Ultan Walsh and Lucy Stewart run Gort na Nain Farm in Nohoval; a nine-acre farm with views overlooking Newfoundland Bay. The name means Field of the Birds - an aspiration, Ultan explains, because when they first bought the farm there was nothing here but barley stubble. Gardening and growing crops has been part of their life since moving to Cork in 1997. Their first smallholding in Minane Bridge kept them self-sufficient in vegetables for two years before purchasing land at Gort na Nain. Asparagus has been at the heart of what they do from the beginning. "Denis asked me what I was doing. I told him I was growing asparagus. He asked me why, and I said because it's my favourite vegetable. He said it was his too, and he became my first customer." That first customer was Denis Cotter, proprietor of Paradiso - Cork city's pioneering vegetarian restaurant - and the relationship has never stopped. It was recognised at the inaugural World Restaurant Awards in 2019 with the Big Plate Collaboration of the Year award, with judges noting that while there were countless examples of chef-farmer collaborations worldwide, Cotter and Walsh's is marked out by its longevity and synergy. One of the four vegetable fields is permanently occupied by perennial vegetables - asparagus, sea kale and globe artichokes - and 10 polytunnels for the cultivation of aubergines, peppers, tomatoes and other vegetables. The other three fields are used for the cultivation of hardy outdoor vegetables. Everything is grown without artificial fertilisers, pesticides or herbicides. Ultan is a microbiologist by background; Lucy a librarian. They use a combination of practices halfway between traditional and commercial growing - figuring out what the land needs and cultivating it in a way that suits it, whilst actively providing habitat for wildlife. F Any surplus asparagus and vegetables that Paradiso cannot take are available directly from the farm's honesty box veg stall, open at the farm entrance every day during the season.

Awards and Recognition

World Restaurant Awards: Big Plate Collaboration of the Year, Paris, 2019 - for the long-standing partnership with Café Paradiso, Cork.

Social Media

https://www.instagram.com/gort_na_nain/

Can people visit or buy direct?

Yes - freshly picked seasonal vegetables are available for sale at the entrance to the farm. The stall is open every day 10am - 8pm. There is an honesty box for payment. Please bring change. Please note, hours may vary seasonally - check the Facebook page before visiting.

Website

http://www.gortnanain.com/farm.shtml

Address Summary

Gort na Nain Farm, Ballyherkin, Nohoval