Rare Breed – A Farming Year was once again the most watched programme in Northern Ireland at 8.30pm last night with over 150,000 viewers tuning in, equating to a 27% share of the entire NI viewing audience.

 Rare Breed – A Farming Year continues on Thursday at 8.30pm UTV where our farmers are enjoying the lovely June weather, with some literally making hay while the sun shines!  For others, trees are topped, sheep are sheared, slurry is spread and orchards are opened to the public.

The summer heatwave means that the WILSONS in FERMANAGH can harvest a bumper crop of hay. Even a broken down tractor, and Robbie’s exams don’t stop the work, which is just as well, given that the harsh winter has meant that all the reserves are depleted, so a good crop of silage is needed for the following winter.  Cindy’s 85 year old father also lends a hand to bring in 244 bales of hay!

VICTOR CHESTNUTT is far from home in Bushmills this week, as he attends a dairy event in Hillsborough, finding out about fertilisers and the environmental impact of ammonia. He points how all those attending value finding out about the latest in fertilisation techniques and their environmental impact. He points out how all farmers want to be part of the solution.

The McGILLIGANs in DUNGIVEN are shearing the 600 strong flock, who are happy to get the wool off in the hot weather. Young Cahir is in the thick of it, helping gather up all the wool. He says, “It’s a mixture of hard work and good fun, but I like it!”

CARON McGEOUGH is slurry spreading in LOUGHGALL and happy at it. She loves her red tractor, and talks about her lifelong interest in the machinery.   She chats about the friendly competition between friends saying, “You always get a bit of craic……my tractor’s better than yours….”

Also in ARMAGH, the McKEEVERS have opened their doors to the public as part of the Open Farm Weekend Scheme, giving people from the town an opportunity to see how they operate and where their food comes from. Catherine talks of the value in getting people on site, “We do so many shows and functions, it’s lovely for people to come and see what we’re talking about – it’s fantastic!” she says.

In DUNDONALD, TONY JOHNSTON is shaping trees to ensure they grow to the proper shape for Christmas. The strong winds don’t help their work, but it’s the first chance he and his team have had to be out, as they have just finished a long contracting season.

This episode finishes off with ALEX LYTTLE in NEWTOWNARDS probably the only farmer looking for a bit of rain in the good weather. He’s irrigating the vegetables, using a tanker that was only used once last year, hoping that the vegetable leaves don’t go yellow in the sun. He says, “It’s been good for nearly too long, we’d just like to see a bit of rain.”

UTV’s Mark McFadden narrates the series, sponsored by Dale Farm, Rare Breed – A Farming Year continues on Thursday 21^st February 2019 at 8.30pm on UTV.

Sea Sugar’s Linda McGibbon has embraced the latest app technology to boost sales of her award-winning handmade sweets. The new app will make it easier for lovers of natural flavoured sweets to buy her range of products.

Based in Larne, the artisan business, a Food NI member, is now developing sales in Britain and especially in the Republic of Ireland.

Linda stresses that her sweets are made completely by hand and that she knows the source and provenance of all the ingredients… and there aren’t that many. “I have total control from the moment sugar and glucose are added to the copper pan to when the final label is placed on the bag. All of my sweets are made in very small 3-4kg batches, thus ensuring a consistent high quality,” she explains.

What also sets her confectionery apart is the exclusive use of natural flavours. “I use only 100 percent natural extracts, essences and colours, so the final product is bursting with natural flavours. The use of natural colourings is very important to me,” she adds.

And she’s developed some highly original flavours such as lemon and elderflower, rhubarb and vanilla, and lime and mint, which have won UK Great Taste Awards. Her unique lemon and elderflower also won a Blas na hEireann, the Irish National Food awards. “My sweets are all about tangy, zingy flavours that people can really savour… slowly,” continues Linda.

 

“I opted for unusual flavours because I wanted to create a gourmet product. I want consumers to take time to enjoy the strong flavours of the sweets. All are lovingly handmade by me.” The ethos of SeaSugar, Linda explains, is “to provide consumers with the best possible version of a small treat to be savoured, content in the knowledge that they are not eating chemicals”. 

 

Her business is thriving. “We’ve a good spread of delis and independent stores here and are also supplying shops and individual consumers in Britain and the Republic. Much of our business outside Northern Ireland comes via our website – hence the decision to make ordering the sweets much easier through an easily downloadable app.

 

She decided to take control of her own destiny after eight years in management. “I wanted to do something myself that also enabled me to spend time with my two sons, both then at primary school.”

 

Linda produces a type of ‘hard candy’, as the Americans refer to these sweets, not traditional boiled treats but ‘pulled’ confectionery. “Pulled sweets are different from traditional boiled varieties in terms of their texture, appearance and taste,” she says.

 

“Pulling the boiled sweet allows air to be incorporated and this crystallisation produces a clearer product. Pulled sweets have a different colour, a much crunchier texture and, I believe, a much richer flavour.

 

“My pulled sweets are a natural product made from sugar, water, glucose, vinegar and natural flavourings,” Linda adds.

 

It’s hardly surprising then that her small business is proving to be a sweet idea.