Organic Matters

Dec 12 2024 109 ep. 20 mins 25

Organic Matters Podcast artwork

Organic Matters Podcast is brought to you every Saturday by the Irish Organic Association. Our host Hannah Quinn-Mulligan will expertly guide you through each episode as we meet organic farmers and food producers from all over Ireland. We have been certifying organic farms and businesses for 40 years and we bring you a flavour of why organic matters now more than ever. Meet some of our fantastic members discussing how organic is central to their business. Tune in every Saturday at 12 noon.

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Season 3: How Organic Exotic Mushrooms saved one Irish couple after Brexit

Dec 12 2024 16 mins

In the final episode of Season 3 of the Organic Matters Podcast, we meet Dolores and Joe Gorman from Garryhinch Wood Exotic Mushrooms in Co. Offaly. The pair were in the mushroom business for almost 30 years exporting to the UK but had to close when Brexit hit due to the fluctuation in sterling. After a two-year break, they were back in business having diversified into organic exot

Season 3: Developing an organic oil and spices oil business

Dec 12 2024 14 mins

This week on Organic Matters, we meet Andrea and Markus Miley who have developed an organic oil and spices business based in Portarlington, Co. Laois called ÍON Oil and Spices. Originally the pair were involved in the timber business but over time have changed tack and today run a shop, and online business as well as taking their products to farmers' markets and shops. This year

Season 3: Building direct selling veg and combi crop businesses

Dec 12 2024 31 mins

This week on Organic Matters, we meet brothers Charlie and Dan Hogan, and Dan's partner Una Wycherley who all run Larkin's Hill Farm together on the outskirts of Nenagh in Co Tipperary. They sell salad and vegetables to local retailers, and in addition to managing a suckler herd, they have more recently started growing and selling combi crops as animal feed to meet growing demand

Season 3: Mob grazing livestock in Cork

Dec 07 2024 25 mins

This week on Organic Matters, we speak to Charles Harold Barry and his wife Catherine who produce organic beef and lamb. They farm in north Cork and keep Angus cattle using a mob system. They also have sheep and use EasyCare rams to breed lambs that do not need shearing, with the stock seen as an important part of the farm’s grassland management. They have stopped making silage

Season 3: Developing a farm shop, café, egg and veg business on a social farm

Nov 23 2024 17 mins

This week on Organic Matters, we speak to Marian Clarke from Doon Social Farm part of Ballyhoura Rural Services based in County Limerick. As well as catering to the local community and several groups who may be vulnerable or have special needs, the farm runs a shop, café and a thriving organic egg and veg business. Everything produced on the farm is sold into the local community

Season 3: French sucklers flourishing in east Cork

Nov 09 2024 15 mins

This week on Organic Matters, we meet suckler and tillage farmer Jim Stafford. Jim breeds Aubrac cattle, which originally hail from France, alongside his suckler herd. He breeds them both for pedigree breeding purposes and for organic beef and achieves excellent carcase weights. He also grows combi-crops of cereal and pulses for animal feed as well as oats for Flavahans. Jim talk

Season 3: From International Development to Aronia Berries

Oct 26 2024 21 mins

This week on Organic Matters, we meet Steve Collins who farms in West Cork. Having returned from overseas after working on development projects for several years, Steve and his wife Claire purchased a farm in a scenic, but rocky area of the county. Passionate about producing high-quality, nutritious food, Steve and his family now focus a lot on growing both blueberries and aronia

Season 3: Masterclass in organic arable silage

Oct 12 2024 26 mins

This week on Organic Matters, we meet Tony Murphy. Situated in the centre of Cork county, he farms Angus cattle and Beltex sheep as well as tillage. When we meet, Tony is harvesting arable silage. He breaks down exactly how he makes arable silage, which is usually sowed from the 1st of June and mowed in just 14 to 16 weeks later, touching on seed mixtures, ploughing depth, and fe

Season 3: First year converting a suckler, sheep and tillage farm to organic

Sep 28 2024 24 mins

This week on Organic Matters, we speak to suckler, sheep and tillage farmer Angus Woods. Angus began the conversion of his farm in January 2024 having experimented with some organic practices in recent years to help futureproof the business. He talks about the different reasons why he decided to convert to organic and the measures he's taking in his first year of organic convers

Season 3: Breeding Galloways and growing Barley for whiskey

Sep 14 2024 18 mins

This week on Organic Matters, we visit the farm of John and Marcella Mallick near Tinahely in Co. Wicklow. They have been organic farming since 2011 and as well as running a suckler and sheep enterprise with Galloway cattle, and Scotch sheep cross with Texels, they also grow organic barley for Waterford Distillery to brew into whiskey. They talk about their experience farming or