A FALCARRAGH based vegetable growing and sustainability training centre are looking for unused plots of land in the area to expand their work.

 

The centre is located on an eight acre site which was once covered in glasshouses where tomatoes were commercially grown in the 1960s.

 

The project located at Cill Ulta, entitled Cúlra Créafóige aims to bring sustainability through cultivation renewal and has now been operating for a year.

 

It has EU funding of over €580,000 for five years through a European Innovation Partnership administered by the Department for Agriculture, Food, and the Marine. 

 

Cill Ulta employs the equivalent of ten full-time staff, as well as supporting one to two Tús workers, and eight RSS farmers. 

 

“It also hosts a series of work placements and second level work experience opportunities and collaborates with regular volunteers.

 

It now supplies fresh, chemical-free produce to the local wholesale, retail, and direct-sales markets through eight shops, 16 restaurants and more than 30 individual households as regular customers.

 

According to its manager Eithne Nic Lochlainn Cúlra Créafóige aims to enhance biodiversity while regenerating land vitality, preserve farm culture while encouraging community, revive agricultural expertise, and explore crop market potential. 

 

“Last year saw soil opened and crops grown in fields across Cloughaneely which have laid dormant and unproductive for upwards of 50 years. 

 

“Historical crops such as Flax and Oats which were once staple crops in the region are being paired with crops such as garlic which are known to do well in Cloughaneely’s difficult growing conditions. 

 

“Cúlra Créafóige is also investigating various green manure mixes, nettle, comfrey, and chicory – exploring their value as nutrient builders, soil conditioners, natural crop fertilisers, alternative forage, and wildlife cover. Importantly, all works are being carried out in support of local plants and animals – so that agriculture works hand-in-hand with the environment,” she said

 

Cill Ulta is also developing into a Regional Centre of Excellence in Sustainable and Regenerative Living, providing training and education in ecology and biodiversity to both locals and visitors as well as up-skilling local businesses in biodiversity and ecological sustainability.  

 

Following on from eco-tourism, Cill Ulta has also invested directly in sustainability, establishing itself as a demonstration site for sustainable practices and becoming a member of the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI)’s. 

 

In order to continue the momentum begun last year Cúlra Créafóige is hoping to stir up fresh interest among local landowners. 

 

“We aim to bring 12 acres into production each year – resulting in 60 acres under sustainable agriculture by the end of 2023. This year will see the roll-out of a series of participant workshops.