The next episode of UTV’s Rare Breed – A Farming Year features five of our farming families, with everyone involved in outside activities, despite the mixed June weather.

Rare Breed – A Farming Year continues on Thursday at 8.30pm UTV and we’re off to Crossgar where Robbie’s getting a helping hand from 3 year old son Angus, as they wean and check piglets together. “He’s a great helper, one for the future,” Robbie remarks. While they work, he talks about the importance of farm safety and ‘needing eyes in the back of your head’, but Robbie does say that already Angus follows the ‘do’s and don’t’s’ around the yard.  Despite the pigs not liking being handled, Robbie needs to check them all and pick out the best for breeding. We also meet Robbie’s new baby, born during Balmoral Show week, “not great timing!” he jokes.

Next, we head to Bushmills where David and Dad Victor are fencing fields in very ‘un-June’ like wet weather. As they work to protect mosses and wild flowers, Victor points out “It’s not a fencing scheme, it’s an environmental farming scheme.”  It’s time consuming and hard work, but they feel it’s a vital job to care for the peatland on their farm. David jokes that he’d like a step counter to see how many miles he clocks up in a day, while his dad prefers to sit in the tractor!

We then head down the road to Cloughmills where it’s all systems go on Wallace Gregg’s farm, with the installation of the new milking parlour well under way. New kit has arrived from Kerry, and Wallace explains what the extra capacity will mean for him and future generations.   The main bonus is that once complete, the new parlour will cut down milking from 7 hours a day to just three.

Meanwhile in Antrim, Mark McConnell and his two daughters introduce us to more of his menagerie, starting with the llamas – he has a full herd now after buying one out of curiosity 10 years ago. He talks of the growing interest in llamas, especially in how useful they are proving in protecting sheep. Daughters Caroline and Olivia proudly show off their goats and pony and are a dab hand at looking after both.   Mark points out that they love helping out and that they are not scared of the animals as a result.

Finally, we pay the bees a visit and meet the future of bee keeping, with Chris giving some last minute tips to three young local people who are heading off to Slovakia to the World Young Beekeeper Championships. He points out that beekeeping is ‘no longer the sport of an old man’ with these young people demonstrating their comfort with, and knowledge of, the bees in their care.

UTV’s Mark McFadden narrates the series, sponsored by Moy Park.   Rare Breed – A Farming Year continues on Thursday 13^th February at 8.30pm on UTV.

Food Stories, the Northern Ireland producer of fruit crisps and popcorn, has won its first business in Kuwait. The Bangor-based company, a Food NI member, is to supply its crisps and popcorn to Saveco Supermarkets, one of the Middle East’s biggest supermarkets. 

Food Stories, established by businessman Michael Heaslip in Bangor, is now on course to sell more than 100,000 bags annually.

The small company’s Pinkfinch fruit crisps are already listed in 1,200 supermarkets in the UK, Ireland and Europe. The crisps are made of real fruit treated in a vacuum-crisping process.

Food Stories also makes Cloud Corn popcorn. It will now send around 50,000 bags of both brands to Saveco Supermarket in Kuwait.

It has received support from InterTradeIreland’s Acumen programme and Mr Heaslip says funding from the body “gave us the opportunity to invest more time in developing sales, an option that would not have been otherwise available”.

He added: “We have a unique cooking process that maintains the quality of the fruit and vegetables. Parents that couldn’t persuade their kids to eat fruit and vegetables are now sending me thank you messages on social media.”

The Kuwait deal follows an exceptionally successful year for the company which saw new markets developed in Hungary, Sweden and the Czech Republic.

He formed Food Stories in 2014 as a distributor for Northern Ireland’s burgeoning artisan food industry and enjoyed considerable success for his local clients with independent retailers in particular.

Experience gained dealing with retailers led him to set up a production arm of the business and to invest in popcorn, a snack category in which he had considerable expertise.

Much of the firm’s exports have come from contacts made at trade shows.

Referring to the Pinkfinch fruit and veggie crisps, Mr Heaslip adds: “My aim was to develop a healthier crisp, one which could contribute to the five-a-day diet recommendation.

“The unique cooking process maintains the benefits of the fruits and vegetables and means, for example, that they are a healthier snack for children in particular. They are also based on real fruit, are also gluten-free and high in fibre.”

In addition to the Crispy Green Bean and Sugar Snap Pea, the Pinkfinch range includes Apple and Banana. Green Bean also won a UK Great Taste Award this year.

 

Mac Ivors, the multi-award winning cider producer, has launched a refreshing new product for health conscious consumers.

The company, based at Portadown, has just introduced an alcohol-free cider that’s also gluten-free, low in calories and vegan-friendly. With only 76 calories per bottle, this novel drink has been created by experienced cider maker Greg MacNeice, who is also the company’s managing director, to offer a range of benefits for those concerned about health while still maintaining an authentic and delicious cider taste.

The introduction of the new medium dry cider coincides with a new distribution agreement in the Republic of Ireland between Mac Ivors, which has collected a host of cider industry awards as well as UK Great Taste Awards, andNoreast in Dundalk, a major supplier of premium drinks to hotels and bars throughout the Republic of Ireland.

“Our new alcohol-free and other established ciders are now being distributed throughout the Republic of Ireland by Noreast as well as by Drinks Inc. in Northern Ireland,” says Mr MacNeice.

“We’re are also currently exploring opportunities in Canada, Britain and other parts of Europe for the new cider. The alcohol-free cider will be available in 330ml bottles in off trade at RRP €1.79 in ROI and RRP £1.50 in N. Ireland.

“We are very pleased with the new cider which has alsoproduced exremeley positive feedback in taste tests. Our aim has been to produce a genuine cider rather than a drink that tastes like apple juice and we’ve succeeded. The new product is a response to the growing market for a ‘healthier’ product especially among those concerned about weight and overall fitness. It’s also a delicious and safer option for drivers especially the designated driver on a night out,” he adds.

In addition, the new cider features labelling which lists all the ingredients and nutritional facts and reflects the company’s strategic focus on transparency and integrity.

Mr MacNeice says the company, based on the family’s apple orchards in Co Armagh, had signed the distribution deal with Noreast as part of a strategy to drive growth in sales of its entire range in the Republic, its most important market beyond Northern Ireland.

“We decided in late 2019 that the time was right to step up our approach in the Republic. We’ve known the team at Noreast for a number of years and their experienced sales team will work closely with our dynamic Brand Ambassador, Sarah Mc Nally to bring Mac Ivors Cider to a range of on and off-trade outlets.

“Noreast is an ideal fit for us because of its very strong reputation in the Republic, its network of premium customers, and its portfolio of leading beer and spiritsbrands. We are Noreast’s only Irish cider brand and they will be able to focus on developing sales across our range of quality products,” continues Mr MacNeice.

Mac Ivors is also selling its ciders to Germany, France, Russiaand Scandinavia as well as Great Britain. The ciders are made from 100 per cent fresh pressed apples and have been developed to provide a richly flavoured, refreshing and aromatic craft beverage.

The ciders are cold-pressed and slow fermented over eight months to ensure the outstanding flavour that customers are coming to appreciate. They do not contain any concentrates, artificial flavourings or colourings and up to 14 different varieties of apples, including Armagh Bramleys, are used in the process.

The next episode of UTV’s Rare Breed – A Farming Year features four of our farming families, and it’s all about the silage and the show this week!

Rare Breed – A Farming Year continues on Thursday at 8.30pm UTV and May’s sunny, warm weather means it’s prime silage season. The Lyons brothers have a small window of time to get silage in for all their customers in the Coleraine area.  Stephen comments, “The plan is to get everybody ready and out the lane at the same time.” They are so busy that Stephen himself is cutting silage and managing to answer calls as well. “The phone never stops,” he says.

Next, we head to The Balmoral Show where Jack Smyth from Newtownstewart is showing Angus and Charolais cattle, hotly contested categories.  His parents, friend Trevor and girlfriend Emma are all there to support and help him out.  Despite nursing a sore knee, Jack has a good day and the cows behave well.  There are also a few familiar faces to spot in the crowd.

We then head to Lisnaskea to Stephen Maguire’s farm where he’s putting cattle out to graze. He explains the science behind rotating the cattle around different areas of his land to ensure that the cattle are constantly getting the best quality grass.  He talks of “three days in and three weeks out,” of grazing in any area to allow the grass to replenish. He comments, “The more you measure, the more you manage.”  He also has to carry out some ready repairs on a section of electric fencing that the cows have eaten through!   Back in his office, he is sharing his grass data with fellow famers saying it’s a great way to learn best practice.

Meanwhile in Clogher, the McGoverns have had bad news. They’ve had to slaughter a cow which tested positive for TB. She had just had twin claves so Sean is trying to get another cow to adopt and feed them. He’s trying to ensure that they don’t get sick with the change in milk, saying, It’s time consuming, a torture to be honest.” He talks about how disappointed he and the girls are to lose a cow that had had two previous TBtests that were clear. He points out that the girls’ positive outlook ‘always seems to give you a lift’ and says, we ‘need to keep going and look after the herd.’

UTV’s Mark McFadden narrates the series, sponsored by Moy Park.   Rare Breed – A Farming Year continues on Thursday 6th February at 8.30pm on UTV.

McKendry’s Lounge | Bar, formerly Gillies Bar & Grill, serves up exclusive whiskey offering

Galgorm Spa and Golf Resort has officially opened its doors to the Resort’s newly refurbished and refreshed entertainment offering, McKendry’s Lounge/Bar.

Formerly known as Gillies Bar & Grill, McKendry’s is now a whiskey lover’s haven, boasting an encyclopedic whiskey collection of over 300 blends from 21 countries, including a coveted limited-edition bottle of the most expensive Irish whiskey ever produced, “The Chosen”.

The new whiskey lounge/bar reflects the warm ambience and atmosphere of an eclectic Irish pub and draws on its local heritage, harking back to the much-loved McKendry’s bar of a bygone era, which served the local community from its premises in Broughshane Street, Ballymena before closing its doors.

Welcoming Galgorm Spa & Golf Resort’s newest hospitality investment, Colin Johnston, Galgorm Collection Managing Director, said;

“We are delighted to welcome guests to our brand new lounge bar, McKendry’s and showcase our extensive whiskey collection which we are proud to say is one of the most comprehensive in the island of Ireland.

The launch of McKendry’s represents the latest investment by Galgorm into its Resort offering and reflects our ambition to continually innovate and push boundaries to affirm our position as a world-leading spa and golf resort. We look forward to welcoming guests, locals and visitors alike to experience the warm hospitality of McKendry’s.”

Offering guests the warm welcome synonymous with Galgorm, the new name perfectly connects the Resort with its strong local heritage. Much of the décor consists of historical items from the original McKendry’s bar and provides guests with an authentic Irish bar experience.

As well as boasting some rare whiskies and stocking the finest mixers, Galgorm has devised a new signature whiskey cocktail list to complement its existing range of premium cocktails, wines, beers and spirits.

For a truly authentic taste, guests can also sample the Resort’s first premium own-label ‘Galgorm Estate Gin’, developed in partnership with Northern Ireland’s newest artisan gin producer, Copeland Distillery, and drink in the fantastic new line up of live entertainment.

McKendry’s Lounge/Bar is open 12:00pm – 01:00am Sunday to Friday and 12:00pm – late on Saturdays, with live entertainment every evening, including traditional Irish music every Tuesday and Thursday night.

For more information on McKendry’s Lounge I Bar please visit www.galgorm.com