CountryWide's Brenda Donohue paid a visit to Ireland's most successful professional surfer who has recently turned his attention to organic farming.
Fergal Smith is Ireland’s most successful professional surfer and he is now making waves in organic farming. He won many national and international surfing awards and was often to be found surfing in the southern hemisphere in winter, as the best waves occur during storms.
However, after seven years travelling the world, he decided to return to firm land to set up a community supported organic farm just outside Lahinch in Co. Clare. And as Clare is a world surfing centre, Fergal could combine his two loves.
Fergal is doing more than just growing quality vegetables. He is working towards a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) model, where consumers commit to buying local, seasonal produce directly from a farmer.
There are a number of similar social farming type operations in Ireland and around the world, and they are a growing trend. Fergal is also a vibrant member of Ireland’s Green Party and is adamantly against the proposal to build a sea wall to “protect” the Donald Trump-owned Doonbeg Golf Club, located not too far up the coast.
Brenda met him on the beach in Lahinch after a spell of surfing and they headed up to his holding outside the town.
Countrywide is on RTÉ Radio 1 Saturday mornings at 8.10am.
Listen to Brenda's report for CountryWide here:
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Written by Brenda Donohue
