This year the Greenmount Association heads to Co Down for its Autumn Farm Walk on Wednesday 21 October 2009.

First stop will be at 10.00am to the family farm of John and Jonathan Carson, Ballyculter Road, Downpatrick. The Carsons farm 137ha, the farm entered the Organic Farming Scheme in 2006 and is now fully converted to organic production. 12ha of cereals are grown for feeding cattle and the farm is using a range of reseeding and sward improvement methods to improve grass and clover quality. The farm is managed as a suckler to beef system with 80 suckler cows, heifers are served using Limousin and cows with Charolais. All cattle are finished through ABP, Newry. 40 ewes are kept with lambs sold through Dunbia as organic lamb. John and Jonathan will give us a detailed outline of their farm business and an insight into working under the rules of the Organic Farming Scheme. CAFRE’s Paul McHenry and Michael Doherty will also be on hand to discuss benchmarking and managing grassland under organic conditions.

Lunch will take place on the farm and will comprise a barbeque kindly sponsored by Crossgar Meats.

At 1.45pm visitors will move to the processing plant of Crossgar Meats in Down Business Park. Crossgar meats, through its network of established local producers, offer a premium quality range of meat with full traceability from farm to fork. Committed local producers are vital to the business of Crossgar Meats and long-term partnerships are developed with producers who farm to the highest standards. A new market for Crossgar Meats is their exclusive Dexter Beef range. In partnership with The Dexter Producer Group the company believe the pedigree Dexter breed will complement their existing meat range. On the day the Association will hear about the background to this innovative and successful company and will also receive a tour of the facilities, including a butchery demonstration.

This promises to be an interesting and educational day for all and is a fantastic opportunity to see two extremely well developed and run businesses in operation. We look forward to seeing both members and non-members on the day.

The small fee of £5 per head will be charged to cover costs with any surplus money going to charity.

Due to the expected demand and limited spaces, prior booking is essential, so if you plan to attend could you please book your place with Joan Shore or Gillian Neilly on 028 9442 6773 by Friday 16 October.

In the interests of hygiene, all attending the visits are requested to wear clean clothes not normally worn on the farm. No wellington boots as overshoes will be provided.

DIRECTIONS TO CARSONS FARM

From the roundabout at the Belfast road in Downpatrick take the exit for the town centre. At the first set of traffic lights veer left, stay on this road and pass the church, coming to the end of this road turn left. At the end of this road turn left onto Ballyhornan Road. After two miles enter Ballyalton and where the road veers right, turn left onto Ballyculter Road. After 1.5 miles go through a cross roads and Carson’s is the first farm on the left after the cross roads.