Tirlán was delighted to support the recent Open Farm event on the dairy farm of our milk suppliers, Stephen and Áine Byrne.

The recent Open Farm event on the dairy farm of our milk suppliers, Stephen and Áine Byrne, was a remarkable success, attracting over 2,550 people. Organised by Agri Aware in conjunction with Tirlán and supported by NDC. The Open Farm event is a key part of their mission to enhance agricultural literacy.

In addition to the public day held on Saturday, June 15th, this year’s event featured a school’s day on Friday, June 14th, where 450 primary school students from Kildare and Dublin had the chance to see first-hand how local Irish food, particularly dairy products, are produced. This initiative aimed to give the next generation an appreciation of where their food comes from.

Pictured above: Primary school students from Kildare and Dublin.

Pictured from left to right: Marypaula Kelly, Communications Manager, Larry Hannon, Board Director and Caroline Brindley, Communications Manager.

On Saturday, attendees of all ages were able to experience a working farm, learning about the environmentally sustainable practices that are integral to modern farming. The event included a self-guided tour of the Byrne family’s dairy farm, a mini-farm village showcasing various Irish agricultural production systems, cooking demonstrations, children’s games, and the opportunity to taste delicious local Irish food and sample some of Avonmore’s Mooju chocolate milk at the Avonmore Milk Bar which supplied over 1,200 samples of Avonmore Mooju and Fresh Milk.

Host farmer Stephen Byrne also shared his pride in the event, highlighting the importance of educating both young and old about the care and sustainability involved in food production. Stephen and Áine said the school’s day was of utmost importance to them, as no textbook will educate the next generation better on where their food comes from than seeing it in person and hearing about its production from industry experts.

At Tirlán, we remain dedicated to supporting initiatives that celebrate sustainable farming practices and engage with the community in meaningful ways. We continue to promote a greater understanding and appreciation of the vital role agriculture plays in our daily lives.

Agri Aware, the independent farming and agri-food educational body, is a charitable trust whose mission is to improve the image and understanding of agriculture, farming and the food industry among the general public.

To convey the importance of the agri-food industry among the general public and bridge the gap between producer and consumer.

Agri Aware delivers high impact educational and public awareness initiatives and projects for students and the general public.