As the season winds down, it is good to reflect on yet another dynamic year of OGI Network farmer-led events and activities. Both our online and on-farm gatherings brought growers from all parts of the country together and were filled with vibrant discussions and the sharing of invaluable insights and knowledge.

We kicked off and closed the year with online meet-ups, the first of the season being led by Gorse Farm on propagation for market gardeners. We finished up the year with two webinars, one led by Mary Lynch of ACA and our final webinar with Barry Connolly who led an interesting discussion on Producer Groups and Grower Collectives. If you missed these live events, you can access recordings and further information here. 

April marked the start of our on-farm events with Jim Cronin hosting a Farm Walk & Wellness Day—a first for the network. The event centered on regulating workflow, cash flow, and personal well-being, and in keeping with the wellness theme, Jim and Rebecca treated us to a farm-fresh lunch.

In May, we stayed in the west and visited Oisín Kenny at Bia Oisín in Claregalway. The focus of the day was on perennial cropping and growing fruit under cover in market gardens.

June took us to Riversfield Farm in Co. Kilkenny, where Vincent Grace welcomed participants for a farm tour showcasing both tunnel and field-scale production systems.

In July, we embarked on a two-day farm trip to Holland, organized in partnership with Fruit Hill Farm and Bord Bia. These were two action-packed and enlightening days. You can read more about the trip here. 

August saw us visiting the renowned McNally Family Farm in North Dublin. Attendees explored tunnel and field crops, a diverse range of horticultural machinery, and enjoyed a delicious lunch at the on-farm café alongside 24 fellow growers.

Finally, in September, we concluded the season’s farm walks at Manna Organic Farm in Co. Kerry, hosted by Thomas and Claire O’Connor. Participants walked their stunning valley and learned about the biodynamic, permaculture, and agroforestry systems they use to produce and supply a wide variety of farm goods.

We are already excited about next year’s programme of events with two webinars in the diary already, keep an eye on your emails or check out the events page of our website for more detail. We are very grateful to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine for their continued support of all our activities but none of this would be possible without the generosity of our host farms, webinar presenters and the enthusiasm of our members. Your active participation is the driving force behind the success and growth of the OGI Network—thank you for making it all happen!