Farming - Thurles Information

Free Invitation To Visit Apple Farm, At Cahir, Co. Tipperary.

To mark ‘Biodiversity Week 2024‘, Tipperary Green Business Network invite you to join them on a guided walk of ‘The Apple Farm’ at Cahir, Co. Tipperary, which will be led jointly by your host Mr Con Trass and Mr Alan Moore, latter of ‘Hedgerows Ireland’.

Date and time: Saturday, May 18th, 2024, commencing at 2:30pm until 5:00am. (2 hours 30 minutes).

Location: The Apple Farm, Moorstown, Cahir, Co. Tipperary. [Eircode: E21 YX33]

Please do wear suitable weather gear and footwear. Children are welcome, but must be accompanied by an adult.

Light refreshments will be available. This is a FREE event, but booking is essential. Contact info@tgbn.ie

The Apple Farm Shop will be open for those of you may wish to stock up on juices, apple cider vinegar, jams etc.

Note: National Biodiversity Week 2024 will run over a 10 day period, from Friday 17th to Sunday 26th of May.

TD Highlights Land Concentration Ownership In Tipperary.

Independent TD Michael McNamara, highlights concentration of land ownership in South Co. Tipperary.

Independent TD Mr Michael McNamara has called on Dáil Éireann to set aside time for a discussion on the purchase of vast tracts of farmland in South Tipperary by Mr John Magnier and called for measures to combat further concentration of ownership.

The Independent TD for Co. Clare has expressed his concern that the accumulation of thousands of acres of land in the Golden Vale is leading to local farmers being priced out of land, at a time when the agriculture sector is already facing excessive operating costs.

Deputy McNamara said the situation reflects the ongoing, profound changes underway in rural Ireland regarding the acquisition of prime agricultural land by trust funds and the resultant negative consequences for the agriculture sector.

Addressing the Ceann Comhairle today, Deputy McNamara asked, “Will all of South Tipperary have to be owned by one man and trust funds linked to him, before the matter is debated in this house and measures are taken to prevent that concentration of land ownership, because of the economic and social consequences of that?”

Speaking during the Order of Business in Dail Éireann, the Independent TD added, “Just because one is a large donor to the parties in government should not preclude one from examination in this house.”

Following Deputy McNamara’s request, a vote on the Order of Business for this week was held and subsequently defeated by the government parties.

Five Feet High and Rising.

Sunshine amounts have been below average for most areas over the past number of weeks, while rainfall amounts have been well above average across the country.
Currently, even all well drained and moderately drained soils are saturated, while all poorly drained soils are currently waterlogged.

The remainder of today (April 13th 2024) will remain dry, with rain sadly returning tomorrow afternoon and in the early part of Monday. However, from Tuesday and for the rest of next week, weather conditions will greatly improve, with no umbrellas or rain coats required.

So do cheer up, oh! and by the way, the swallows have been spotted in Littleton, Thurles, Co. Tipperary.

Five Feet High and Rising.

Lyrics: Johnny Cash.
Vocals: The late American country singer-songwriter Johnny Cash (1932 – 2003).

How high’s the water, Mama?
Two feet high and risin’.
How high’s the water, Papa?
She said it’s two feet high and risin’,
We can make it to the road in a homemade boat,
That’s the only thing we got left that’ll float,
It’s already over all the wheat and the oats,
Two feet high and risin’.
How high’s the water, Mama?
Three feet high and risin’.
How high’s the water, Papa?
She said it’s three feet high and risin’.
Well, the hives are gone,
I’ve lost my bees,
The chickens are sleepin’, in the willow trees,
Cow’s in water up past her knees
Three feet high and risin’
How high’s the water, Mama?
Four feet high and risin’.
How high’s the water, Papa?
She said it’s four feet high and risin’.
Hey, come look through the window pane,
The bus is comin’, gonna take us to the train,
Looks like we’ll be blessed with a little more rain,
Four feet high and risin’.
How high’s the water, Mama?
Five feet high and risin’.
How high’s the water, Papa?
She said it’s five feet high and risin’.
Well, the rails are washed out north of town,
We gotta head for higher ground,
We can’t come back till the water goes down,
Five feet high and risin’.
Well, it’s five feet high and risin’.
END.

FSAI Recall Tesco ‘Growers Harvest Garden Peas’ Due To Foreign Body Contamination.

Date: Saturday, 25 November 2023.
Category 1: For Action.
Alert Notification: 2023.32.
Product Identification: Growers Harvest Garden Peas product details.
Batch Code: See table shown below.
Country Of Origin: Unknown?

Best Before Date	Batch Codes	Pack size
Jan-25	23196, 23197, 23198, 23199, 23200	900g
Feb-25	23237, 23238, 23239, 23240	900g
Mar-25	23256, 23257, 23258, 23259, 23260, 26261	900g
Apr-25	23275, 23276, 23277	900g

Message: Tesco, on the advice of the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI), are recalling the above batches of ‘Growers Harvest Garden Peas’, 900g, due to the possible contamination of an unknown type of berry, which may therefore pose a risk to customers, if consumed.

Action Required:
Retailers: Retailers are requested to remove the implicated batches from sale and display recall notices at point-of-sale.
Consumers: Consumers are advised not to eat the implicated batches.

Farmers Fresh Payments Delay “Completely Unacceptable’ – Francie Gorman.

Farm payments to Achill farmers are suspended.

IFA Presidential candidate, Mr Francie Gorman has said the news that no cleared applicants will be paid until December 1st, is “shattering confidence” amongst farmers; in the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine’s ability to administer schemes and pay them on time.

Last month, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine wrote to farmers stating that payments under various schemes, including ANC, BISS and ECO, would commence in the second half of October.
However, the payment date has now been delayed by a further three weeks.

“Farmers have been informed today that no further cleared applicants will receive any payment until the start of next month,” said Gorman. “This is an unacceptable intrusion into the routine running of farmers’ businesses with commitments to be met at this time of the year, including payments to banks, merchants and Revenue. This shatters confidence in the Department’s ability to administer schemes and pay farmers on time.”

Mr Gorman continued, “Separately, I have learned that the Department has written to 46 farmers in Achill, County Mayo, to inform them that their farm payments are being suspended due to a burning issue that occurred on the island last May. This is a devastating blow to these farmers whose income has already been hammered in one of the most difficult years in recent memory.”