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“THERE’LL BE NO harvesting in this field at all,” if the rain doesn’t come soon says north Dublin farmer Colm Leonard.
The current heatwave has caused his broccoli crop to stop growing at a time when he and his workers should be harvesting. Instead they are waiting for rain, using some irrigation methods and hoping it will save the whole field from being wiped out.
“It’s got to the stage now where we are growing the crop from start to finish on irrigation,” Leonard says. “And it’s just impossible really.”
It’s a sentiment shared by other farmers across the country.
Irish Farmers’ Association President Joe Healy has said the current dry weather is causing difficulties for farmers who reply on rainfall for grass and crop growth.
The IFA has said this period will impact on yields and farmers income with Healy stating that:
Crop losses look inevitable with growers facing a situation where winter crops in the ground are stressed, and spring crops planted about eight weeks ago have not had any rain since.”
He urged factories and retailers to act responsibly at this difficult time and not put undue downward pressure on prices, something that Leonard only knows too well.
“It probably cost €50,000 to put this crop in the ground,” he says. “There should be €90,000 to €100,000 worth of broccoli here. And we probably won’t see any of it.”
If it rains in the next two weeks there’s a chance the fields could be saved, but until then he and his workers will be up at all hours of the day chasing water from irrigation channels so some water can make it onto the crops.
Recovered or not Leonard believes that “vegetables are going to be very scarce this year.”
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I’m disgusted with Met Eireann , no drizzle warning issued this morning , I went for a walk in the Phoenix Park and wasn’t prepared at all . Now I’m mildly damp . I’m lucky to have survived .
I’m still waiting for that “polar vortex” they promised. My tins of beans are starting to go off.
I have a vacuum cleaner in the house you can have if it’s any help as it’s just gathering dust.
Next we’ll be getting warnings about the warnings. Someone in Met Éireann loves their new toy far too much.
Was thinking same thing. Some one having way too much fun with theses warnings. It will soon be a case of the boy who cried wolf !
Loved the headline, “HISTORIC STORM EXPECTED TO HIT NEW YORK”.
As I said to my missus, “How can it be historic, it hasn’t bloody happened yet”.
“HYSTERIC HEADLINE TO HIT IRELAND” would be a good forcast for this winter. We have had our share.
Weather’s not been bad though.
Let’s cut to the chase. Is it gonna be in Dublin?
Hopefully for you not in Kildare as you won’t be able to find your sheep
Actually more likely to be Horses as there are a large amount of Studs in Kildare….
There mustn’t be too many studs, all the women come up to Dublin.
@Stephen…Are those studs the two legged version or the four legged version?
Sno snice to snee snow.
3CM …..OMG thats over an inch in fact worse nearly an inch and a quarter rounded up were in for two inches of snow YIPPEE
Unfortunately many industries that rely on accurate weather forecasting don’t use Met Eireann. While I like the idea of having our own forecasting system and enjoy the presenters we need to move on towards a much more accurate and localised weather forecasting service for Western Europe and that is best achieved by integrating our Met Eireann service with the UK and Europe. I know many will not appreciate these thoughts but when vital industries subscribe to international weather services its time to overhaul our own inaccurate service. Btw does anyone know how much Met Eireann costs and how much does it earn from subscribers.
There full of wind.
Where?
Der! Can yew naught sea dem?
Ok….so they’ve given us a snow/weather warning….me thinks I’ll just get my shorts ready…normally opposite happens so I’m expecting a HEATWAVE!!!! Woo hoo. Getting the BBQ out now as I speak!!!
And we will still panic just as much as the ppl of New York! The cheek of us!
If we got what they got in New York we would be talking about it for 50yrs – and at a standstill till next week
3CM versus 3 FEET?
We as a nation can’t cope with snow…
Seems like the amount of snow due for New York was slightly exaggerated but get this. We have just had 4 inches in just 2 hours ! 4 inches of peanuts eaten from the feeder that is, plus a full days ration of sunflower hearts and the fat/seed mixture is getting some welly from the birdies too. Caught two mice in traps last night so they are heading in for a bit of heat too and I guess we are in a little cold spell of our own, never mind NY NY :-)
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