Farmers catch a glimpse of new dawn on Solstice open day

RURAL people were up at the crack of dawn yesterday, which was apt for the Summer Solstice.

Just like their ancient ancestors, they gathered on the longest day of the year to take stock and prepare for changing times.

An estimated 25,000 people of all tribes and from most counties travelled to Kildalton College in Piltown, Co Kilkenny.

But the huge Agriculture and Food ‘06 open day, organised by Teagasc, with free admission, had less to do with the past than it had on focusing on the future.

Teagasc experts from mainstream agriculture and alternative enterprises answered queries on farming issues, schemes and rural development options in sixteen specially laid out villages.

Horticulture, forestry, horses, environmental issues, financial management, farm buildings, mechanisation, labour efficiency, farm health and safety were covered on the sprawling site.

Rural people and their leaders, striving to cope with the fundamental changes that are now taking place across rural Ireland, absorbed it all at an event that was a cross between the ploughing championships and a big agricultural show.

Against the imposing backdrop of Kildalton College, the former Bessborough House, which dates from 1755, the visitors tasted a wide variety of artisan and speciality foods from over 40 producers in an outdoor farmers’ market.

That was in keeping with their surroundings, where the Oblate Fathers once worked their own bakery, farmed dairy cows, poultry, cattle, pigs and sheep, grew potatoes, grain and other crops and had their own orchard.

But farmers’ markets, which contribute over €10 million to local economies, and speciality food producers, who inject in excess €500m to the national economy, from a base of less than 300 companies, were only part of the programme.

The crops and biofuels village attracted huge interest from rural and urban dwellers worried about soaring oil prices and security of energy supplies into the future.

Energy crops such as oilseed rape, willows and miscanthus, otherwise known as elephant grass, were seen growing and the full cycle to harvesting and processing was on public display.

The innovation of food producers was also evident with quality soaps produced from goat’s milk and demonstrations of precision farming, using high tech satellite guidance systems and auto steer tractors.

Teagasc director of training Donal Carey revealed that farmers are expected to invest close to €500m on farms this year, a 40% increase on 2005.

He said this level of investment is a sign of confidence in farming, despite price pressures.

“There are a group of committed farmers out there and they are going to get bigger and better in the future,” he said.