Visit https://ndc.ie/bloom-2024/ for more info!
The National Dairy Council will be Milking It at this year’s Bord Bia Bloom taking part in the Phoenix Park, June Bank Holiday weekend. The organisation is celebrating 60 years this year and will be celebrating with a range of exciting events, activations, talks, and kitchen demos taking place across the five days.
Designed by Hungarian Garden Designer and regular at Bloom, Tünde Perry, the garden is designed as an impactful space forging a deeper connection between Irish consumers and sustainable dairy production as well as promoting the essential nutritional credentials and great taste of Irish Dairy. Designed to capture people’s imagination and promote a greater understanding of Ireland’s dairy production system and outstanding nutrition credentials from locally produced dairy produce.
The heart of this garden is the Farm, showcasing Ireland’s unique landscape and 6,000 years of farming and dairy production. It will include a grass meadow, multi species swards and Irish native trees, shrubs, and hedgerows. Part of this section on the visitor side the mound forms a wedge shape, vertically cut sections will show the different layers of the soil and its importance in Irish food production.
Then there is a farmhouse itself and an open kitchen replicating an old bar with an open cow shed, covered with corrugated sheets. Added features to the farmhouse will include a solar panel on the roof beside the green roof. A kitchen garden completes the experience where chefs can forage for in-season fruit, vegetables, and herbs. Look out for an abstract sculpture in the garden, which is in a certain point forms the shape of a cow!
Cathy Curran, Head of Communications with NDC said
“We are delighted to be at Bord Bia Bloom again this year and to have the opportunity to tell the story of Irish dairy from the ground to the table. There is still a disconnect from grass to glass, and we need to capture these opportunities to tell the dairy production story at a largely urban consumer event. As part of our presence at Bloom, we will also be holding several interesting and engaging panel discussions, talks, kitchen demos and games in the garden across the five days with a few famous faces!”
Activities and Events at the NDC garden
Future Farming
As NDC celebrates 60 years of excellence in dairy production, we will go back in time to chat about what it was like to be a farmer in 1964. Moving to the future, children around Ireland were asked to tell us what farming will look like in the future; these winning future farmers will tell us where they see it going or growing! “The Science Beneath the Grass” panel discussion will look at how technology and science is improving sustainability on a journey to lower emissions with a number of experts from Teagasc.
Milking It!
1st June is World Milk Day and to celebrate, NDC will have a Milk Moustache booth where people can take fun selfies to send to their friends or post to social media. Ever heard of a Milk Tasting? Ireland’s climate, soil, and surrounding flora all affect the end result and our unique grass-fed dairy production system results in a truly unique flavour. Influencer and journalist Cassie Stokes will be carrying out a Taste Test with members of the public so you can try and pick out Airfield’s rich jersey milk over your everyday low-fat option!
Schools Out!
There will be a lot of fun to be had by children and schools who will be visiting the garden. Milk has many magical properties and kids can learn about butter and cheesemaking from the experts at Airfield Estate. Be transported straight to a real-life Irish dairy farm in Co Cork with a Virtual Reality game complete with the sights and sounds of country life!
The Sustainable Kitchen
Airfield Estate, Dublin’s Sustainable Food Hub, will be joining forces with NDC to showcase their sustainable food hub where everything is grown on site. There will be a range of delicious dairy rich recipes demonstrated each day at the NDC garden including chef and presenter Aisling Larkin who regularly appears on the Six O’clock Show.
For interviews and media requests please contact Cathy Curran on 086 8777 664 or ccurran@ndc.ie.
Editors Notes
Celebrating its 18th year in 2024, Bord Bia Bloom now attracts over 110,000 visitors annually and has grown into Ireland’s favourite gardening and lifestyle festival. Tickets are on sale now on BordBiaBloom.com and don’t forget, two kids go free with every paying adult. To stay up to date with plans for the 2024 festival, sign up to the Bloom ezine at BordBiaBloom.com and follow-on social media.
