On Tuesday July 10th, the OGI (Organic Growers of Ireland) have organised a farm walk to be held in Kinseally at the Teagasc centre at 7pm. The event is open to everyone to attend. Below is information regarding the trial and the farm walk.
Farm walk: Teagasc Systems Comparison Trial
A field trial to compare the effects of organic and conventional production systems was established in 2009 as part of a DAFM funded Irish Phytochemical Food Network project. The trial carried out by Teagasc researchers is a factorial systems comparison trial, which means that the systems to be compared are divided into component parts. So organic agriculture practices are divided into an “organic soil treatment” (this would include practices such as crop rotation, organic fertilization, winter cover crop etc.), and “organic pest control” (use of certified organic or untreated seed, mechanical weed control, organic pest control). Similarly conventional agriculture is divided into a “conventional soil treatment” (e.g. mineral fertilizers, no planned crop rotation) and a “conventional pest control treatment” (chemically treated seed, chemical pest and weed control). This means that each crop is grown under 4 possible treatment combinations. The trial was planned to run initially run over 5 years (1 rotation) and should help us to better understand how techniques used in either conventional or organic agriculture can affect phytochemical content in field grown vegetables.
The farm walk will comprise a short presentation on the Systems trial and results generated to date, followed by a tour around the trial. Tea and biscuits will be provided and wellies are recommended. There is free entry for OGI members however others will be asked for a donation to the event.
