Hemp4Soil Farm Walk

Group Shot by David Kelly

The sunshine and, indeed, the people, were out in force at the ‘Hemp4Soil Farm Walk’ in Carrigaholt, Loop Head, at the weekend, as many travelled from all over the country, to learn more about the potential benefits of using Hemp as a ‘regenerative crop’ on farms.

Loop Head is leading the way, in piloting this experiment – Hemp4Soil - which is the first multiple-licensed, Government supported, project of its kind in Europe, to explore the use of HEMP as a regenerative farming crop - and looking, in detail, at the many potential benefits, for the environment, the land and the farmer.

With people travelling to the Farm Walk on Saturday from as far as Bundoran, Fermoy, Kerry, Laois, Mayo, Wexford, Waterford, Galway and of course various parts of Clare, to walk a farm on the Loop Head peninsula, it was abundantly clear that there is a real nationwide appetite to learn more about how Hemp could be, in fact, a hugely important crop for the Agri-industry and rural communities going forward.

At the Farm Walk on Saturday, people were invited to the picturesque setting of Sheehy’s Farm in Carrigaholt, where they were taken through the Hemp crop, now tall, strong, and ripe for harvesting.  Here, attendees were talked through the various treatments used in the experiment, the range of potential benefits and the many end-uses for the crop itself.  

Dr Lena Madden addresses the crowd photo by David Kelly

Farmer Hugh Sheehy gave an account as to his experience of tending to the crop followed by Daniel and Laura facilitating an in-depth ‘questions and answers’ session with the interested crowd. Attendees were brought to an informative display including samples of potential end uses for the Hemp plant - and afterwards were treated to teas and sandwiches in Keane’s Bar, Carrigaholt, where the information sharing continued.

Daniel Lyons at the Hemp4Soil presentation - photo by Carsten Krieger

Daniel talks about the Hemp Plant to the farmers - photo by Carsten Krieger

Project Lead, Laura Foley MSc addresses the crowd - photo by David Kelly

Presentations in the Shed - photo by Liz Greehy

Setting up the Display (bottles of Hemp Seed Oil, suitable for cooking with) photo by Liz Greehy

Some members of the Hemp4Soil Group and some attendees outside Keanes in Carrigaholt

Photo Liz Greehy

Hemp4Soil is an EIP (European Innovation Partnership) project being administered by local community group ‘Loop Head Together’ and facilitated by Carrigaholt Development Association, Co. Clare.  (The project is funded by the EU Recovery Instrument Funding under the Rural Development Programme 2014 – 2022.)