Our organic co-operatives in the North West

The land in the North West of Ireland has been farmed ‘organically’ since the days of early Neolithic farmers 9000 years ago. However organics as a recognisable movement had little presence in Ireland until the late 1970s when it was here, in the North West, that a small group of pioneering and dedicated organic producers propelled the concept into Irish social consciousness.

They were united by an ideology shaped out of concern for the environmental impact of conventional farming, and the health effects of eating mass-produced foods. They were believers in the benefits of rural living, and together they challenged mainstream notions of agriculture, food and lifestyle. These self-sufficient people shared information and views on topics such as organic farming, energy saving, and how to manage the poor quality of Leitrim soil through small gatherings such as the Mustard Seed festival in ‘76, farm walks and occasional meetings. They also set up the Northwest Newsletter, later named Common Ground which was the first vehicle for IOFGA to spread its message through its own pages within the publication.

It is from this long history of traditional farming techniques and care for the environment, that the two farming co-operatives that support Rossinver emerged.

Leitrim Organic Farmers Co-operative

This is a farmer owned and run co-operative that has been promoting organic farming in County Leitrim since 1998. It now has over 100 members from Leitrim and its surrounding counties, and sells organic beef, lamb and chicken through a network of local and regional farmers markets and directly to consumers.

Leitrim Organic Farmers Co-op was set up to:

North West Organic Co-operative

North West Organic Co-operative was established in February 1999 by a group of farmers dedicated to the principles of organic farming. Members are located across Ireland but primarily located in the north western counties of Derry, Donegal and Tyrone.
Its key aims are to: