Many Hats One CAP Many Hats One CAP encompasses a year-long programme of interactive communication initiatives and events throughout Ireland. This years campaign includes advertisements in magazines, newspapers, cinemas, national television and radio. It also includes a series of Open Farm Weekend events in the Family Farm, developed by Agri Aware and Dublin Zoo.
Agri Aware's National Open Farm Day 2018
Agri Aware’s inaugural ‘National Open Farm Day’ took place on the May Bank Holiday, Monday, 7th May 2018. Over 6,000 people trekked to the countryside and attended the four mixed enterprise farms in Cork, Mayo, Wicklow and Dublin. The purpose of the national open farm day was to help educate consumers about where their food comes from and showcase all the daily tasks on a working Irish farm. The Open Farm event involved farm walks, educational talks, sheep shearing and milking demonstrations, and cookery demonstrations will celebrity chefs – Edward Hayden, Sharon Hearne-Smith, Lily Higgins and Catherine Leyden.
Bloom 2018
Agri Aware in conjunction with Bord Bia, hosted the Bloom Farmyard at the 2018 Bloom in the Phoenix Park. Over the course of two days, Thursday May 31st and Friday June 1st, we hosted over 900 primary students from 30 different schools across Ireland. The students were given a tour of the farmyard where they learned about pigs, sheep, and cows. They even got to witness a sheep shearing and a dairy cow milking demonstration! After touring the Bloom Farmyard, Agri Aware team members brought the students into the 7-a-day fruit and vegetable polytunnel where they got to experience the Incredible Edibles garden and learned about healthy eating. Over the course of the weekend, the Agri Aware team also presented on stage in the 7-a-day polytunnel, teaching the public about the requirements for seed germination – heat, air and water. Members of the public got to take home a seed necklace, which allowed them to try their own hand at germinating a seed and growing some beetroot in their own gardens!
Tullamore Show
Agri Aware’s Big Red Shed at the Tullamore Show was buzzing as celebrity chef Edward Hayden took the stage to kick off the day’s proceedings. The shed was filled with a veritable feast for the senses with MC Edward Hayden joined by a host of expert guests including renowned sheep shearer Godfrey Potterton hosting sheep shearing demos, Brian O’Toole, beekeeper with Leinster Honey speaking to visitors about all things bees; Pat O’Neill of O’Neill’s Dry Cure Bacon for cookery demonstrations and famed butter maker Breda McDonald who taught visitors the art of traditional butter making. Agri Aware’s red shed at Tullamore Show is part of a significant campaign entitled ‘Many hats, one CAP’ being delivered by Agri Aware, the independent Irish agri-food educational body. The campaign co-financed by the European Commission aims to communicate the many benefits of the CAP to the general public and farmers, across Ireland. The message to this audience is clear, that CAP delivers a secure supply of safe, quality and traceable food that is affordable for consumers. In addition to producing this food under the highest standards, CAP also ensures sustainable management of our natural resources, our waterways, promotes biodiversity and aids in the development of our rural areas.
Open Farm Weekends at the Family Farm in Dublin Zoo
Over the course of the summer months, Agri Aware has created several engaging CAP/farm related events aimed at the members of the general public. These events are inclusive of all ages of the public, however focused to young people in urban areas. These events are hosted on the Family Farm, developed by Agri Aware and Dublin Zoo. The Family Farm has over 1.1 million visitors annually and Dublin Zoo is ranked as one of the top (#2) tourist attractions in Ireland. In 2018, Open Farm Weekends at the Family Farm, Dublin Zoo hosted 30 interactive events delivered from June to September 2018. With the help of external experts, Agri Aware delivered topics including Sheep Shearing, Weaving, Hurley Making, Butter Making, Beekeeping, Basket Weaving, Farm Technology, Women in Agriculture and many more!
National Ploughing Championships
Agri Aware brought the Big Red Shed back to the National Ploughing Championships this year. Over the course of three days, September 18th, 20th and 21st, Agri Aware hosted a number of panel discussions, cookery demos and other activities. Celebrity Chef Edward Hayden cooked up a storm, completing two cooking demonstrations each day, allowing the audience to sample some of his delicious dishes. We also had a number of panel discussions entitled 'Leaders in their Field', featuring various agriculture industry members. The panelists discussed their roles in their careers and shared the route they took to end up in their position. President Michael D Higgins also made surprise visit to the Big Red Shed and stopped for a few pictures!
Acknowledgements Agri Aware would like to thank all those who are sponsoring its “Many Hats One CAP” campaign, particularly the European Union through Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), as well as all patron members who make it possible for Agri Aware to carry out its various educational and public awareness programmes and initiatives on behalf of the agri-food industry.
This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This publication/advertisement reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.
