DONEGAL farmer Shannon Porter has been nominated for the Innovation Award for Women Farmers 2023.
This competition was developed by Copa-Cogeca to shed light on the hundreds of innovative projects conducted every year all over Europe by women farmers.
In 2023 it will particularly showcase the innovative and novel solutions implemented by women that are supporting all three pillars of sustainability; economic, environmental and social.
In September 2021, Shannon started up her own business on her family farm situated between Newtowncunningham and St Johnston called ‘The Milk Bar’, which is completely self-service.
As well as supplying the locals with their weekly milk supply, Shannon also sells flavoured milk.
Stocking vanilla, banana, chocolate and strawberry milk on a weekly basis, Shannon gets a bit more creative when it comes to her weekly specials.
Last week Shannon’s special was Cream Egg flavoured milk, which tied in perfectly with Easter.
From being a finalist in Blas na hÉireann 2022 to coming runner up in the Food Coast Donegal Enterprise Awards 2022, it is safe to say Shannon’s business has been going from strength to strength.
Although Shannon works tirelessly running her milk bar, she also supplies her milk to local coffee shops and farm shops, holds numerous events from her home farm and caters for school trips.
Speaking to the Donegal News, Shannon says it is great educating the young kids that maybe have never seen a calf or a baby lamb.
“To give them the opportunity to pet them is a great experience for them,” she said.
As if Shannon wasn’t busy enough, this week she teamed up with Little Mamma’s Ice Cream in Donegal to produce ice cream.
Little Mamma’s ice cream purchase Shannon’s milk which they then turn into delicious ice cream for her to sell from her milk bar.
What makes Shannon’s milk so special is that it is non-homogenised, which means it has a natural layer of cream.
Coffee shops find her milk is much easier to troth which adds a creamy, air mouth-feel to coffees.
Shannon, who is the only girl in the house alongside her two brothers, said she was gobsmacked when she found out she was nominated for the Innovation Award for Women Farmers 2023.
“I was absolutely shocked to get the email on Monday. It has been great to have the recognition and for someone to put me forward.
“There are so many people and for me to be picked as one of them has just been fantastic. The IFA were the organisation that nominated me,” she said.
With farming mainly looked at as a male dominated industry, Shannon is flying the flag for the women farmers of Donegal, and further afield.
“I come from a farm that is male dominated. I am the oldest girl and I have two brothers. The boys are always looked at to take over the farm but us girls have to stand up strong for ourselves to show that we can do it. I am also a sales rep for a meal company and there aren’t many sales reps out there that are ladies.
“When I was at Harper and Adams University, there were more ladies in my course than there were men. I do think times are changing.
“As my Dad would say, those great farmers out there always have a good woman behind them. There is always a good lady pushing behind them to keep everything right,” she said.
At Shannon’s farm there is no discrimination.
“We hire ladies here on our family farm and sometimes we find they’re the best workers out there. They are the most reliable and have the most patience.
“Some people think, these ladies can’t lift heavy buckets but if you give us the chance we will show you we can,” she said.
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