Now you can order veggies and free-range eggs from Cork’s first Rooftop Farm
We’re all looking for new ways to buy local.
Now city dwellers can enjoy a regular delivery of locally grown vegetables and free-range eggs from Cork’s own Rooftop Farm – a green oasis of organic goodies tucked away above the Coal Quay.
Run by urban farmers Brian McCarthy and his partner Thayane ‘Thay’ Carlos, the Rooftop Farm has been growing steadily since April. The pair are now ready to grow all the basic vegetables; potatoes, carrots, lettuce, turnips, tomatoes, herbs, peppers, parsnips, broccoli, courgettes, cucumbers, onions, garlic, radishes, peas, beans (and another 40 or 50 varieties) this spring.
Sign up for Cork Rooftop Farm’s new CSA Subscription Box and you can be confident your food comes with zero air miles and no nasty chemicals.
CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture, an idea that was developed in the 1960’s in Japan to build a relationship between the farmer and community. It works like this: Members buy shares in the farm’s output before the season starts, then reap the benefits of the harvest each week as the season progresses.
This week the farm will take delivery of 60 new grow towers, which will support a whopping 4500 plants inside the greenhouse on the roof.
“We’ve also rented land from a farmer out near Coachford and we have started preparation of our No Dig Market Garden, which we will be using to supplement our Rooftop Farm produce,” Brian told Yay Cork.
A total of 70 CSA Subscription Boxes are now available for summer 2021.
The weekly boxes will include up to ten items of seasonal produce to enjoy throughout the season and members will enjoy extra benefits such as an exclusive Rooftop Farm Tour and an invitation to the Rooftop Summer Feast, as well as opportunities to volunteer and learn about how their food is grown.
“Each member will enjoy a weekly share of fresh, organically grown fruits, vegetables, microgreens and herbs (depending on availability). Our carefully selected varieties and organic growing practices bring out the very best in flavour and nutrition,” says Brian.
Produce is harvested when it is ripe, just before you receive it, and Cork Rooftop Farm never uses chemicals, synthetic pesticides or herbicides on any of their crops.
“We will also be starting a Pasture-Raised Egg Enterprise in the spring, with 800 laying hens and people will have the option to add eggs to their weekly subscription,” added Brian.
The weekly food delivery costs €600 for 20 weeks. You can add a dozen chicken eggs to each pick up for €100, with a 5% discount if you pay in full or the option to make two payments and pay full price.
You can subscribe for the first limited CSA Subscription Box at corkrooftopfarm.ie.
