The spotlight is on online marts and two Irish family businesses with a difference on Ear to the Ground tonight (Thursday, November 19th).
Anger and frustration are growing over the Government’s Covid Level 5 restrictions on marts.
Farmers, staff, buyers and sellers are struggling to cope with online trading and broadband issues. But how can marts be run safely while at the same time making sure that animals can be easily bought and sold?
Darragh McCullough spent the day in Nenagh Mart with manager, Michael Harty. Michael was recently hospitalised with Covid-19 and is all too aware of the need for public health measures – but also the problems of online buying for his customers.
Onion harvest
Ireland imports nearly 50,000 tonnes of onions every year. Could we be producing more here?
Growing onions on a commercial scale in the Irish climate is a very significant challenge and many have tried and failed.
Two years ago, in Castlecor Co. Cork, Ned and Edward English decided to take a big risk.
Could they make onions pay, especially this year when the weather was so against them? Helen Carroll visited the farm during this season’s harvest to see how things turn out.
Farming to beer
For some four hundred years, Ballykilcavan Farm in Co. Laois was a mixed farm with woodland, grass for livestock and fields of crops.
But change is coming. To preserve the farm’s future, the owners hope to turn their small barley tillage business into a successful craft brewery. Ella McSweeney is on hand to test the midlands terroir.
Information
Tune into Ear to the Ground on RTÉ 1 at 8:30pm tonight.
