Have you ever been on a farm before? Do you know how the food you consume is produced? Fear not, if the answer is no, Agri Aware is offering the general public a taste of what life is like on a farm this August.
Taking place on the weekend of the 29th and 30th, Agri Aware’s flagship event Open Farm is returning, this time to Co. Meath on the dairy farm of Jim and Jake Harlin in Kilmessan near the renowned Bellinter House.
The Harlins milk 340 cows and are prime example of the type of innovation and technology that is being implemented on farms nowadays that allows for the sustainable production of top-quality food.
Open Farm is a unique event, where the gates of a family run farm are opened for the general public to visit.
On the day, visitors will get an opportunity to see firsthand how the milk produced on one of Ireland’s 17,000 dairy farms is produced via milking demonstrations with the Harlin’s. Not only that, some of the delicious produce that is made from the milk will be on offer to sample from milk itself, to cheese and ice-cream.
To add to that, cooking demonstrations will also be on the schedule, using some of the other fine produce produced on farms, such as beef and lamb.
Bringing it back to the farm, visitors will have the opportunity to see the Harlin’s herd of cows, how they are working with nature to ensure a sustainable future for the farm as well seeing up close, the process involved in milking cows.
Due to demand over the past three years, Open Farm will take place over two days, on Saturday and Sunday, August 29th and 30th, offering those of all ages the chance to attend and get a closer look of exactly how food is produced on farms.
On arrival through the gates, visitors will begin a self-guided audio tour of the farm, walking the farm, seeing the cows grazing and taking in the eye catching scenery from trees, to hedgerows and wildlife before arriving back to the main yard to the family area that will be a hive of activity from livestock and cookery demonstrations, panel discussion and fun games and entertainment for children to engage with.
Speaking ahead of the Open Farm event on his farm, host Jake Harlin said: “The opportunity to open the farm to the general public excited us as a family. We are very passionate about what we do here, from caring for our livestock, enhancing the biodiversity on the farm and producing a food product that we can stand behind and be proud of in the form of milk. We look forward to seeing people over the two days and engaging with the public and answering any questions they may have about what we do as family here on the farm.”
Chair of Agri Aware Shay Galvin echoed Jake’s comments by adding: “Once again we are delighted to offer the general public an opportunity to attend our Open Farm event, this year on the Harlin’s farm and see for themselves exactly how food is produced. Open Farm is a unique opportunity to visit a family-run farm where three generations of the Harlin family are involved in the day-to-day running. This is an event for people of all ages to attend to get an opportunity to understand, feel and taste exactly how much work, care and passion goes into producing food that Ireland is renowned for producing globally. This event is one not to be missed so be sure mark it in the diary and join us at the Harlin’s on the 29th and 30th of August.”
Agri Aware would like to thank its sponsors, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, the Irish Farmers Association, the National Dairy Council and Tirlán for its continued support of Open Farm. To order your Open Farm tickets, please visit https://agriaware.ie/open-farm/. Gates open to the public from 10:30am – 5pm.
