A new online farmers market launched this week in Connemara. Called NeighbourFood, this is a fresh new way to do your weekly shop. Its aim is to create a link between local producers and local people, and it will run every week at An Tulach in Baile na hAbhann, next door to TG4.
“NeighbourFood is a really easy way to get the best local produce and at the same time support local producers near you,” says chef Diarmuid Ó Mathúna, who will be running the market. “Each week members can place an order on neighbourfood.ie and then collect a basket full of goodies the following Wednesday evening.”
A wide range of produce will be available from the An Tulach NeighbourFood market, including delicious leaves and veg from Garraí Glas, award-winning meat from McGeough's butchers, and some of Sullivan's Country Grocers famous breads. If you feel like you have earned a treat, The Wine Buff will also be selling amazing wines.
There are more than 50 NeighbourFood markets across the country now, and Diarmuid Ó Mathúna worked at one of the first. “We saw huge demand for the service from the start," he said. "People loved getting such great products so easily and at the same time knowing that they were putting plenty of money back into the pockets of small local producers.”
NeighbourFood gives 80c out of every €1 spent on the site back to the producers, whereas many large supermarkets give them less than 50c. Because the producers get the orders ahead of time, they can produce what is needed and no more, reducing food waste. There is also a strong focus on seasonal and organic products, and packaging is avoided as much as possible. NeighbourFood saw a huge increase in demand during lockdown because it is so well suited to safe Covid-19 practices.
The first step is registering for NeighbourFood, which is free. Then each week members have until midnight on Monday to place an order on the site. From then until Wednesday evening the producers will work hard to get everything ready for collection between 4pm and 6pm that day. NeighbourFood – An Tulach hosted its first collection this week.
To register visit www.neighbourfood.ie/antulach
