Never two years the same

Stand in the Gap

Kathleen Duffy

Wouldn’t it be nice to get a few good days but the rain keeps coming and that pesky cloud still lingers, and the forecast is not great. The evenings are starting to cut up and there has been cold weather at night. Gerry in the Men's Shed polytunnel down at the centre cannot get even the beef tomatoes to ripen, the strawberries didn’t get the sun so like lots of growers it was a miserable year for fruit. The fruit didn’t really do well here this year even though there is a good crop of apples, they are small and spotted. Despite their shortcomings I entered them into the Virginia Show, along with my plums, to support the event. The second cut silage was pitted and completed last weekend, later than usual. The old meadow was cut and baled but the quality isn’t great. We got big square bales of nice barley straw last week for bedding saved from the silly scheme, the straw incorporation measure.

AMOC - Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation

As if we didn’t have enough to worry about, for the last few years we have been hearing about AMOC, it carries warm ocean water northwards to us from the Gulf Stream and is in danger of shutting down owing to global heating as there is an increase of water from Greenland’s ice cap which is melting too fast and stopping the warm waters reaching us. All this is being carefully studied by scientists and we can only hope that its collapse can be avoided for our own sakes and that of our children and grandchildren.

Farming

The weather is playing havoc with farming with slow grass growth because of the cold and wet weather. All farmers had a horrendous spring this year and the summer was not much better, but that’s farming, never two years the same. At least the milk price is improving and is badly needed this year with production way down versus 2022. The price increase was needed in spring when higher volumes were produced. Cost Control planning and winter forage budget are the buzz words with all advisors as there will be a tough winter and spring ahead. Building up grass if possible and reducing the meal feeding are the jobs over the next month if we get the chance.

Unfortunately this is at a time where farmers were hoping to do some capital investment (TAMS etc) especially those in derogation, which is a benefit to builders and suppliers in the local area. Most summers young neighbours get work on local farms and businesses to earn the cost of college and put a few bob in their pockets. Farming is really very important to the local economy but when the income is not there the investment cannot be made.

Community

Now is the time of year where parents and students get ready for school. This year is different for those in post primary with good news for parents and guardians. The Government has introduced a new scheme from the start of the new school year 2024/25. Under this scheme all schoolbooks and core classroom resources for students in Junior Cycle: 1st, 2nd and 3rd years will be provided to students directly by their school.

There is no charge to parents/guardians for this, as schools will receive funding from Government to cover these costs. Over 345,000 primary school children are now eligible to receive a free hot school meal a day. While this has been criticised by some as a waste of food, surely every child being offered one hot meal a day or in post primary that every child has a book, copy and a pen in front of them from day one, levels the playing field, even if just for a short time. Both will reduce the costs to all school going households.

Rural Housing

The government need to grasp the problem of housing or we will lose our young rural people who cannot see a future opportunity to own their own homes. There has to be a way to get movement, especially with all the new grants available to do up old houses in both the countryside and in the towns. Derelict buildings are an eye sore and should be knocked and turned into homes much more quickly. Time to stop courting landlords and owners and take control of providing affordable homes. People may feel they can procrastinate, but the young won’t wait and they are the future.

Virginia Show

The rain just came at the wrong time, around 10.30am and heavy showers lasted till near 3pm. There was a steady stream of people who came in early and more who came in late. I was lucky enough to get first prize for my plums, the apples didn’t figure at all. The standard was very high in the Hall within all sections and classes The Supervalu ICA skills of the Year was keenly contested and the standard from all guilds taking part was exceptional. I am sure it was very hard to pick the winners.

There were four different guilds winning the individual sections and Maghera won the overall with Ballybay Co Monaghan a close second. Rockcorry came third with Crosserlough in fourth place. Take a bow all ICA contestants and the best of luck for the coming year.

The Showgrounds looked fantastic with our new tarmac area around the Centre making it so easy to walk and drive on, thanks to the support of the Community Recognition fund. No more potholes so traffic moved smoothly on Show Day.

The Virginia Show Centre has put together a really good schedule for the autumn and are looking forward to welcoming back many of the community and voluntary organisations who use our facilities, check out their Facebook page. The ICA will start back again in September with a full itinerary of events and courses.