County Galway organic farmers have won a national award for the quality of their produce.
Úna Ní Bhroin and Padraig Fahy of Beechlawn Organic Farm, Ballinasloe, were awarded the Best Organic Local Product category at the National Organic Awards 2010 for their seasonal organic vegetable box.
Now in their fourth year and organised by Bord Bia in conjunction with the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, the 2010 Awards attracted more than 170 entries from organic companies nationwide.
Speaking at the awards ceremony, Eileen Bentley, small business manager, said Beechlawn Organic Farm scooped the award for the “quality of the vegetables, their obvious Irish context, combined with the considerable commitment and initiatives taken at a local level to explain, reveal and assist in understanding just what all the fuss about organic vegetables is”.
Úna Ní Bhroin and Padraig Fahy have been farming organically since 2002. Producing more than 30 different vegetables, including lettuce, tomatoes, French beans, cucumber, carrots, cauliflower, parsnips and potatoes, Beechlawn makes home deliveries and sell direct to the public at Loughrea market on Thursday mornings and Moycullen Country Market on a Friday, and through nine Super Valu and independent grocery stores in Galway city and county.
