Irish Organic Farmers and Growers Association » Events

CSA Conference at Cloughjordan February 17th – 19th

wadminp — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 16:18:40 +0000

The Cloughjordan Community Farm

In association with the National Organic Training Skillnet (NOTS), The Soil Association (UK), Irish Organic Farmers and Growers Association (IOFGA), URGENCI – Global Network of CSA’s, Cloughjordan Ecovillage, Cultivate, and FEASTA

present

Growing Together

An all-Ireland conference on Community Supported Agriculture (CSA)

17th, 18th & 19th of February * Cloughjordan, Tipperary

The aim of this weekend conference is to introduce the CSA concept to communities and growers on the island of Ireland. The event will bring together food producers and emerging Irish CSA’s while creating networking and learning opportunities with experienced initiatives from across Europe.

Themes

Producing Food Together – Sharing the Risk

Case Studies from Successful CSAs,

Can CSA Increase Community Resilience?

Diversification for Farmers and Growers

Getting Started

Sustainable Food Communities

Access to Land

Lifelong Learning and Training

Speakers and Panelists

Ella Mc Sweeney, RTE Presenter of Ear to the Ground

Peter Young, Farmer and Journalist with Farmers Journal

Mick Kelly, GIY, Social Entrepreneur, and Founder of Grow It Yourself Ireland

Amanda Daniel, CSA and Organic Buying Groups, Soil Association (UK)

Judith Hitchman, International Consultant in Emerging Trends in Local Development

Andrea Calori, President of Urgenci, International CSA Network

Bruce Darrell, Grower, Food Systems Specialist, FEASTA Executive Committee

Sarah Fleming, Local Food Consultant, formally Slow Food International and GIY Ireland

Pat Malone, Producer at Cloughjordan Community Farm

Ollie Moore, Food and agriculture journalist and food researcher

Grace Maher, Development Officer with IOFGA

Kevin Dudley, Former Orchard Manager at Irish Seed Savers and Biodynamic Grower

Mimi Pearson, Cloughjordan Community Farm

Davie Philip, Community Resilience Manager at Cultivate

Yvonne O’Donovan, Hazelhurst CSA, UK

Schedule

Friday 17th

Django’s Hostel, Cloughjordan Ecovillage

19.30 – Introduction - Welcome to the Ecovillage and Cloughjordan

20.00 - Voices from the Cloughjordan Community Farm

An introduction to what the local CSA is doing.

21.00 - Networking – Speed dating for Food Initiatives

22.00 – Close

Saturday 18th

St Kieran’s Hall Cloughjordan

09.00 – Tea and Coffee

09.30 - How can CSA’s increase community resilience and food sovereignty?

Bruce Darrell, Judith Hitchman and Davie Philip lead a discussion on resilience and local food systems

11.00 – Break

11.30 - Growing Together, Why CSAs play a vital role in the future of food production.

Panel discussion led by Ella McSweeney featuring the Soil Association (UK) Yvonne O’Donovan, Andrea Calori and representatives from other UK and Irish CSA’s,

13.30 – Lunch

14.30 - Farm Walk – Cloughjordan Community Farm

15.30 – Growing for Your Community

Special session supported by NOTS, facilitated by Peter Young

Featuring the Soil Association, IOFGA, Cloughjordan Community Farm and others

- Diversification for farmers and growers

- Different models of CSAs

- Education and Training Options

- Working with communities

18.00 – Close

Saturday Social – an evening together

Sunday 19th

The Parochial Hall, Step Road

10.00 – Coffee

10.30 - CSA, The Nuts and Bolts of Setting Up and Maintaining a CSA

13.30 – Lunch

St Kieran’s Hall

14.30 - Open Space, Have your Say on CSAs

15.40 - Mick Kelly founder of Grow It Yourself Ireland

16.00 – Close

Costs

Weekend ticket €40 (€35 Members of any of the partner organisations)

Does not include accommodation

If you wish to participate but cannot attend the full weekend, all sessions are also priced individually

Friday 17th 7-10pm €5

Saturday 18th 9 – 6pm €20

Growers session only €10 (3 hours)

Sunday 20th €20

Accommodation

Djangos Hostel – Special CSA Weekend Rate €30, One Night €20.

(Mention CSA event when you book)

Book through Pa Funucane at 087 2569348 or at <pafinucane@gmail.com>

www.djangoshostel.com

For more accommodation options in Cloughjordan click on www.cloughjordan.ie/

For more information or to book

contact… training@cloughjordancommunityfarm.ie

or call Davie on 087 6340697

www.cloughjordancommunityfarm.ie

The Cloughjordan Community Farm is an example of community supported agriculture (CSA). We currently provide fresh vegetables, milk and meat to over sixty member households on 40 acres of land in Cloughjordan.

Peru approves a 10 year moratorium on GM cultivation

wadminp — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 16:13:14 +0000

The President of Peru, Ollanta Humala, signed the 10-year moratorium to the introduction of GMOs (crops and animals, including aquatic), that was passed by the Parliament in early November. Excluded from the new rules are GMOs used for the research and production of pharmaceutical and veterinary products, given that Peru is subject to existing international trade agreements. Also unaffected by the moratorium is the import of GM-products for direct human or animal consumption or for the manufacture of food or fodder. According to the new regulations though, products exempt from the moratorium must undergo a GMO risk assessment before they can be used. It is expected that this law will prevent widespread cultivation of GMOs and therefore protect Peruvian biodiversity. It should also increase food exports in the coming years by about one billion U.S. dollars.

IOFGA Annual Organic Conference and AGM

wadminp — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 15:33:57 +0000

IOFGA is hosting its annual organic conference on Sunday November 20^th at the Wineport Lodge, Glasson, Co Westmeath.

The event kicks off with the keynote speaker Minister McEntee (Minister of State with responsibility for the organic sector) opening the conference at 10.30am. He is followed by a host of female speakers;

Gundala Azeez from the UK will speak about her research on “Climate Change mitigation and organic farming”. Gundula has a specific interest in soil carbon sequestration and the potentials that organic soils have for sequestration. This information is very useful in the context of increasing concerns over climate change and food production.

Dr. Kim Reilly is a researcher with Teagasc and she has been instrumental in conducting research on organic vegetables in Kinsealy. Various plots of organic vegetables and non organic vegetables were grown and then analysed with some very interesting results.

Finally Deirdre Hillard from the Just Food company, will give an account of marketing their organic products. Established in 2004 Deirdre initially had a stall at the Middleton Farmers Market selling products such as their home made liver pate. From there they have grown to supply speciality shops and supermarkets while also maintaining a presence at farmers markets.

The conference will be chaired by Trevor Sargent himself no stranger to organic food production! The conference is free to attend and open to all it will be followed by an organic lunch (which costs 10 euro, this must be prebooked with IOFGA). This will be followed by the IOFGA AGM at 2.30pm which is open to IOFGA members only.

Dominic Leonard Farm Walk

editor — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 14:37:29 +0000

Dominic Leonard will host a farm walk on Wednesday August 24th at 6.30pm.

Directions:
From Abbeyleix, drive towards Durrow and once you come out of the forestry, it is the fourth turn left – a cul de sac immediately after the road for Ballinakill which is also signed for Heywood Gardens. Go down cul de sac and take first entrance on right.
From Durrow, drive towards Abbeyleix and once you pass Dunnes Nursery/garden centre on the left take the first right you come to which is a cul de sac and take first entrance on right down the cul de sac.

National Organic Food Awards 2011

editor — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 16:42:36 +0000

The National Organic Food Awards will be presented on September 12th in the Bord Bia headquaters. The awards have grown in strength each year and highlight the high quality of organic goods being produced in Ireland. This year there is a slight change in the award categories and they are listed below.

AWARD CATEGORIES

1. Best Organic Confectionery & Baked Goods

2. Best Organic Grocery

3. Best Organic Dairy Product

4. Best Organic Prepared Food Product

5. Best Organic Fruit & Vegetable

6. Best Organic Meat Product

7. Best Organic Seafood Product

8. Best Organic Alcoholic and Non Alcoholic Beverage

There is an overall award for Best Organic Product which will be selected from winners in the above categories

Each award winner will be presented with an award and certificate.

Please note the following key dates if you wish to apply for the awards:

* Tue 23rd Aug – Deadline for Applications

* Tue 30th Aug – Delivery of Product to Bord Bia

* Thur 1st Sept – Judging Day

* Mon 12th Sept – Awards Ceremony (Bord Bia)

To download an application form go to http://www.bordbia.ie/aboutfood/organicfood/NationalOrganicAwards/NationalOrganicAwards2011-ApplicationForm.pdf

For more information on the awards please go to www.bordbia.ie/organicawards2011 or contact Mary Morrissey or Deirdre Shannon in Bord Bia on 01 6685155

National Organic Food Conference 2011

editor — Thu, 26 May 2011 16:23:30 +0000

Bord Bia are hosting an organic conference in Limerick on June 14th. Click here for more info http://www.bordbia.ie/eventsnews/events/pages/EventDetail.aspx?ID=144

Teagasc Organic Farm Walks

editor — Wed, 18 May 2011 11:48:59 +0000

Throughout the summer Teagasc are holding a series of farm walks on organic farms around the country. The walks cover a wide range of enterprises and all are welcome to attend. 3162 Organic Farm Walks 2011

Organic Growers of Ireland farm walks 2011

editor — Mon, 09 May 2011 10:51:23 +0000

Dirk and Hella Flakke Aughanish Co Clare, Tuesday the 19^th of April, 2011 @ 7pm

Michael Miklis and Kevin Dudley, Pilltown, Co. Killkenny, Tuesday the 28^th of June, 2011@ 7pm

Tom and Carol Murray, Earth Angel Organics, Watergrasshill, Fermoy, Co. Cork, Monday the 11^th of July 2011 @ 7pm

Tony Garrahy,Lough Boora Farm,Leabeg, Tullamore,Co. Offaly. Tuesday the 9^th of August 2011 @ 7pm

Arjen van Buuren, Bogach Farm, Coolronan, Ballivor, Co.Meath. Tuesday the 23^rd of August 2011 @ 7pm

All walks are open to everyone and are free to paid up members of the Organic Growers of Ireland. Non-members will be charged €10 on the night.

IOFGA Members training in new Organic Standards

editor — Mon, 14 Feb 2011 15:02:45 +0000

New Organic Standards are being introduced for 2011. Work on organic standards is ongoing and the current standards have been under review and are ready to go to print. In order to facilitate the implementation of the new standards training is being available to IOFGA members. These training sessions will take place regionally and members are strongly advised to attend. The meetings will be held in the evenings starting at 7pm, there will also be an opportunity for members to discuss the possibility of starting organic regional groups. For a list of dates click here Training Dates 2011

IOFGA ANNUAL CONFERENCE AND AGM

editor — Thu, 27 Jan 2011 11:48:48 +0000

IOFGA is holding its annual conference on Sunday 30th of January in the Tullamore Court Hotel. The conference begins at 10.30am and speakers include Christopher Stopes from ECOS Consultancy in the UK who will make a presentation on CAP Reform and Organic Farming, John Liston an organic dairy farmer will give an account of his experience working co-operatively with other dairy farmers and Dr. Tracey Liston from LIT will present her research findings on organic milk and the benefits its contains. The conference is free and open to all to attend. It will be followed by an organic lunch which costs €10 and must be pre-booked with IOFGA on iofga@eircom.net or tel 043 3342495. The IOFGA AGM will be held on Sunday afternoon and it is open to IOFGA members only. For more information on speakers click here Speaker Bio’s