Walk through a 9 acre woodland planted 20 years ago with 15 to 20 species of trees including broadleaf and conifers. The walk takes you past a lake and on to a 3 acre woodland planted 7 years ago with 100% broadleaf predominantly sycamore. There are also organic suckler cows including two Scottish Highlanders as well as 2 ponies. This is rough mountain land – wellies are a good idea.

Directions: From Bantry take the N71 and at the top of Barnageehy hill take the right to Durrus. After 1 mile farm track is on the left. Parking will be on the main road.

Contact: Nout Cremers 027 61261

A smallholding on 5 acres with a self-build, energy-efficient timber-frame house, passive & indirect solar-heating. A Masonry-stove is the central feature and heating source for the whole house plus hot water. It also serves for baking bread and ‘pizza al forno’. The house has a compost toilet and reed-bed for grey water clearing, ponds, an orchard, soft-fruits and a big vegetable garden. There is an existing woodland, river and a planted woodland / shelter-belt on the land.

Directions: from Bantry follow the N71 towards Glengariff. Turn right 2 miles after Ballylicky, towards Coomhola/Kilgarvan turn right at the shop over Coomhola Bridge and left towards Kilgarvan.Turn left after 2 miles and follow the signs to the car park. Please share transport, parking is limited.

Contact: Marcus Hohmann 027 66951

A celebration of tomatoes. We hope to show you 30 to 40 varieties of tomato. Taste them and see them growing - from tiny cherry toms to large white beefsteak varieties. Many colours, shapes and sizes. There will be a talk on tomato cultivation - from seed sowing to seed saving and ideas on how to use and preserve tomatoes.

Directions: Just before Baltimore, Glebe gardens is on the right after a sharp bend in the road.

Contact: Jean Perry 028 20232

The Robinson family live on a 30 acre farm keeping pigs, cattle and geese. They grow 8 acres of vegetables on rotation. All produce is sold directly to customers at street markets. This is the annual open day – there will be stalls selling local produce and crafts. Entrance fee – proceeds to local charity.

Directions: From Bantry go through Crookstown, ¼ mile the other side at sharp bend take right turn for Cloughduv. At crossroads in village, turn right, and travel for 1 mile up hill. Road bends to left and a small road veers to the right (almost a T-junction). Go straight ahead into rough lane for farm.

Contact: Eddie & Caroline Robinson 021 7330178

Celebrating the potato – a selection of heritage and blight-free varieties on display, including Orla and Golden Wonder which are sold at the Farmer’s Markets. Information on how to choose varieties, plant, grow and store spuds. A mixed organic family farm with suckler cows, sheep, pigs, poultry and veg.

Directions: From Union Hall take left at Catholic church and follow signs to Maria’s school house. Go right up concrete lane at side of Maria’s school house.

Contact: Con Burns on 028 33455

A 70 acre farm with forest garden and vegetables. Designed using organic and permaculture principles. Kai is a big collector of useful trees, shrubs and perennials. He’s developing a small herd of Aberdeen Angus for meat and has a tropical glass-house.

Directions: From Ballydehob on the N71 to Bantry take the turning to ‘An Sanctoir’. Take the first left (not into An Sanctoir) and go 1.5 miles to farm.

Contact: Kai on 028 37891 - cancelled - phone if you need more info.

A 17-acre hillside farm with cattle, Jacob sheep, goats, hens, ducks and a variety of fruit & vegetables. Quentin, Clare & family live in a recently built straw-bale house with sod roof and a compost toilet. Electricity comes from a wind generator and various solar panels provide hot water. In addition to the garden, greenhouse and polytunnel areas, the walk will include a demonstration of various alternative energy systems and a tour of the house. Contact: Clare and Quenting Tel: 027 52773

Directions / more info at www.ardnashee.com.

From Bantry, heading out the Glengarriff Road, turn right after the Quickpick shop, go past the Drinagh Co-op shop and take the next turn left. Drive for 4.3 miles (it is worth zeroing your trip meter). The road curls to the left, with a yellow cottage close to the road. Opposite this there is a lane with a triangle of grass at the end. If you come to a school, you have gone too far.

Take the lane opposite the old yellow cottage, and follow signposts from there.

As well as producing the seed for Brown Envelope Seeds this is an organic beef farm on the estuary of the Ilen river. There is a garden and 2 polytunnels used for seed production, grassland for beef production and 5ha of newly planted woodland. Also of interest is a wetland used for sewage treatment, a young orchard and a hedge laid in the January 2004 workshop. There will be a plant swap and sale to raise funds for Growing Awareness.

• Seeds for sale.
• Bring plants to swap!

Directions Go West on the Skibb to Ballydehob road for about 4 miles to Church Cross. Turn left opposite the church with the big cypress tree, signed for Cunnamore etc. After about 2 miles you come to Minihane’s pub. Turn left just past the pub (sign posted for Turk Head) and go to the next junction. Follow the sign for Turk Head. After this junction it is the fourth entrance on the right. The house is stone-faced with blue windows.

Contact Madeline McKeever on 028 38184

A 20 acre family small-holding with vegetable, flower and herb gardens plus a young woodland, orchard, bees, chickens, 2 donkeys and 2 cows. All managed to encourage biodiversity on the beautiful Sheep’s Head peninsula with stunning views. Bring plants to swap!

Directions

From Bantry: Take the Goat Pass road (just past the West Lodge Hotel) for 8½ miles. Go left at the fork for Ahakista for ¼ mile and look for the sign that will mark the entrance.

Directions From Durrus: Take the road to Ahakista and take the next road on the right, after a ‘no dumping’ sign. The road bears left and then right. Once over the mountain and at a T junction, turn right. Go down and look out for the sign.

Contact: Lisa Davies on 027 61716

Graham Strouts has a small Permaculture plot on 4 acres with native tree nursery, orchard and fruit bushes, young plantings of coppice species, yurts and a reciprocal-framed cordwood roundhouse. Situated about 8 miles north of Bantry, the land descends in a series of natural terraces to the Coomhola river.

Directions

From Bantry take Glengarriff road and at the Ouvane Falls Hotel go straight ahead up a small unmarked road, 2 miles to Coomhola Bridge. Do not cross the bridge, but turn right just before (signed to Kilgarvan). After exactly 2 miles look for Farm Walk signs, and turn left across a stone bridge.

Contact

Graham Strouts on 027 66931

Black Oak Trees.net

A group project that has developed a beautiful eco-settlement using permaculture principles. Includes grazing meadow on the floodplain of the Lee, eco-houses and permaculture gardens. Sensitively maintained native woodland on steep south facing slope and wild flowers.

Directions

From Bantry take the Macroom Road via Kealkill. Pass the turn to Gougane Barra. Then take the second turn on the left (look out for Farm Walk signs).

Contact

Ruth on 028 23889

The Robinson family live on a 30 acre farm keeping pigs, cattle and geese. They grow 8 acres of vegetables (including 4 large polytunnels) on rotation. All produce is sold directly to customers at street markets. Very impressive commercial organic system.

Directions

From Bantry go through Crookstown, ¼ mile the other side at sharp bend take right turn for Cloughduv. At crossroads in village, turn right, and travel for 1 mile up hill. Road bends to left and a small road veers to the right (almost a T-junction). Go straight ahead into rough lane for farm.

Contact

Eddie & Caroline Robinson on 021 7330178

David McCormick farms suckler cows on a 65 acre organic farm by the coast. Animals are grazed outdoors year round on a rotational basis and all calves are finished to beef. Also of interest is a young native woodland, vegetable garden and spectacular sea views.

Directions

From Union Hall follow the signs for Reen Pier via Myross lake on left hand side. Just before Reen Pier, turn left uphill and continue to signed farm entrance on right hand side.

Contact

David McCormick on 028-22947

At Manch The Irish Natural Forestry Foundation has established, in conjunction with the owner, a centre of excellence to demonstrate and promote natural Irish forestry that is economically as well as socially and environmentally beneficial. Broadleaf plantings demonstrate sustainable management and regeneration techniques for Continuous Forest Cover which ensures minimum disruption to woodland ecosystems. Not to be missed. See http ://www.inff.ie/index.php?cat=4 for more details.

Directions

Manch Demesne lies three miles east of Dunmanway on the R586 Bandon road. Watch for INFF signs on the left when you reach the wooded tunnel. From Bandon, the Demesne lies half a mile beyond the Carberry milk factory on the right in the wooded tunnel

Contact

Ian Wright on 028 21889

Extensive areas of ancient oak and beach woodland on a dairy farm and a productive orchard with a range of apple varieties. The walk includes the neighbouring woodland, 9 year old broadleaf plantation and vegetable garden of Eugene Curran, Lara Kelly and family.

Directions

From Skibbereen, take the Marsh road following signs for the NCT centre, continue for approximately 3 miles to a Y-junction, take the right fork (signposted to Bantry) for half a mile and park in the disused Clohane creamery on the right hand side, opposite the farm entrance.

Contact

Paul McCormick on 028 23742