Sharing

— Sharing —

For an initiative such as this to work, sharing is necessary, both at the local level in the form of shared products and experience. In South Wexford, a start has been made here through wexfordfarmersmarkets where a group of growers cooperate in a system of weekly markets.

These are held once a week at Wexford, New Ross, Gorey and Enniscorthy. You can both buy at these markets or apply through the above web site to become a trader at one.

Much more, however, is required from home growers and small farmers and horticulturists who share with each other, to the creation of a database covering all the products and services, including free information and advice available in Wexford.

Sharing within the group

The section on how to join the group explains that if it is to work, sharing, including the giving to others of surpluses, has to begin within the group and its neighbourhood, in the first instance, including sharing surpluses with those with little or nothing to give in return. Exchanging within the group or trading in the larger market can continue over and above this.

A surplus can be some skill not immediately associated with growing food, such as communicating, the professional ability to deal with local authorities, the legal profession and government, the interference from whom could temporarily increase rather than decrease in the early stages of a crisis. It could also be found in skills such as energy-capturing, medicine and all the other life needs from clothing and footwear to transport. Transport itself, whether by horse or solar-powered battery, could be fundamental to a new society.

We have a database of who has what to share and this is circulated within the group. As other groups are set up and link with us, group to group exchanges can take place.

County-wide

The group is for now only within the South Wexford region, but below is a county-wide list of food producers:

If you are not here, please inform us

Begleys. With HQ near historic Hook Head, this sophisticated organization, operating from counties Wexford and Meath concentrates on product cultivation. They have around 850 acres devoted to carrots, potatoes, broccoli, cabbage, parsnips and pumpkins for the Halloween market, with trials of other root crops underway.Website is at http://www.begleys.ie/index.jsp
Pettit Farms Murrintown. Potatoes only listed, but this is a large operation that is owned by a leading Wexford supermarket chain.
Ballycross Apple Farm Bridgetown. Apples, Blackcurrants, Pumpkin
Ballykelly Farms Ltd Drinagh. Blackcurrants
Brendan Ferguson Rosslare Harbour. Potatoes: Homeguard and Queens
Darren Ferguson Rosslare Harbour. Potatoes
Ciaran Stamp Castlebridge. Potatoes: Home Guard and British Queens
Eamon Mullins Carne. Early potatoes, Broccoli, Cauliflower
Greens Berry Farm Gorey. Strawberries, Raspberries, Blackberries, Gooseberries, Loganberries, Tayberries
Green Hill Fruit Farm Enniscorthy. Strawberries, Raspberries
Kehoe Partnership Enniscorthy. Cabbage, Potatoes
Simon Donohoe Enniscorthy. Potatoes, Onions
Slaney Farms Produce Enniscorthy. Potatoes: British Queens, Roosters, Golden Wonder
Eden Brand Potatoes Enniscorthy. Potatoes
Philip & Pauline Somers Enniscorthy. Strawberries
South East Vegetable Producers New Ross. Carrots, Broccoli, Pumpkin
Horeswood Nurseries New Ross. Tomatoes
Jackie Sutton New Ross. Broccoli, Cabbage
Fancy Fungi Ltd Ballyhogue. Exotic Mushrooms
Kilmore Potatoes Kilmore. Potatoes
Laurence Whelan Foulksmills. Potatoes
Patrick Pettit New Potatoes Broadway. Potatoes
Robert & James Butler Broadway. Potatoes, Cabbage;

Poultry

Irishfowl is a nation-wide facility with a section for Wexford where there is a data base of poultry-breeders. It has an online ‘Irish fowl poultry market place’ where its members can trade and exchange products. It appears to exclude commercial traders.

Carrigbyrne Poultry is one of the closest breeders to the WLSI initiative. Carrigbyrne is close to New Ross on the N25.

More local poultry breeders sought.

Pigs

There appears to be just one comprehensive Wexford farming web site under construction which promises to have a section for pigs, but no other list of local pig breeders. We will welcome suggestions.

Fish

LESSI is fortunate to have the fishing harbour of Kilmore Quay within its immediate territory, where a local co-op sells fish fresh from the boats. In an energy crisis, however, or in an era of increased oil prices, produce from the boats could become scarce and those near the sea would have to depend on local sea fish farms. Close to WLSI are mussel and oyster farms at Bannow Bay and a small mussel operation at the Cull, Duncormick.

General

Growyourown is an Irish web site with comprehensive practical advice on most of the subjects here and on related matters.

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