Seventeen farms have signed up to participate in Bank of Ireland Open Farm Weekend 2018 and have undergone training to help them be prepared to welcome the public this summer. Running on Saturday 16th and Sunday 17th June, the popular initiative gives consumers and their families the opportunity to visit farms across Northern Ireland, for free.

Three new farms will open their doors to the public including the star of UTV’s recent Rare Breed series, Geoffrey Ringland of Churchview Farm in Co Down. Mossbrook Farm in Carryduff, home of the Farm House Treats bakery, is also participating for the first time along with Gareth Murray’s poultry farm in Co Armagh.

Bank of Ireland Open Farm Weekend Chairman and UFU President Barclay Bell said, “Now more than ever farmers need to be telling their story and this initiative is a great way for us to engage with the public and show them the industry up-close. Bank of Ireland Open Farm Weekend is a fairly new initiative with the UFU’s 100 year history but it has become an important part of our work for the past seven years, allowing us to reach out to the non-farming community to promote the vital work of farmers across Northern Ireland. Many farms have been handed down through the generations, passing on skills and looking after livestock and the land, and so the event this summer allows us to celebrate the individual farm’s story both in the present and in the past.”

Bank of Ireland Agriculture Manager NI Richard Primrose added, “We are delighted that 17 farms have volunteered to participate this summer, particularly given the difficulties the winter weather has brought. We are pleased to support the farmers in this important initiative that gives the general public an insight into the industry. These dedicated farmers are to be commended for taking the lead in communicating their story to a wider audience and we are grateful for all the effort and commitment they put into hosting our visitors. We look forward to welcoming our local communities to Bank of Ireland Open Farm Weekend in June – it is a great day out for all the family.”

At the training day held at CAFRE Greenmount, visiting speakers from NFU Mutual, HSENI and Mash Direct helped farmers to plan ahead and think of interesting, informative and safe ways to engage with the public on their farms and via social media.

Visitors can plan journeys to the participating farms on the website which lists the various opening times and activities which are unique to each farm. In the UFU’s special Centenary year, farms will also be raising money for the nominated charity, Air Ambulance NI.

The Ulster Farmers’ Union led initiative, principally supported by the Bank of Ireland UK, has been running since 2012 and has attracted almost 90,000 people throughout that time. The event is also sponsored by Asda, Cranswick and NFU Mutual and supported by Food NI, CAFRE, DAERA and the YFCU.

For more information, visit the new website www.openfarmweekend.com, follow on Twitter @BOIopenfarm and like Open Farm Weekend on Facebook.

Donegal chef Brian McDermott has been named Ulster’s Local Food Hero at the prestigious Irish Restaurant Awards.

Brian – who is fast becoming known all over Ireland as the voice of regional food – is famous in his home county as a tireless supporter of local food producers and the food and hospitality industry.

The top award of the night and the only one to be awarded on a province-wide basis, the Local Food Hero recognises an individual who promotes food culture in their locality and inspires people to get involved with food.

“They may be actively encouraging the restaurants in their area to use local produce, or perhaps they are working to attract food tourists by creating food trails and markets,” the organisers said.

Brian said he was “overwhelmed” to be named Ulster’s Local Food Hero.

“This is the culmination of the most incredible three weeks in my career,” he said.

“As a chef my ethos has always been to promote local food producers, local growers and local restaurants.

“We’re lucky in Ulster, because we’ve always had incredible food right on our doorstep, and that’s a message I’ve spent my career trying to get out to a wider audience.

“I’m genuinely overwhelmed that I’ve been recognised in this way,” he said.

Brian’s second cookery book, Brian McDermott’s Donegal Table – which celebrates traditional recipes, local produce and the county’s people and places – was launched in March to popular and critical acclaim.

“I have to give all credit to a lot ofpeople ,” said Brian.

“This isn’t just my award, it’s their award, and it shows that the things we value here in Ulster – hard work, integrity, commitment to quality – really do pay off.

“I’ve had a great reaction to the book from all over Ireland and further afield, so I think the secret of Donegal cooking really is well and truly out!”

It’s the culmination of the busiest month in Brian’s professional life, as he

Brian – who was nominated by  members of the public – received his award at an events ceremony in the La Mon Hotel and Country Club in Belfast on Wednesday night last week.

135 awards were presented in categories which included Best Casual Dining, Best Emerging Irish Cuisine, and Pub of the Year in each county.

Adrian Cummins, Chief Executive of the Restaurants Association of Ireland (RAI) said the Irish Restaurant Awards continue to showcase the exquisite and admirable calibre of food available in restaurants and pubs nationwide.

“Online nominations have increased from 9,000 in 2013 to over 80,000 this year and with the increase in interest comes an increase in standards, making the judging process more difficult than ever,” he said.

“Our small island boasts everything from fine dining to high quality gastropubs, from the exotic taste explosions of world cuisine to the comfort of traditional dishes.

“We have an appreciation for what we eat, for the journey of our food from farm to fork, and for the dedication of those working in the food industry to serve up Ireland’s finest food.”

Brian now qualifies for the all-Ireland award in May.

Comber farm, Mash Direct, have landed a new deal to supply one of the UK’s biggest supermarket chains, Waitrose, with their convenient vegetable side dishes.

The listing will see Mash Direct’s Carrot and Parsnip Mash go into over 330 stores across England and Wales starting today (on the 11^th April 2018) on the 14^th anniversary of the family farm’s diversification.

Quality and provenance are key attributes of the Waitrose ethos, which is why Mash Direct have proven so popular after receiving its 19^th Great Taste Award last year.

Director, Jack Hamilton said: “This is such a great opportunity for us to showcase the heritage varieties of vegetables on our family farm, grown specifically for their superior flavour. We already have a strong working relationship with Waitrose and supply then in Scotland, the Channel Islands and the UAE and we are looking forward to building our reputation in these new stores.”

“In Northern Ireland, we thrive in doing the simple things well but we can be quite humble when it comes to getting out there and telling people about it.  I believe that there is a great future ahead for the local agri-food industry if we can seize the opportunities, home and abroad as well as being able to get out there and market them.  “

From humble beginnings on a small family farm in County Down, Mash Direct now supply over 5,000 stores around the world and in addition to the new Waitrose business, started exporting to the US last month.

The new listing will increase the presence of Mash Direct in the south east of England, the heartland of Waitrose.  This is a key growth area for Mash Direct as Londoners in particular are increasingly looking for high quality vegetables at affordable prices but don’t have the time to prepare them themselves.