rest of the time the animals are on the mountain (which is freehold commonage, where sheep also graze) – a mosaic of wet and dry heath, heathy grassland and bog with lots of sphagnum – on which they wander extensively, feeding on the wide variety of grasses, herbs and shrubs here, the mixture being the key to their general good health. Any scarcity of feed is compensated for by the area over which they forage (at an unhurried, energy-conserving pace).

The vet is a rare visitor to the hills above Ardfinan. How different this is from conventional beef farming, where intensive grassland management results in a sward that consists largely if not entirely of rye-grass and white clover, which provide the animal with the most monotonous of diets: and where animals are selected with a more single-minded eye to price and consumer fashion. The varied diet on the hills, on the other hand, is exactly what nature intends for these animals: which accounts for their robust health – and evident contentment. Their short life has been stress-free, lived under the natural conditions in which they are most at home.

One of the unforeseen costs of modern farming has been the affect of the clover-ryegrass diet on animal health and welfare. The superior quality of the ryegrass sward on the best soils had been recognized since the 18th century – with reservations – but the animals’ diet was never restricted to it. The mixed sward of traditional farming provided grazing animals with a nutritionally varied and balanced diet conducive to better health and greater contentment.

Today we are concerned in an unprecedented way about animal welfare, and methods of animal husbandry conducive to better welfare are more likely to win favour with the buying public and can be exploited by the farmer to help offset any immediate decrease in income that results from losses of ‘productivity’ resulting from the adoption of more extensive methods. Reduced veterinary bills, and the greater satisfaction that accompanies work of developing the new skills required are all factors that further restore the balance.

The problems associated with the breeding of animals purely for yield as estimated by weight and monetary outcome are being recognised increasingly. The new paradigm for sustainable agriculture currently being modeled by Liam Downey and Gordon Purvis at UCD has as one of its two poles rumen function: in effect, a farm on which the animals are healthy and happy as well as productive: and the other pole is a pasture management that provides this while at the same time maintaining biodiversity, landscape quality and the physical and chemical integrity of air, soil and water.

Putting the animal’s welfare first does come at a price, because these cattle will not deliver the ‘prime’ cuts our modern extravagant taste in meat leads us to demand. But once you have tasted a hamburger made with this Omega Beef you may come to redefine your taste in beef!

The claim that animals reared under more natural conditions – with more space and freedom and a more varied natural diet – taste better is widely accepted, but is generally based on personal experience and often anecdotal. Scientific research is now beginning to add quantitative teeth to the claim. Recent work in England and Wales has shown that beef, lamb and milk from species-diverse pasture have improved flavour, colour and shelf life, and higher levels of beneficial fatty acids. This work begins to provide a scientific basis for the concept of ‘terroir’, which links locally-produced foods to particular geographical locations.

The way of farming practiced by Omega Beef and similar enterprises has enormous value in conservation terms. It keeps bracken from establishing and prevents dominance of scrub, furze and heather, maintaining a more open mosaic of microhabitat conducive to greater biodiversity. Indeed, it may prove the ideal way to counter the dominance of bracken on mountain land everywhere. This is conservation grazing – the way the uplands should be managed – at its best. It was by and large the way they were managed in the more extensive economy of the 19th-early 20th century: the fossil field pattern and the evidence of drainage and field enclosure on the hills above Ardfinan are relics of the enormous effort in manpower involved. Those who farm the hills today – rather than leave them to their own less biodiverse ecological devices – are benefiting from the vast legacy of their labour.

This is a model of sustainable farming that combines optimal use of marginal land, conservation of biodiversity, and animal welfare, with top quality meat. This is farming that consciously anchors itself in a tradition: with a sense of cultural continuity and environmental sustainability.

*****

Flags and bunting festooned every town and village I drove through as I made my way up to Thurles in the evening to join the throngs gathering to welcome the victorious Tipperary team home. There should be flags somewhere to celebrate the model of sustainable farming that is Omega Beef Direct.

JOHN FEEHAN ON OMEGA BEEF DIRECT FARM

2010-10-19T03:19:00.001-07:00

Recently, Dr. John Feehan of UCD visited Joe Condon's farm, the Omega Beef Direct holding, which is the model farm for Organics with Altitude. Here, we'll post what he thought of the visit.

John Feehan is a renowned academic and author of the definitive book on rural Ireland and farming: Farming in Ireland: history, Heritage and Environment.

(A video of his presentation at the Feasta Food event in UCD 2005 is available here)

What he wrote about the visit will be posted as two distinct entries. The first posting outlines the background context of food production in modernity. The second posting will be about the Omega Beef Direct farm visit itself.

John Feehan:

Among the greatest challenges faced by humanity in our time is that of doubling food production in order to feed a population expected to reach 9 billion by 2050. Two-thirds of these people will be in dense conurbations to which they have moved because they can no longer find enough to support them in the countryside. These people will not have the land resources to feed themselves, and will depend increasingly not on food produced in the urban hinterland or indeed elsewhere in their own country, but on imported food.

The options available to meet the challenge do not include taking more land into cultivation, because there is no more land: the good land is already in production. Most of what is left is desert, mountain or city: and indeed, in 2006 the International Food Policy Research Institute reported that 40 per cent of what is farmed today is seriously degraded. We cannot afford to lose any more farmland: in 50 years time we will need every hectare of agricultural land we have.

Areas of the world that are critical to feeding today’s 7 billion will no longer be able to supply their current grain surpluses to meet the need of burgeoning nations that can no longer feed themselves, as rising temperatures put pressure on the world’s great cereal-growing areas and water tables continue to fall as a result of the overpumping of aquifers – in effect, the mining of fossil water that cannot be replaced.

This is a challenge that will take all of our ingenuity and skill, all the more so because it has to be met without further loss of biodiversity and without compromising environmental integrity.

Here in Ireland we are in a privileged position. We will have ample supplies of water into the foreseeable future, and the marginal land allowed to slip out of productive agriculture constitutes a productive land bank that can be reclaimed. We will see farmed once more land on the margins that was taken into production in earlier times and abandoned as the tide of intensification concentrated on the ‘best’ land. This includes the extensive acres on the hills taken from the wild as the population rose to its pre-Famine peak of eight million people to be fed from local resources: reclaimed at a cost in human labour we can hardly comprehend in our mechanized society.

This land cannot be made productive however by applying the oil-dependent intensive techniques of the last 60 years, which will have become obsolete half a century hence. In a future in which the high price of oil will have made the extensive use of fertilizer uneconomic, we will need to develop – or recover – an agriculture that is based on inherent fertility.

This will require an understanding not only of the principles of the applied science of agro-ecology, but of how those principles are to be applied in the unique circumstances of each place. In its newfound adherence to the principles of self-sufficiency this new agriculture will be a return to the older knowledge of the past, but the greater understanding and control which the advance of science and technology have given us will mean that it is enhanced by the best of appropriate technology.

GALLOWAYS AVAILABLE

2010-10-18T06:26:00.000-07:00

Lots of Galloway availability on DoneDeal at the moment.

Have a look here for Galloways in Mayo, Donegal ,Tipperary and Offaly

Available Galloways and expeller

2010-10-08T03:21:00.000-07:00

Ben Colchester (drumeen farm) has organic rapeseed expeller for sale. this is a high protein winter feed, and it's reasonably priced. His details are here

Margaret Hyde Kelly has15 galloways for sale, c.300 kg c.E500 each. She's on 01 4973426

Finally, Joachim Schafer has a certified organic Galloway bull for sale. 078-48271 E-mail: Galloway@dol.ie

GREEN GALLOWAYS

2010-09-20T07:55:00.000-07:00

Interesting feature on the new look Galloway Cattle Society website about conservation grazing and Galloways.

Have a look here and don't forget to have a look around their site too.

ORGANICS WITH ALTITUDE NEWSLETTER THREE

2010-08-18T09:32:00.001-07:00

Here is the third Organics with Altitude Newsletter. this is a low-res version which should be easy to open on line and download.

HERE IT IS!

Printed copies also available. In this, you can find out about:

Our meeting with Michelle Gildernew (DARD minister for Agriculture); lots about Dexters and how they too suit Organics with Altitude; how to get direct selling; how to retain ownership of your product form start to finish; and how Organics with Altitude is somehow connected to the Wire!

Plus, just in case you are unsure, we have a special feature on what, exactly, is Organics with Altitude anyway?

First Day at Youghal Farmers' Market

2010-07-08T13:20:00.000-07:00

Blackwater Garden Centre in Youghal, Cork, held its first farmers' market last Saturday. What a good idea: bringing garden centres and farmers' markets together.

How foodie is that?

In fact, there are a myriad of good reasons for bringing these two things together: shelter and general comfort for stallholders, a retail atmosphere, good parking, knowledgeable foodie customers out to spend, ability to 'market the market' at the garden centre 7 days a week, the list goes on really.

It went very well by all accounts, with two of our farmers - Jim Lucy and Martin O Leary - selling out of product well before the end.

The site is here , and here's a pic of the first stallholders:

(L to R: Jim Lucy (black Angus beef), Siobhan Cronin (baking and savoury products), Mary Kay Solomon ( American style baking, fresh eggs and salad leaves), Maria Anthony ( local honey and honey based creams), Bernie Morel ( home made breads), Ann Foley (fresh in-season vegetables), Martin O Leary (lamb), Michael Walsh (fresh fish from Irish waters), Joe Condon of Omega Beef Direct.

Martin O Leary's farm

2010-06-22T05:52:00.001-07:00

Update: across on my other blog, there an account of the walk and talk myself & Martin had recently.....see here

Martin O Leary is about to start direct selling his own lamb. He's been working with us from the start, and has just started producing lamb burgers, mince and the various cuts. I've tasted them, and have to say they taste amazing!

Very lean meat - the mince tastes very smooth in the mouth - no fat residues left behind in the mouth, as I sometimes get with other mince.

The burgers are real standout burgers, with perfectly texture. The cuts are excellent too - the small amount of fat on them is really sweet, while the meat itself is very tender.

He'll start selling at the new Farmers' Market at Scott's Hotel, in Killarney, this coming Friday. I'd highly recommend his meat.

To whet your appetite, here's a pic from his farm in Gleninchiquin, Beara Peninsula. You can see the Macgillycuddy's Reeks off in the background.

And here's a collection of them on Flikr - well worth a look.

Direct Selling your meat

2010-06-11T06:33:00.000-07:00

For farmers who have recently signed up to the Organic Farming Scheme, one of the most sensible ways to make the most of your in conversion to organic period is to sell direct to the consumer at farmers' markets.

For organic and conventional farmers alike, this option is becoming more popular. I spoke to Ray Dunne of Quarrymount meats at a new market in Dublin recently. He sells the meat from 50 of his 150 conventional Continental beef animals through farmers' markets.

The crucial difference between this and selling to the factory is the proportion of the profits you keep for yourself: all of them. While there is a day spent selling, and time spent on other related tasks, those who, like Dunne, sell direct, find it worthwhile.

Some of the bigger farmers' markets in the cities now have footfall of thousands, with the busiest having upwards of 10,000 on a given day.

Rental costs for stall space simply pale into insignificance when compared to shop rents.

Consumers are more willing to shop around than previously, and farmers' markets are benefiting from this extra footfall.

Prices can be kept reasonable for the consumer and at the same time profitable for the farmer, due to the lack of a middleman.

Some of this may seem like old news, but the recession was supposed to be the end of farmers' markets, and it has not turned out to be the case at all.

There are some basic tasks farmers need to go through to start direct selling. The good news is that once you have your product in place, you can be up and running within 3 months, if you put your mind to it.

Taking the middle level of difficulty, and looking at the farmer who wants to direct sell his own (frozen) meat, here are some of the steps needed, in sequence, starting from the point where you have product in place.

Do some background research into what consumers want, and where you might sell. Visit markets, talk to traders and try to find gaps in the market. Bord Bia have a good document called “Guide to Direct Selling” on their website: page 8-37 and appendix one are the core elements of this document.

It is definitely worth doing a food hygiene course. It is a good idea to communicate with local Environmental Health Officers from as early as possible, telling them about your meat selling plans and the food hygiene course.

Courses run all over the country: See for example those run by www.safehands.ie (their next course is on 19th June in Dublin)

According to Bord Bia: “Insurance cover for product liability, public liability and employers’ liability is now a minimum requirement for all markets. However, the level of cover required can vary significantly, depending on the type of food you are selling.”

Having researched options for 4-5 weeks, secure you place at a farmers' market. While there are queues of potential stallholders for markets these days, farmers with their own produce tend to get some preferential treatment on waiting lists.

Have a suitable butcher secured and briefed on what exactly you want, in terms of cuts, packaging, labelling.

Along with your transport and basic retail kit – freezer and chilled display unit - have a sheet outlining your traceability measures ready for your first trading day. This should include the following:

Tag number of animal, breed, date of birth, slaughter date and location, date of preparation and blast freezing, plant number, best before best before date (when frozen; you will need a use by date if fresh), meat plant number, herd number (i.e. farm number and the individual animal's tag number, which acts like a batch number), storage information (minus 18 degrees) farmer details (name and address) In conversion to organic licence number, Certifying body, licence expiry date.

Generate publicity if possible, and establish and develop your information for market conversations. When you start, take feedback and use it where applicable.

Once this is all in place, you are ready to go.

Galloways for sale

2010-06-10T02:14:00.000-07:00

Galloways, incl bull, for sale.

087 2647594 (pure bred belted bull, Kildare) Ben Castlemartin

086 2489189 for 5 heifers and 2 bull calves (Tipperary)

For more see pg 40 of today's Farmers' Journal

Cattle for sale

2010-05-20T02:33:00.000-07:00

The following is for sale in Today's Farmers' Journal, page 38 in J3:

Pure Bred 19 month Dexter Bull 041 6857715 (Louth)

Pure Bred 2 .5 year old Belted Galloway heifers 087 6609344 (Clare)

3 year old Highland Bull 048 67738989 (Northern Ireland)

Mixed Highland Pure Bred cattle 086 8309707 Limerick

and also in Cork 021 4661451/086 8339342

Organic conversion label could enable price premiums

2010-05-19T07:31:00.000-07:00

Organic conversion label could enable price premiums: "Developing an official ‘label’ for organic conversion-grade produce would let farmers secure price premiums while they are going through the organic conversion process, claims a new European study."

Food Hygiene Training

2010-05-14T09:14:00.000-07:00

Courses in food hygiene are very important for those of you thinking of direct selling.

Here are some examples from Safehands: see the courses here

and more from Daralinn here

FARMERS' MARKETS SURVEY RESULTS

2010-05-14T06:21:00.000-07:00

Here is a recent (Nov 2009) Teagasc survey on artisan and speciality selling at farmers' markets:

here

Galloway bulls for sale

2010-05-13T02:16:00.000-07:00

Galloway bull also for sale; see today's Farmers' Journal p.43:

2 year old pedigree bull, Cork, 086 8232058

Galloway Cow for sale

2010-05-12T06:58:00.000-07:00

See the link on farmads.ie:

its a 3 yr old belted galloway crossed with a pedigree Angus, with a bull calf. Ad claims she's hardy and was kept outdoors ove rthe winter in the Sleive Aughtys.

Full details here: farmads

IOFGA application form checklist for farmers joining Organic Farming Scheme

2010-05-11T08:54:00.000-07:00

Below is the checklist from the IOFGA application form for joining the Orgnaic Farming Scheme 2010.

N.B. Please return the completed form and relevant payment (see list of charges on the sheet headed IOFGA Operating and Application Procedures) together with:

1.Conversion/Development Plan- this must be signed by operator;

2.Soil Analysis Results;

3.Application fee-Please make cheque payable to IOFGA.

4.6 inch and 25/50 inch Ordnance Survey Maps;

5.Department of Agriculture, Food and Rural Development ORG 1 Form;

6.Faecal Parasite Examination Report and detailed Health Plan. This plan must be signed off by a veterinary surgeon;

7.A simple sketch map of your entire holding;

8.A detailed plan of your animal housing including the dimensions of each shed and the number of animals that can be housed in each shed;

9.Copy of REPS Plan and schedule of area (s);

10. Any other documentation to support your application.

To the Inspection and Certification Scheme

IOFGA

Main Street

Newtownforbes

Co. Longford

Tel: 043-3342495 Fax: 043-42496

Email: iofga@eircom.net

Galloway bull for sale

2010-04-29T03:12:00.000-07:00

5 yr old Belted Galloway bull for sale: see Farmers' Journal p 43

Co. Clare: 087 6609344

Galloways for sale in Scotland

2010-04-21T03:42:00.000-07:00

5 Galloway heifers for sale in Scotland, just outside Dumfries, close to the Ferry.

The are BT vaccinated and Lepto and IBR tested.

For more, contact Dorothy in the Galloway Society Scotland:

(Dorothy from Galloway Cattle Society is on 07730143976, and the office is staffed Wed and Fri:

tel/fax: 0044 1556 502753)

or email info 'at' gallowaycattlesociety.co.uk (replace word at with @)

RTE radio 1's CountryWide features Organics with Altitude

2010-04-19T02:38:00.000-07:00

Organics with Altitude featured on RTE Radio One's CountryWide. Darragh visited Joe and Eileen Condon's farm and discussed Omega Beef Direct.

He also gave a great mention to Organics with Altitude.

Links to both sites and the show itself can be found here: CountryWide

Scroll over to 20 minutes and the feature is there.

Galloways and Dexters for sale

2010-03-27T10:12:00.000-07:00

Sorry about the delay in getting this up folks, but there are two classified ads in the Farmers' Journal of interest this week:

Bull for sale in Ennis mart tomorrow (086 8239777)

Dexter and Galloway weanlings for sale in Donegal too (087 2106939)

Business Activity Road Map: Direct Sell by July

2010-03-24T04:12:00.001-07:00

Business Activity Tree

Here's how to get to direct selling your own certified organic meat by mid July. The diagram of the business activity tree, which runs from March to July, is available here:

download

Here is the textual information to accompany this.

Download

WHY JOIN THE ORGANIC FARMING SCHEME

2010-03-15T09:18:00.000-07:00

Here are some of the benefits to being certified organic, when direct selling meat from specific upland breeds to the consumer.

There are a number of other reasons to consider organic certification in general, but this feature specifically relates to direct selling meat form upland breeds at farmers' markets.

1: Organic gives the producer an attractive product differentiation, one that allows the producer to retain ownership of the product from beginning to the end, and at all stages in between. This is particularly important at the butchering stage: with an organic animal, your product is not really in competition with the butcher's own retail product. Organic Galloway means a distinctly different animal, and the butcher is then more responsive to requests.

2: At the retail stage, organic certification is beneficial too: again you do not threaten the local butcher and his retail operations. Organic meat can be sold at farmers' markets in towns where conventional butchers operate without causing any bad feeling. This is important in the establishment of farmers' markets and for producers trying to gain access to established farmers' markets

3: Organic meat is especially sought at the farmers' market, where many markets go out of their way to accommodate local organic farmers. Some of the most prominent markets in Dublin especially go out of their way for organic meat, as do many in Cork.

4: For selling onto mainstream retail outlets, such as catering, public procurement, independent stores and supermarkets, organic certification offers a lot of reassurances to the buyer. In Joe Condon's own case, a particular retail outlet recently upgraded their requirements for suppliers in food safety and regulatory terms. However, they were 100% were happy with what's in his organic license - were he not certified organic, with a small processors license, he would have had to spend a considerable amount of time and money upgrading a range of measures.

By just being a fully competent and certified direct selling organic farmer, many of current and upcoming regulatory issues are covered.

5: For export markets organic is both a growing area and a quality (re)assurance. Long food chains see organic as a reassurance, especially going forward with the new compulsory EU organic logo.

6: There is a mark up/premium for organic. Even those who sell on to the bulk organic market claim that there is a premium of 10-15% for more standard animals.

7: The Organic Faming Scheme was recently reintroduced, whereas other similar schemes such as REPS have been downgraded. Organic payment rates are: €212 per hectare (ha) in conversion, from 3 to 55 ha, and a further €30 per ha for every ha above 55 ha claimed.

Full organic status: €106 per ha, from 3 to 55 ha, with €15 per ha for every ha above 55 claimed.

8: Organic farming is a growth area, whilst organic food sales are strong even in the recession. The volume of organic food is up 3% according to the most recent (September 2009) figures; the value is down in line with inflation, but less than so the conventional sector. The latter has seen both value and volume declines.

Beef Expo in Dungannon

2010-03-10T05:18:00.001-08:00

Oliver Moore and four farmers interested in Organics with Altitude went to the Beef expo in Dungannon recently.

(pic: Oliver Moore, Oisin Murnion, Michelle Gildernew discuss Organics with Altitude)

Sean Martin (Donegal) , Padraig Keogh, Ailish Byrne (Carlow) and Joe condron (Westmeath) all made the trip to Tyrone. There, we met some key people. These included Jim Ross and Dorothy Goldie of the Galloway Society in Scotland.

This proved to be very informative - it was also great to get to meet them without having to travel over to Scotland, which would have been expensive and time consuming.

They told us a lot about Galloway availability in Scotland, and talked us through a range of stock-related issues. We found out, for example, about four organic herds in Scotland and the north of England with potential stock available. We also collected a big bundle of Galloway Society Journals, which is jam packed full of useful information. We will no doubt interact more with the Galloway society, who offered to help facilitate visits to their region to view stock. In due course, it may indeed prove to be useful for ourselves and interested farmers to travel to Scotland to access stock, so their help in this regard will be most welcome.

Oisin Murnion (Tyrone) and Joe Smyth (Antrim) were there at the show; both had excellent Galloway cattle on display. Oisin currently has stock available, while Joe will have soon. Both were very helpful and good with their time - Oisin was in fact the main organiser of the overall event, so his time was precious.

Oisin also facilitated the meeting we had with the DARD minister Michelle Gildernew. This proved to be very fruitful and informative. The Minister and her team were very supportive, and made various suggestions for the Organics with Altitude initiative to establish itself in Northern Ireland. To this end, we also spoke to the Countryside Agri-Rural Partnership, and will interact with this organisation in the weeks ahead.

All in all, a very productive day.

What is Organics with Altitude

2010-03-09T04:52:00.000-08:00

Organics with Altitude is an initiative based on the farming and food business model developed by Joe and Eileen Condon - Omega Beef Direct.

The Condons are certified organic and stock Galloways on their upland farm, which is a mixture of enclosed and unenclosed land.

The Galloways are year round grazed, slaughtered and processed locally, the meat is dry aged for a minimum of two weeks, packed in an on farm packaging unit, and sold direct to restaurants, on line and at farmers markets.

The Organics with Altitude initiative involves training and mentoring a selected group of farmers from various parts of Ireland's uplands to replicate this model. Along with Galloways, other suitable upland animals are promoted, primarily blackface mountain sheep and Dexters.

Management supports are in place to help with the initiative, in the areas of development, coordination, research and promotion.

The mentoring involves one-to-one support for each stage of the protocol - production, slaughter, preparation, distribution and the consumer.

We have written a production protocol for cattle, which encompasses each stage from production to the consumer. A parallel protocol exists for the extra mature blackface mountain sheep.

We are in the process of developing a team of regionally diverse farmers to farm and operate in a way similar to Omega Beef Direct: so we are encouraging and helping to develop suitable upland breeds, artisan butchering, direct routes to market and organic certification for these farmers.

(We feel that organic guarantees product differentiation, helps with relationships with butchers and price premiums. It is also a prerequisite for any of the more advanced supports we can offer).

Each farmer retains ownership of their product from beginning to end. they are encouraged to build up their own farming and food business model in their own region first, building their own business and brand.

We also encourage and facilitate farmers to work together, towards building Organics with Altitude as an organisation (potentially a co-op or a company, the farmers themselves will decide) with export potential. We are already working on export potentials in a number of ways.

Omega Beef Direct wins Irish Food Writers Guild Award

2010-03-09T03:38:00.001-08:00

The model upon which the Organics with Altitude initiative is based, Joe Condon's Omega Beef Direct farm and food business, recently picked up another award.

This time, it comes from the Irish Food Writers Guild, and is for Environmental Sustainability.

For more on sustainability and Omega Beef Direct, see earlier entry onto this blog here

Herd of Galloways for sale in Soctland

2010-03-08T03:16:00.000-08:00

Herd of Galloways for sale in Scotland. Contact Galloway Cattle Society for more information.

(Dorothy from Galloway Cattle Society is on 07730143976, and the office is staffed Wed and Fri:

tel/fax: 0044 1556 502753)

or email

info 'at' gallowaycattlesociety.co.uk

(note: replace the 'at' above with the symbol @ if you email)

Organics with Altitude newsletter 2 now available to download

2010-03-04T08:05:00.000-08:00

Yes folks, it is now available to download.

Click here

This edition features lots of info, including:

routes to market,

research and development,

a three page special focus on grasses,

questions and answers from our events in various places

and lots more!

Teagasc Course in Butchering and small scale meat production

2010-03-03T04:41:00.001-08:00

Perfect new course upcoming for farmers interested in Organics with Altitude's farming and food business model:

here

This course if a Teagasc run course on butchering and small scale meat production, and it runs from the 23rd=24th March.

All relevant contact details, booking forms etc at the link above.

Oisin Murnion and his Galloways

2010-02-25T04:34:00.000-08:00

See article on Oisin Murnion's exceptional Galloways in Northern Ireland here (pg 29). A detailed farming piece, the article also includes info on how his Galloways help with biodiversity balance: how they keep back bracken and manage heather. (Oisin is organising the Beef Expo in Dungannon on Tuesday)

More Galloways for Sale

2010-02-25T03:16:00.001-08:00

See today's (25th Feb) Irish Farmers' Journal p.30, in the rare breed section for details on Galloways for sale .

Galloway Cattle Society in Dungannon

2010-02-24T07:36:00.000-08:00

The Galloway Cattle Society from Scotland will be attending the Northern Ireland Beef Expo in Dungannon (Tyrone) on Tuesday 2nd March. Myself (Oliver) will be attended in the afternoon - get in touch if you'd like to meet up at the event.

see here for more (note, the regional organiser of Northern Ireland Beef Expo, Oisin Murnion, stocks Galloways himself)

(Picture taken from their Galloway Cattle Society website)

ORGANIC TRAINING COURSES 2ND WEEK MARCH

2010-02-19T09:05:00.000-08:00

The next round of Teagasc Organic training Courses begin on the second week in March. These E200 courses, one day per week for five weeks, are compulsory for new applicants to the Organic Farming Scheme.

They will be held in:

Macroom, Dungarvan, Listowel, Ennis, Kilkenny, Mullingar, Boyle, Athenry, Mohill and Donegal.

(Note: Boyle is already full)

Teagasc Organic Advisors:

Pat Barry, Moorepark 087-2138331

Dan Clavin, Athenry 087-9368506

Elaine Leavy, Grange 087-9853285

James McDonnell, Oak Park 087-3293820

Galloways for sale

2010-02-18T06:07:00.001-08:00

On p. 40 of this week's Farmers' Journal:

15 belted Galloways for sale: Phone 087 6821545 (Cork)

Fodder Solutions

2010-02-17T06:48:00.000-08:00

For those with limited access to grass, the following may be of interest.

Fodder Solutions is a way to grow your own feed using hydroponics.

From their own site:

"The system is a hydroponic growing room that has been specifically developed to sprout grain and legume seeds for highly nutritious yet cost effective livestock feed.

A selection of grains and legume seeds are spread onto the specialised growing trays and are watered at pre-determined intervals with overhead sprays. A set temperature is maintained inside the chamber to ensure the best growth and highest nutritional value fodder possible.

Each day you simply slide the feed out of the trays, rinse the tray, reseed and push the newly seeded tray into the other end. The system holds enough trays so your desired amount of feed is available everyday."

Importantly for Organics with Altitude, here's a Californian certified organic farmer using it:

organic

Bord Bia Guide to Direct Selling

2010-02-16T03:29:00.000-08:00

There is a very useful Bord Bia guide to selling direct available to download.

It covers farmers' markets, box schemes and farm shops, and has an impressive collection of useful information.

Its especially useful as it has pricing models in the appendix, as well as checklists of what you may need for each of the routes to market.

It is available to download

Here

Organic Training Courses start this week

2010-01-25T12:07:00.000-08:00

The Teagasc Organic Training Courses start this week: Click here to see where and when.

Teagasc Organic Advisors:

Pat Barry, Moorepark 087-2138331

Dan Clavin, Athenry 087-9368506

Elaine Leavy, Grange 087-9853285

James McDonnell, Oak Park 087-3293820

Farmers Journal feature

2010-01-21T02:45:00.000-08:00

See this week's Irish Farmers Journal for a feature on Organics with Altitude.

(on line edition updated each monday)

YEAR ROUND GRAZING GALLOWAYS

2010-01-18T06:23:00.000-08:00

Despite the floods, frost and snow, the Omega Beef Direct farm has thrived. The Galloways are well used to tough conditions, and manage just fine outdoors.

In fact, relying on getting feeds onto a holding in floods, or relying on using sheds with frozen water, would have been very challenging - especially on top of a hill.

All the better then, that the Omega Beef Direct farm relies on neither feeds nor sheds. The foggage winter grasses' growth keeps the ground warm, even when there's 4 inches of snow on top.

Organics with Altitude on the road: Listowel, Bantry and Killarney

2009-12-07T09:39:00.001-08:00

Since the Sligo event, Oliver Moore and Joe Condon have visited Lisrowel, Bantry and Killarney.

The Listowel event was part of the town's Food Festival. Joe spoke at a large agri-food conference, and then, the next day, we held an event in the local farmers' market and in the Seanachi centre. There were also adverts running on local radio, in the community news section.

(Image: (c) Joe Condon and Neilie O Leary talk at Bantry market)

The farmers' market in Listowel is a decent, busy market, quite bit for the size of the town. We met a number of different types of people there: farmers from the Dingle peninsula and west Kerry in general, a few who had seen Joe speak the night previously, Timmy Flemming of the Ring of Kerry Quality Lamb group, and regional farmers from Cork and Kerry who were interested in the initiative in general.

Along with more general questions about all the stages of the protocol, the main question areas revolved stock availability and around consumer perception of frozen meat.

Myself and Joe decided from that point on to develop more information about stock availability for people. We also spoke to attendees of the benefits, from a nutritional and consumer perception perspective, of frozen organic meat, especially of burgers.

In Bantry, we had our biggest group yet, and there were a number of potentially key operators present. We met and Martin O Flynn's organic stall in the Bantry market: there we met John McKenna, IFA Hill farming committee chair Neilie O Leary, and a range of farmers, with everything from 30 to 1000 acres.

We were delighted with the support of Neilie O Leary, who spoke to us of the benefits of farmers working together, and his own love of the taste of heather grazed l;amb.

We had Leap-based in conversion farmer Kevin Crowley at this one too, and it was great to have a regional farmer present who was already converting to organic and already had Galloways. Indeed, I'd say there were a few contacts made there that may last.

A lot of innovative ideas and enthusiasm abounded at this meeting, and we'd be hopeful that we'll work with a few from this group. Some present were concerned about the grazing levels on their commonages; sourcing stock and organic stocking rates for commonages and the suitability of Dexters to the system.

Our final trip away was to Killarney, to the Teagasc organic training course. We spoke to the group about the project, and fielded questions after that. We were delighted to see people we'd encountered elsewhere on this course, as it suggests they are stepping closer to organic. We also spoke to people who already had extra mature mountain lambs or who were interested in direct selling. The questions were very detailed from this group.

In the new Year, we'll be heading over to Connemara.

In the meantime, have a great Christmas and New Year!

Oliver Moore

Muiris O Grady: heather weather

2009-11-26T15:43:00.000-08:00

The pair of us have been on the road, telling farmers from Donegal to Bantry about Organics with Altitude. So it is high time we updated this site. I'll start with a feature on Muiris O Grady.

Muiris is a neighbour of Joe Condon, and he's just started direct selling extra mature mountain lamb. The info below is in fact a few weeks old now: Muiris is still enjoying direct selling just as much.

Muiris O Grady from Waterford is another dipping his toe into direct selling. Indeed, the market he is selling at is new too. Kilmackthomas market, just outside Waterford city, began Halloween weekend in the business park.

There were about 15 stalls at the busy Friday market, including crafts, apple juice, flowers, two meat stalls, cheese and vegetables.

O' Grady featured in farming some months ago, when selling his extra mature blackface mountain lambs to high end restaurants. He stocks 500 sheep and 15 beef animals, along with 30 of the extra mature lambs in the Nire Valley.

I asked him why he choose this new route to market. “I just wanted to try something new, to try to make a few pound”. With lamb numbers in severe decline for many years across Ireland, coupled with poor prices, its easy to see why a young sheep farmer would try something new.

A step like this, into direct selling, is a big one. Farming is in many ways the exact opposite of direct selling, especially somewhere as isolated as the Nire Valley. You simply don't interact with large numbers of people a daily basis.

Speaking to him just after his first market, I asked Muiris O Grady if he had any retail experience of any sort. He laughed: “no, nothing like that!” He continues. “It was a big change I can tell you. But it was fine, you just get on with it. Most of the customers just bought and that was it. Some chatted, just asking where it was reared and that, just general chat.”

“It wasn't bad at all. It was a nice experience in fact. I know what I had. I wasn't trying to cod people. It was good stuff. And now I'm looking forward to going again. Definitely”.

He described the market as “good, very lively, with a great atmosphere. Importantly, “I sold out of what I brought. I brought 1 ½ full lambs, in chops, legs, stir fry mince and burgers. They all went”.

“The chops in particular went well. I also had cooked samples of the stir fry mince. I found the burgers were a bit slower, but I know people who have sampled them and once they've tasted them, they come back for more. People aren't as used to lamb burgers”.

As so often is the case, the cliches about farmers' markets' prices and customers are way off the mark in the case of Killmackthomas.

There were of course some people from the business park, but there were plenty of country people from around rural Waterford, doing their shopping.

And the prices were bang on: 4 chops for 6Euro, 6 chops for 8Euro; 4 burgers for 6Euro, stirfry mince for 6 Euro and legs for E25.

O' Grady gets his meat butchered by John Finn in Mitchelstown, who lets it hang for over a week.

Muiris O Grady jumped in at the deep end. Facing into more of the same with sheep, he diversified into selling good food direct to customers.

He didn't have an iota of experience of dealing with the public in a retail context. But sometimes, this actually sits quite well with the customer. Customers are craving value and authenticity – real proper food at a decent price.

And it is quite easy to see how and why they would then trust the genuineness of the real farmer selling his own food.

With so many brash, polished snakeoil salesmen out there, a farmer selling his own food direct has, to use a slightly obscure but eminently apt word, genuinity.

Organics with Altitude Newsletter

2009-10-22T12:29:00.001-07:00

Hot off the press, here is the first edition of our Organics with Altitude newsletter, free to download

Organics with Altitude visit north west

2009-10-08T08:51:00.000-07:00

We've had good interest from farmers in the north west thus far, so we're holding our first out of Tipperary event on 24th October in Sligo IT.

See below for more details, and get in touch if you'd like to attend:

Interested in making hill farming more profitable? Then the Organics with Altitude event in Sligo Saturday 24th October should be well worth attending.

Organics with Altitude is a farmer-led initiative, spearheaded by Tipperary farmer Joe Condon, and supported by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food.

Condon is a successful organic upland farmer from the Knockmealdowns in Tipperary, who sells direct to his loyal customers. The core elements of Condon's Organics with Altitude initiative mirror his farming practices. These are the stocking of suitable upland breeds, artisan butchering, direct selling to the consumer and organic certification.

The event on the 24th begins at Sligo farmers' market, which is held in the front car park of Sligo Institute of Technology (Sligo IT) each Saturday. Farmers will meet from 11am where they will experience what is one of the north west's busiest markets.

Farmers will get a chance to see the retailing of both value added produce and organic meats in this setting. Various pertinent aspects of direct selling will be explained by Joe Condon. Useful information will also be gleaned from Irish Organic Meats operator Declan McCarthy, who sells at Sligo farmers' market each week, and Guy Marsden, organic farmer and one of the organisers of the market.

Following this, the event moves into Sligo IT itself. From 2PM to 4PM. Oliver Moore and Joe Condon will explain the other aspects of the Organics with Altitude initiative to attendees. The initiative has a five stage production protocol, encompassing production, slaughter, processing, packaging and retailing. Each stage will feature in the afternoon presentations.

A particular emphasis will be on animal husbandry and farm management, disease prevention, the sourcing suitable organic stock, artisan butchering and keeping costs down. The importance of organic certification, as well as the benefits of mixed and direct retail outlets will also feature.

Rural development specialist Dr. Oliver Moore, a graduate of Sligo IT, will complement the guided discussion and presentation by Joe Condon.

Joe Condon and Dr. Oliver Moore are spearheading the initiative. Joe Condon stocks Galloways on his farm, a combination of 40 acres unenclosed commonage and 40 acres enclosed lowlands. He sells direct to his loyal customers in Clonmel and Dungarvan farmers' markets, on his website - www.omegabeefdirect.com - and to a small number of specialist outlets and restaurants.

“Combining the right upland breed, such as Galloways, organic certification and direct selling is a definite positive option for farmers in the current economic climate” according to Condon. “It gives farmers more control over their own product, while also suiting the uplands”.

Referring to his sales “I haven't seen a slowdown whatsoever in sales. Consumers want quality, and if they get it at the right price, they will keep coming back for more”.

To find out more about the event on the 24th October in Sligo IT, contact Joe Condon on 087 2735447 or email info 'at' organicswithaltitude.com

Upcoming events: restaurants and marts

2009-10-05T02:22:00.000-07:00

2 different types of events, of interest to anyone interested in organic cattle, sheep or in supplying restaurants.

The Restaurant Association of Ireland (RAI) has recently been in contact with Bord Bia with a view to arranging a series of networking events between local suppliers and RAI members that will tie-in with their forthcoming branch meetings. The objective of these events is to introduce local suppliers to local restaurants, with a view to creating business opportunities.

Meet the restauranteur

Tuesday, 6th October Midwest Savoy Hotel, Limerick

Wednesday, 7th October Galway Radisson Blu, Galway

Thursday, 8th October Dublin St Stephens Green Hibernian Hotel

Monday, 12th October Midlands Fallons Hotel, Kilcullen

Tuesday, 13th October Kerry Malton Hotel, Killarney

Wednesday, 14th October Cork Best Western Ambassador Hotel, Cork

Monday, 19th October Southeast Lyrath Hotel, Kilkenny

Tuesday, 20th October Northeast D Hotel, Drogheda

Wednesday, 21st October Northwest Radisson Blu, Sligo

Upcoming organic marts:

Birr Saturday October 17th 2009;

Drumshanbo Saturday October 24th 2009;

Drumshanbo Saturday November 21st 2009.

Teagasc Organic Training Courses

2009-10-01T05:38:00.000-07:00

Trevor Sargent TD, Minister for Food and Horticulture at the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food today welcomed the publication of Teagasc's schedule of organic farming courses which will commence on October 20th next at 12 locations around the country.

"As announced, it is my intention, subject to the outcome of the estimates process, to re-open the Organic Farming Scheme from 1 January 2010 with revised scheme conditions. These Teagasc FETAC accredited courses fulfil the new requirement of potential applicants for the Organic Farming Scheme to complete an accredited course. The course will also train attendees on how to compile the newly required five-year business plan. I'm delighted that Teagasc have responded so promptly to the needs of potential applicants", said Minister Sargent.

Details of courses:

Introduction to Organic Production LL3508 FETAC Accredited Course

Courses starting week of 20th October.

25 hour course.

€200 per participant

Course Times: 10.00am - 12.30pm

2.00pm - 4.30pm one day per week over 5 weeks.

OCurses will be held in:

Boyle, Killarney, Navan Enniscorthy (from Tuesday 20th October)

Ennis, Mallow, Letterkenny, Moate (from Wednesday 21st October)

Athenry, Clonmel, Ballyhaise College, Portlaoise (from Thursday 22nd October)

Contact the course leaders for further information:

Pat Barry, Teagasc, Moorepark: 087-2138331

Dan Clavin, Teagasc, Athenry: 087-9368506

Elaine Leavy, Teagasc, Grange: 087-9853285

James McDonnell, Teagasc, Oakpark: 087-3293820

Sustainability & Organics with Altitude 2: the local dimension

2009-09-17T13:59:00.000-07:00

What's local about Omega Beef Direct:

well, what isn't? The farm and food business are located in the Knockmealdown mountains, on the Tipperary Waterford border. Every aspect has a local dimension, from the beginning to the end.

Firstly, the Galloway breed has lived in the uplands of Ireland, including the Knockmealdowns, for at least 1000 years.
Some of the stock comes from on farm breeding.
Then there's the feed: local plants growing out of the ground beneath the cattle's feet. No brought in feeds are used, so all food eaten by the cattle is from the farm itself. Indeed, no intensive agri-industrial inputs are used, so all the growing the grass and animals do comes from the careful husbandry and farm management.
Slaughter happens in nearby Lismore, where Michael McGrath has decades and indeed generations of experience as an artisan butcher catering for the needs of local farmers. The meat is packed back on the farm itself in a dedicated packing unit, and hung for 3 weeks.
Packaging is done on the farm itself
Packaging and branding reflect the local dimension, as does the website.
Retail is mainly local too: most of the meat sold is sold through Dungarvan farmers' market, while a new stall has also been opened in Clonmel. Even the Waterford city chef who feature's Omega Beef Direct burgers on his menu comes to the farmers' market in Dungarvan to purchase. The only shop to stock Omega Beef Direct meat is Ardkeen quality food store, also in Waterford.

So along with the very self sufficient farm, that's Clonmel, Lismore, Dungarvan and Waterford city. In other words, the two counties the farm straddles, and all within an hour of the farm.

Sustainability and Organics with Altitude

2009-09-17T13:52:00.000-07:00

Organics with Altitude is based on the farming system of Omega Beef Direct.

So what's sustainable about Omega Beef Direct?

Well, what isn't?

The breed chosen by the farm are Galloways. As Galloways have a think double coat, they do not need to be housed indoors for the winter. In fact, they thrive in the outdoors at altitude. So no unsustainable high energy winter feeds are bought in for feeding: the animals stay outdoors and eat what's beneath their feet. Simple as that.
There are 64 different plant species per hectare, according to an ecological survey done by consultants BEC. This is far higher than either most farms or the uplands in general, which are actually facing scrub encroachment due to undergrazing. Omega Beef Direct stocks the right animals at the right stocking rate, which encourages optimum plant biodiversity, according to the ecologists who surveyed the farm.
The holding is certified organic, so none of the high fossil fuel using agri-industrial inputs are used - synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides etc.
Not only is this meat produced without winter feed or these agri-industrial inputs, it is also processed, packaged and sold locally, keeping the food miles and carbon footprint down to an absolute minimum. All of this is done within one hour's drive of the farm, and the packaging is actually done on farm. Retail is at: Dungarvan and Clonmel farmers' markets, as well as at a restaurant (Bodega) and quality food store (Ardkeen) in Waterford City: all retail options themselves are key local food supporting outlets. By supporting these retail options, Omega Beef Direct is helping the region develop and maintain its future food sustainability.
Some meat is sold via web sales; in this case, large freezer boxes of low input meat sold to other locations on the island is still a sustainable option, as it reduces the need for constant trips to the shop (minimum order is 5 kg).
Omega Beef Direct is not just environmentally sustainable it is economically sustainable too: less than 20% of the income comes from state supports.

In short, this is post peak oil farming and food retailing, well within the natural carrying capacity of the region the farm is located: on farm and regional biodiversity, climate change impacts as well as the economic sustainability of the farm and food business are all taken into account in this enterprise.

Organics with Altitude: the plan for the year ahead

2009-09-01T08:09:00.000-07:00

In the document (pdf) here, there is a full explaination of Organics with Altitude's plans for the year ahead.

This document outlines the Omega Beef Direct farming and food business model upon which Organics with Altitude is based. This includes an explaination of what exactly makes the system work, in terms of breeds, year round grazing, production costs, consumer interactions and so on.

The focus then moves to the bigger initiative, Organics with Altitude. The initiative is summaried and explained succently first. Then, our actions for the next two years are listed, as is the training and mentoring we'll be conducting.

Following this, our production protocol is featured in full, along with contact details and extra information on the organic sector in Ireland.

Organics with Altitude: media moments late August

2009-08-25T06:37:00.001-07:00

update

The Kingdom: here

Latest press feature:

There is an excellent article by Majella O Sullivan in today's Farming Independent (23rd August 2009)

And we've also featured this last few days on Tipp FM, Waterford WLR FM (Both interviews with Joe) in the Leitrim Observer and the Tipperary Star.

More to follow this week too.

I'll update with more links as I get them

For more on previous press, see here

Organics with Altitude and the new EU organic regulations

2009-08-24T14:36:00.000-07:00

Interpretation of EU regulations from an Organics with Altitude perspective.

Summary:

Overall, this new EU regulation is written for the modern and geographically diverse Europe. The previous organic regulations in operation in Ireland were written for the UK, and brought across to Ireland. They especially do not suit or were not written for the uplands.

The new regulations are also fairer for small operators who direct sell.

There are a significant number of improvements with regard to encouraging the building up stock and the suitability of organic practices to specific regions which resonate well with the Organics with Altitude approach. Hopefully these regulations will help ease blockages in the system thus far.

a pdf of the overall interperation can be found here

About us

2009-08-18T04:12:00.000-07:00

Omega Beef Direct:

The Condon's stock Galloways on their certified organic farm, which is made up of 20ha unenclosed upland and 20ha enclosed upland grazing. They use local artisan butcher Michael McGrath in Lismore, and sell their meat at the Thursday farmers' market in Dungarvan. They also sell through their website and to quality restaurants, such as Bodega in Waterford.

Omega Beef Direct: has featuered on Corrigan Knows Food (Richard Corrigan) Fresh from the Farmers' Market (Clodagh McKenna) and Ear to the Ground, all RTE 1.

Watch the Corrigan Knows Food clip here

Dr. Oliver Moore: Received his PhD from the National University of Ireland in November 2007. His research has been in the areas of rural development, agri-food and in particular in the direct selling of organic food. He is published in the International Journal of Consumer Studies. He writes the weekly organic farming column for the Irish Examiner and is a member of the Irish Food Writers' Guild.

Ground-Breaking Initiative Targets Dynamic Upland Farmers

2009-08-18T04:06:00.000-07:00

An innovative pilot project, supported by the Organic Unit of the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (DAFF) has been announced.

The ground-breaking initiative is aimed at upland farmers who have a mixture of privately owned and commonage land, and who have a passion for farming.

This project, known as Organics with Altitude, will be a replication of Joe Condon’s Omega Beef Direct farm and food business, located in the Knockmealdown Mountains in south Tipperary.

The main principles of Organics with Altitude will be:

· Organic certification.

· Extensive upland grazing.

· Galloway cattle.

· A complete agri-food protocol for farmers to follow, encompassing production, butchering, preparation, distribution and consumption.

· Direct selling to the consumer.

Interested farmers who participate in the project will benefit from fully-supported mentoring and training for all stages of the protocol, from production through to direct marketing to the consumer.

A limited number of spaces for this venture are available for selected, motivated individuals. These individuals will spearhead the development of this sustainable upland food business model in their respective regions.

For selected farmers, Organics with Altitude will arrange for farm and food business walks. These will involve accessing the Condon's farm, the packing unit and farmers' market.

There will be regional training days in Kerry, Cork, Mayo, Donegal and other selected areas.

Individual visits to farms across Ireland, as well as mentoring sessions for farmers interested in the initiative, will also occur.

This mentoring and training will be carried out by organic upland farmer, Joe Condon and Rural Development Specialist, Dr. Oliver Moore. This project has a life-span of 12 months.

According to Joe Condon: “I'm absolutely delighted that we will be going ahead with Organics with Altitude. Direct selling your own organic meat from the right upland breeds is a definite positive option in the current economic climate.”

He goes on: “This is a low cost, low input farming option which can be a win-win situation for both the farmer and the consumer.”

The initiative will have supports in place in the areas of research and development, networking between farmers, project development and promotion.

Farmers involved in the initiative will have access to various research areas pertinent to this project and already underway, such as:

· Omega Beef Direct's extensive research into Galloways on the uplands

· Nutritional research: in particular, research currently underway into Omega levels in grass fed Galloways, as well as research into vitamin levels.

· Traceability of meat to specific geographic location.

Organics with Altitude will also help develop certified organic, extra mature, blackface mountain lamb.

According to Dr. Moore “farming in the uplands is already restricted. As well as this, the recent cutbacks in farming supports have made the situation more difficult again”.

He continues: “Applicants for the Organic Farming Scheme will from now on be expected to have an output and market focus, to have engaged with the organic sector already, and to have in place a business plan. In this context, upland farmers should give Organics with Altitude serious consideration”.

For more, contact:

info@organicswithaltitude.com; www.organicswithaltitude.com

Joe Condon 087 2735447: joe@organicswithaltitude.com

Oliver Moore 086 8047854: ollie@organicswithaltitude.com :

Organics with Altitude: Media Moments

2009-08-13T08:56:00.000-07:00

Some media related to the Organics with Altitude initiative thus far:

Irish Independent farming supplement feature on omega beef direct and organics with altitude from June 23rd 2009. Plenty of the essential facts of the farm.

Farmers' Journal feature by Peter Young from August 2008, with an emphasis on sheep and on the issues around commonages in general.

Waterford Today feature

Tipperary Star feature

and also, see here for the Farming Examiner feature from June 2008

Mountain Farmers and Rural Europe

2009-04-16T14:39:00.000-07:00

Mountain farmers could be given their own niche in Rural Development policy and earmarked for more aid, according to Farm Commissioner Mariann Fischer Boel.

Speaking this week at a Brussels seminar on mountain agriculture, the Commissioner urged consideration of dedicating a new 'axis' or category of Pillar Two aid to mountain farmers and their specific needs.

While a rethink of Pillar Two aid categories could be on the cards,
Fischer Boel ruled out the possibility of changing aid provisions for mountain
farmers under the Less Favoured Area (LFA) scheme, which is due for
reform later this month.

For what she said at the Brussels meeting, see here

test

2009-02-22T09:33:00.000-08:00

link

OWA part 4: back in the warim: the winding road back to Dungarvan

2008-10-09T14:36:00.000-07:00

OWA part 3: a break, more info, and over to the packing house

2008-10-09T14:24:00.000-07:00

Back at Joe and Eileen's house, we took a short break (we got a bit caught in the wind and rain - the wind was so fast that the rian clowds moved on quickly too.

However, we appreciated the tea all the more after that. In the marque, we gave a semi formal presentation on the overall OWA project ,and fielded more questions.

The simplicity of the packing system was a real revelation to participants. In fact, the whole process farming and food business Joe puts himself through revelaed itself as suprisingly low maintence and not overly taxing in terms of labour hours.

OWA farm walk part 2: on the farm

2008-10-09T13:49:00.000-07:00

We met a few more at the farm itself, including a pair from county down, which was quite a treak!

The geographical spread of participants was very encouraging. Likewise, the fact that some people got in touch who couldn't attend, but expressed an interest in attending the next one, and some attendees were representing a group of farmers in their regions.

On the left, on of Joe's 40 Galloway's: this one is belted

Also on the left, two Teagasc representatives also attended: John Twomey (Cork) and Terry Cunningham (Tipperary) . John is one of the Teagasc Organic advisors, and is here explaining to a participant some of the nuances that differeniate organic from conventional.

Terry works in rural development, and actually has been involved in organics for many years, having been an early IOFGA member in its formative years.

farm (and more) walk part 1: the market

2008-10-09T13:22:00.001-07:00

For the farm walk, we started at the end, so to speak. We brought people to the end point, the point of sale, to see that retail dynamic unfold.

Over on the left is a small section of the farmer attendees, chewing the fat.

Also visible is the very relaxed reality of a fine day at a market. Eileen had to actually do a day's selling Omega Beef Direct beef at the market while the whole thing was going on, as well as loads of other work on the farm and back at the house in and around the marque!

Farm walks are usually just that - walks on the farm. Ours involved each stage in Joe's business.
I have to say I was impressed with Dungarvan farmers' market. The local authorities are v supportive - I met both the EHO and the Town Clerk, and both were positive about the market.
The layout is good, and there are a number of positive food stories eminating from this market.

Paul from Bodega in Waterford mentioned that he will soon be hosting a farmers' market evening in his restaurant

Here's a picture that sums up a lot really: a chef, a farmer and a consumer chatting about their mutual interest: quality organic upland beef.

organics with altitude: the science

2008-10-07T04:29:00.000-07:00

Plenty to update you all on regarding the project. We'd a great farm and food business walk last week, which I'll post about soon.
In the meantime, I'd like to give an update on the 'science bits'.
Apart from the Organics with Altitude project, there are currently 3 research areas Joe's farm is being studied for.
All of these have applicability for other hill farmers interested in the proiject, as many upland areas have similar soil and have similar general farming conditions.
The first is for the farm's plant species type. This research was recently conducted by a Dublin based environmental consultancy, BEC. They found 64 different plant species within 6 overall categories.
Joe is also having his meat tested for the Omega levels and the ratio between omega 3 and 6. This is being conducted in the Ashtown food research unit. The results of this study will be known in about a month.
Then, there is a test to trace back the animals to the diet consumed. This is being conducted in UCD.
Already, the plant varieties are a great, tangable reality in biodiversity terms. They can be both a marketing tool and a thing to just be proud of. In some parts of the world, famrers are paid their REPS money by the number of plant varieties, not the acerage ,to reflect the fact that they are literally are farming the environment.
Then, there is an incentive to both keep and increase biodiversity.
That aside, the reality is that this land on the foothills of the Knockmealdowns is a great place for biodiversity.
And when all the science is in, we'll hopefully have a lot to go forward with in the project.

Organics With Altitude Farm Walk 2nd October

2008-09-03T04:10:00.000-07:00

Below is informaton on the upcoming NOTS farm walk, being held in relation to the Organics with Altitude project on the 2nd October.

Organics with Altitude NOTS Farm walk Thursday 2nd October @11.30am

Joe Condon is a certified organic beef farmer based in south east Tipperary, who also runs the Omega Beef Direct food business. This walk will be of interest to a number of farmers. Those interested in:

• Direct retail - Joe sells his own meat and burgers at farmers' markets and on his website
• Beef farming
• Speciality breeds (Joe stocks Galloway).
• Hill farming (Joe has both upland commonage and a lowland farm)

The overall walk is based on a five stage organic protocol which encompasses production, slaughter, processing, distribution and the consumer - from conception to consumption.

The walk actually begins at the end of the protocol, at Joe’s stall in Dungarvan farmers' market at 11.30am on Thursday 2nd October. There, participants will be able to taste the end point product; Joe's certified Organic Beef burgers, while also watching the retail dynamic. Questions and answers will we taken. Following this, the walk then goes to the farm itself on a pre organised bus. It will arrive at 2pm. This will be a great opportunity for farmers to discuss issues arising for them. On the farm, the other stages of Joe’s farm and food business will be discussed and displayed.

Joe will also outline the business opportunity his production protocol entails, as he is currently seeking like minded producers to collectively brand and market organic meat under the Organics with Altitude title, for an Irish organic meat from the countries’ uplands. Full accounts, outlining the profitability of the Omega Beef Direct farm and food business, will be available, as will more information on the broader Organics With Altitude project.

For more ring Joe on 087 2735447

Extra information:
Event starts at Joe’s stall in Dungarvan at 11.30am

If you cannot attend the market stall, it is still possible to attend the farm itself for the second half of the day. Walk on the farm itself begins at 2. It is also possible to drive (see directions from Clonmel and Dungarvan below)

Directions to stall at Dungarvan Farmers Market
All roads into Dungarvan lead into the Market or Grattan, Square. This is where the farmers’ market is.

Directions to Joe and Eileen Condon’s Farm
From Clonmel, take the Dungarvan Road for approx. 8 miles. Look for sign for Newcastle turning right and follow signs for Newcastle village.
In Newcastle, take a left turn out of village by Nugent’s Pub.
Follow road up hill for approx. 3 miles. You will come to a junction with a tourist sign for Knockmealdown Drive. Continue straight past this sign for 200 metres approx.
Take minor road to right. This is a road with no ditches.
Continue down this road for 1.5 miles.
Farm sheds are on left.

OWA Webpages now live!

2008-08-28T05:19:00.001-07:00

Hi folks. We now have a dedicated section on the Omega Beef Direct Website
Already, there are some downloads there, and more are currently being added.
here it is: here

progress report

2008-08-15T15:56:00.000-07:00

Recent happy moments of progress for Organics with Altitude:

Farm Fest 08 was a great success: we gathered up a lot of interested names, and have been communicating with them and key stakeholders outlined in our oiriginal proposal ever since.

The IFA's meat section has disseminated our information to interested parties - a big one!

The Good Herdsman are interested in what we're doing, and will set aside a dedicated space for us in their factories, should the need develop

Both Organic organisations (IOFGA and the Organic Trust) are supportive, as are the main organic training organisation, NOTS

We've updated our production protocol, and will hopefully recieve more feedback from people on it (v v soon, it will be downloadable from Joe's website)

Joe's farm featured on Clodagh McKenna's TV show on farmers' markets, Darina Allen and Trevor Sargent both got in touch with positive statements, and the tests on Joe's beef from Ashtown continue to show great results as regards the Omega levels.

Things are looking good.

Organic with Altitude May Save Uplands

2008-07-28T10:43:00.001-07:00

here is a more detialed article on the current situation for hill farmers in Ireland, and the option Organics with Altitude offers. This first appeared in the Irish Examiner.

Organic with Altitude May Save Uplands

from Farming Examiner Thursday June 19^th 2008

“The situation for hill farmers at present is dire”. So says Joe Condon, a certified organic hill farmer from Tipperary. But Joe’s story is a positive one, one with innovation, opportunity and sustainability at its core. However, before telling you about Joe’s plans for improving the lot for hill farmers in Ireland, the situation these farmers find themselves in needs to be outlined.

This situation is one of ever dwindling numbers, ever more restrictions on their farming practices, and very little light at the end of the tunnel.

Neilie O’Leary is the chair of the IFA’s hill farming committee. I spoke to Neilie about some of the issues facing the sector.

“Without a doubt, the biggest issues are the price of the hill lamb, and the fact that the numbers of farmers are dropping constantly. For the last 3-4 years, the lambs aren’t worth anything”.

The hill farming committee have a specific request. “Mariann Fischler Boel agrees that she would pay a coupled payment on environmental grounds. Our committee is looking for €35 a ewe. Unless it’s substantial, people won’t go back”.

One of the many consequences of the current situation could be the loss of native breeds: “The loss of our native breeds would be terrible. There is only one type of sheep fit for the hill, and that’s the Scottish blackface. There are a whole lot of lowland crossbreeds, which leads to undergrazing, because these breeds won’t feed.”

Many of the moves designed to improve the environment in the countryside, and to improve how the countryside interacts with urban areas and people, have had negative effects on the opportunities for hill farmers to make a living.

Gerry Gunning is also on the hill farming committee: “New problems have been created. The nitrates directive limits animal numbers because of a lack of housing facilities. And you can’t out-winter unless your stocking levels are below a certain level.”

I asked Gerry if there was a naturally lower stocking rate in hilly and commonage areas anyway: “There can be, but on good land, one of the requirements is that the land can only hold so many animals. A requirement of the nitrates directive is that there cannot be poaching of land.”

There has been some welcome progress around the whole area of recreation walkers. After years of protracted discussions, there seems to be a rapprochement which is keeping most people happy for now.

“There is a hill walking scheme in operation, and it is being rolled out in various places across the country. Its voluntary, but it is working – farmers are getting €2,000 a piece in some cases. Certainly, that has moved in the right direction.”

However, being nice to look at and recreate in can come at a cost for farmers: “It is also difficult to get planning in some areas where farmers might want to build housing, as they are scenic areas. There are also planning issues if some of these areas are near rivers - suitable sites can be hard to find.”

There has been destocking because of the Nitrates directive, but also because of the Special Areas of Conservation (SAC) legislation. “Because some of the areas were overgrazed, there has been a programme of destocking over the last 8 years through the Commonage Framework Plans. Sustainable stocking levels have been set for the ½ million hectares of commonage in Ireland.”

One of the effects of this has, ironically, been negative for biodiversity. Scrub encroachment has become a major issue in hilly areas, because of the reduction in animal numbers. Scrub literally chokes and smothers all other growth. In Special Areas of Conservation, as the name suggests, this is a major conservation issue.

According to Gerry “the balance between over and undergrazing is very narrow. When farmers destock their sheep, the hills become overgrown. Hill fires can emerge, as we’ve seen. Farmers need proper incentives to maintain the correct numbers in hilly areas”.

Along with all of this, like other farmers, there are problems with rising costs and reducing returns: “Sheep are being fed concentrates in the wintertime, and the price of concentrates is going up all the time. Even hay has to be brought in. The expenses are killing us,” according to Neilie.

The above obstacles and more exist for cattle, whose numbers are under even greater threat. The REPS poaching prevention requirements hit cattle farming harder, driving many to drop cattle altogether.

According to Gerry “if they have sufficient lowland, farmers can keep cattle, but in some of the hilly areas, the land mightn’t be that good for keeping cattle. But cattle farming in these areas is difficult because very few can finish the animals to slaughter. Many hill farmers depend upon trade.

“So the ban on Brazilian beef would be of serious significance to those farmers. Its important that prices are held up, and that dubious quality imports aren’t competing unfairly with our products. And in the case of hill farmers, the standard is as near to organic as you would get. So quality product is synonymous with the hill area.

The bigger Continental breeds favoured by farmers over the last 20 years or so poach the land more than traditional breeds, so are more specifically unsuited to hill, with the current set of its restrictions it faces.

All taken together, with the exception of progress with regard to rural tourism through the recent walkways agreement, this is a bleak picture. Enter Joe Condon.

Joe and his wife Eileen run an organic farming and food production business called Omega Beef Direct from their upland farm in south east Tipperary, at the foot of the Knockmealdowns. Joe has both upland commonage and some lowland. The terrain is in places tough, with heath, scrub, dry heath and dense bracken. Yet the Condons manage to not only survive but thrive.

They stock a Galloway heard, and sell direct to their consumers through two routes: farmers’ markets in Dungarvan and Waterford, and a direct delivery scheme run through his website.

The Galloways are an alternative to the heavy Continentals – less poaching coupled with good scrub prevention. And far from struggling to maintain a price, Joe is getting an organic mark up, avoids winter feed, finishes his own cattle and has managed to develop a very high profile for his product.

Many of the countries’ most prominent chefs and food writers such as John McKenna and Tom Doorley feature on the homepage of his omegabeefdirect.ie website. He has featured on Corrigan knows Food and just this month received more glowing reports in both the Irish Times and the Irish Independent.

Joe’s commonage has never been subjected to intensive agri-industrial treatment. And under the SACs, commonage can’t be subjected to synthetic fertilizers, herbicides and the like.

Joe has knowledge of and a stake in each part of the production of his meat: breed, butchering, distribution, marketing and consumer feedback are all part of what he does.

This is a heartening story, but it gets more heartening again. Joe has just received funding from the Organic Unit in the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food for a feasibility study into extending his farming model for others to emulate.

“I’ll be writing a production protocol, from conception to consumption, and have mapped out a programme of activities for myself for the summer. Over the summer, I’ll be assessing whether what I do could be done elsewhere, in a co-ordinated fashion, complete with its own branding and marketing” according to Joe.

Joe feels that there is a market for meat from traditional breeds, and that there may also be specific nutritional advantages to this meat. There is research to suggest that Galloways, and that outdoor, grass fed animals, may have higher levels of omega 3. “I’m having my own meat tested in the Ashtown food research centre at the moment, and the preliminary findings are excellent so far”

Joe intends publicising the plan to all relevant players, all of whom he feels may hold a (pardon the pun) steak in the project: “So far, a good and relevant range have expressed an interest.” This includes the local branch of the IFA, some progressive farmers he knows himself, the National Parks and Wildlife Services, and bodies involved with organic certification and training such as the National Organic Training Skillnets and the Irish Organic Farmers and Growers Association, IOFGA, which Joe sits on the board of.

Simply put, Joe’s farming system works. He has control from breed to the kitchen table, encompassing all the important elements in between. And he gets a good price for his product. “With the consumer, the organic dimension is key” according to Joe. “It provides the reassurance they often want – I know from the feedback at the farmers’ market stalls”.

I asked Joe why, if this is working out so well for him, would he risk upsetting the apple cart as it were: will he not flood the market with competitors if he convinces others of the merits of his ways?

“I take my role as a farmer on the Board of IOFGA seriously. My contribution to IOFGA's Manifesto is the item on hill farming. I feel it’s my job to push this. I don't like to sit around and wait for others to do this. Also, the current model of farming where outside forces take large chunks of profit from the producer is not working and it is extremely discouraging.

“I am proposing a new way forward that will inspire and motivate those of us who want to farm. The current infrastructure is not presently available to develop scale in my own business. I see this as a vehicle to grow a premium meat business and it's my intention to grow with it”

The name of this project? Organics With Altitude. Very apt indeed.

To contact Joe about Organics With Altitude, phone him on 087 2735447 or email him on info@omegabeefdirect.ie

This blog: what we'll be doing

2008-07-21T10:28:00.000-07:00

Hi Everybody. This blog will chronicle some of the progress of the Organics with Altitude project Joe Condon and Oliver Moore are involved in.

Firstly, we'll present an outline of the Project. Next, we'll provide a set of downloadables from Joe's site. Then, we'll present some of the 'out and abouts' and communications with people we've had over the last short while. Finally, we'll keep doing this latter task, as we hope to keep communicating with people about this project for the next while.

So, first things first - below is a little about what the project is. If you are interested, make a posting or contact Joe through the details below.

Organics with Altitude - our aims and objectives:

To develop a certified organic branded meat product from the Irish uplands.

This product would involve traditional breeds of both cattle and sheep, farmed at altitude, often incorporating commonage, and marketed specifically as being both organic and upland. The overall package will involve a whole system or ‘conception to consumption’ protocol, encompassing the following five areas: production, processing, distribution, marketing, customers.

A micro version of this project is already in existence: the Omega Beef Direct organic farm and food business run by Joe Condon. The aim of this project is to develop a network of similar businesses in other parts of Ireland. These buisnesses will sell direct. Surplus will be branded and marketed as organic meat form the Irish highlands.

Breeds traditional to Britain and Ireland, upland-based producer groups, upskilling and research, branding and marketing are all central to this project, and are all encompassed within the protocol which will be developed. Along with cattle and sheep, other altitude-based meat production may also be considered, including goat, pig and duck.

Finally, this project has recieved some funding from the department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food's Organic Unit.

Contact: Joe Condon on
087 2735447
or info@omegabeefdirect.ie
or visit the site