Barbara of The Good Life. As a result, farmers here tend to shun anything alternative and stick to the traditional crop and cattle production. Only 0.85 per cent of land in Northern Ireland is organic. However, with the assistance of two focused farmers and Greenmount College, farmers in Northern Ireland are following the ‘green’ revolution of organic farming. They can find out first-hand what it involves from David Laughlin and Rex Humphrey.
David was the first producer of organic milk in Northern Ireland and has gone on to help develop the organic milk market. He converted his Kilrea farm in 1999 after he spent time on farms in New Zealand. Rex , a co-pioneer, farms 560 hectares and has specialised in organic dairy, beef and cereals since 1999. With David, he formed the United Irish Organics Company. Their aim is to get more farmers opting for organic.
That pocket of land between Comber and Newtownards sure does produce great vegetables. It’s the microclimate we’ve been telling you about. Mark, James and Gwen McKee of Sparky Pac pride themselves on one of the leading producers and packers of quality assured vegetables to the main supermarkets in Northern Ireland. They grow carrots and parsnips and a selection of brassicas.
Most are packed in their purpose-built packhouse in their customers’ own packaging. They recently invested £1.7 million in a purpose-built vegetable washing plant for their root crops. From the seed to the shelf, their produce and packaging tick all the boxes (and bags and trays, too!)
Think farmed salmon doesn’t taste good? Wrong! Glenarm Organic Salmon swim in offshore farms exposed to the clean, clear and fast moving coastal waters of the Irish Sea. The currents and tidal flows means these silver-skinned beauties have to work hard. That means they have firm muscles and the flesh is a joy to eat. Chefs just can’t get enough of it.
The salmon have plenty of space to grow and thrive with maximum stocking densities of 10kg per cubic meter, minimising environmental impact and providing the salmon population with a living environment that reduces stress and promotes healthy growth and freedom to thrive. The fish behave as naturally as possible.
They look after their stock here. They don’t get parasites or diseases so they don’t need medicines and antibiotics. This is as close to wild salmon as you can get but with more consistency in texture, shape, size and flavour.. .
The company was founded in 2013 by Susie, who is a trained chef with 30 years experience in the catering industry. She was asked to take a stall for a Marie Curie charity event, and having always wanted to try new ideas, she set about experimenting with infused vinegars. They were met with such delight and enthusiasm that Burren Balsamics was founded. Situated in County Armagh in the heart of the orchard county, we strive to use as many local ingredients as possible including the Armagh Bramley Apple.
We use only whole fruit and fresh garden herbs in the making of our vinegar, ensuring the distinctive, rich, wholesome taste. Casseroles, grilled meats, fish, salads and desserts are all enhanced by the addition of some Burren Balsamics.
Our passion is to create a ground breaking and affordable range of fruit balsamics with limitless possibilities and combinations to delight and inspire 2 years later, and Burren Balsamics is a supplier to a 5 star hotel group, has worked with TV and radio chef Paula McIntyre, and is stocked in stores across the UK and Ireland.
Food Stories supplies local artisan food producers with a route to market. There is a wealth of quality, artisan products in Northern Ireland, yet many producers do not have the time or resources to promote, sell and distribute.
Food Stories works with a number of carefully selected producers to promote, sell and distribute their products. Having established relationships with independent, branded and online retailers, major wholesalers, buying groups and farm shops, Food Stories is confident they can champion these local products. For each product, Food Stories focuses on growing brand awareness, expanding distribution and maximising sales for the producer.
Founder, Michael Heaslip, wants to make it as simple as possible for local producers; “Food Stories shares the story, so producers can continue to focus on creating fantastic artisan products.”
Sawers is as famous in Belfast as the Titanic & in fact supplied the R.M.S. Titanic with olives, cheese and much more for its onboard functions. This Aladdin’s Cave has recently doubled in size. You can literally shop around the globe. They do everything from American sweets to Italian pasta sauces, Thai curry pastes and African spices. That doesn’t mean they ignore what’s on their doorstop. Far from it, Sawers is a major champion of local produce.
They are currently working with a couple from Enniskillen and together they have created a luxurious range of preserves, marmalades and chutneys for the store. They are always on the look out for local artisan producers and have just increased their selection with fantastic products like “Young Buck”; a delicious creamy blue cheese made in Newtownards and Keen Nut Butters from Bangor.
It’s also the only place in the city where you can buy kangaroo, crocodile and shark meat!
