The Farm, Grenagh, an integrated agri-tourism, cultural and heritage attraction between Mallow and Cork city, hosts its annual harvest extravaganza event on Sunday 6 September. The Farm is a traditional 40-acre Irish working farm owned by Mick Forde. He also has a Massey Ferguson tractor and machinery collection including Ferguson, Massey Harris and Massey Ferguson tractors, plus a host of Massey-branded farm equipment and machinery from the 1930s to the 1970s.
Mick said that the harvest event will see over 30 tractors and 15 combine harvesters from the 1940s to today working side by side in the fields. Vintage and classic machinery enthusiasts from far and wide have confirmed that they will bring their equipment and they have been invited to literally muck in for the day.
A 10-acre field of barley will be cut, along with 10 acres of silage. There will be an area dedicated for ploughing and a further three acres allocated for a working tillage event using both vintage and modern machinery. The day-long event also features baling and bale handling demonstrations, old-style silage making, reaping and binding and a working horse display.
Overwhelmed
Mick Forde said: “The Farm is a working operation, seven days a week, 364 days of the year. We were overwhelmed by the response and support for last year’s event, with visitors of all ages and from all walks of life amazed by the size and scale of the machinery in action.”
Mick said that as the harvest is one of the most important times on a traditional Irish farm, visitors to the extravaganza will get a chance to get stuck into the work rather than just spectate. “There’s huge support for the event from local vintage clubs and enthusiasts who bring along their machines and tractors to demonstrate on our working plots,” he said.
Visitors can also take a trip back in time at the folk village where The Farm has an impressive collection of equipment and machinery. The village also features a farmhouse pre- and post-electrification, a forge, garage, hardware shop, communications display and school classroom.
The Farm has been supported by LEADER in Cork and has full disabled access and entry is at the usual price of €8 with family rates available. You can get more details from Mick Forde (021-4629816) at The Farm in advance of the harvest extravaganza day, which begins at 10am.
Suncroft vintage harvest
Suncroft Vintage Club in Kildare has confirmed that its ninth annual vintage working day will take place on Sunday 13 September. Club spokesman Thomas Connolly (087-2511665) said that the day will include a road run, which leaves Martinstown at noon sharp, followed by the working day back in Martinstown.
Knockbridge vintage day
The annual Knockbridge vintage and working rally takes place on Sunday 13 September at Knockbridge just outside Dundalk, Co Louth.
Club spokesperson Grainne McGeeney (085-1569147) said that there will be an extensive display of vintage tractors, cars and bicycles in the field, as well as vintage threshing and a working area which will include binders, reapers and vintage combines for all the machinery enthusiasts.
Declan Nerney, who is also a vintage tractor enthusiast, will be on stage at 3pm to entertain everyone. The club is also hosting a vintage fashion show by Blackrock-based boutique After Sybil.
Tractor pulling at Dualla
There will be a vintage display and tractor pulling at this weekend’s Dualla Show, which takes place on Sunday 30 August. In its fifth year, Dualla Show takes place against the backdrop of the historic 17th century Ballyowen House, 5km from Cashel, Co Tipperary.
Tractor pullers are advised that the Irish Tractor Pulling Club (ITPC) farm class rules will be used (European hitch height now 500mm measured from the ground and maximum distance forward for front weights 1,100mm measured from the front grille of the tractor).
Tractor weighing starts at 10am, while the pulling starts at 11am. There are only 30 starting positions available.
Date Event Location Contact
29 August Glenravel Civic Festival Vintage Day Antrim 0044-7963-517407
30 August Inniscarra Vintage Show Cork 086-2071506
30 August Dualla Vintage Show Tipperary 086-2774464
30 August Sillan Vintage Club Show & Field Day Cavan 086-0561003
30 August Heritage Vintage Rally Newmills Tyrone 0044-7922276445
30 August Shanty Vintage Club Field Day Kilkenny 087-6802675
30 August Black Bull Threshing Festival Sharavouge, Birr, Offaly 086-8891762
30 August Clonbullogue Steam Threshing Clonbullogue, Offaly 087-7658393
5 September Seaforde Working Vintage Club Rally Down 0044-7928730162
5 September Mid Ulster Club Vintage Ploughing Tyrone www.muvvc.co.uk
5 September Derryhennett Vintage Road Run Keady, Armagh 0044-7718363887
5 September Garvagh Clydesdale and Vintage Fair Derry 0044-7791-086221
6 September Lough Rynn Harvest Festival Mohill, Leitrim 086-3407643
6 September The Farm Harvest Extravaganza Grenagh, Cork 021-4629816
6 September West Limerick Vintage Club Show Askeaton 087-6995904
6 September Tulla Vintage Rally Tulla, Clare 086-8234746
6 September Carrickmacross Vintage Club Field Day Monaghan 087-2371221
6 September West Limerick Vintage Show Askeaton, Limerick 087-6995904
6 September Ballymachugh Four County tractor run Finea, Cavan 087-2726658
6 September Tulla Vintage Day, O’Halloran’s field Tulla, Clare 086-1704889
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