Irelandscapes | Spring Barley Harvest at Ballyphilip, Strangford (N Irish arable farming interview & scenery) @Irelandscapes | Uploaded September 2023 | Updated October 2024, 1 hour ago.
We ran into Andrew Harrison whilst taking the back road into Portaferry, but had been keeping an eye on this land all Summer as the crops changed and the number of harvests increased. He kindly demonstrated what was happening in this Ballyphilip Townland field, on one of the many drumlin hills overlooking Strangford Lough. The family also have a restaurant at Greyabbey which uses local produce. The overall feeling with these working crews is one of energy and optimism - and they have to be, knowing that only certain days allow the cutting, gathering and transporting of crops and those days will be worked long into the dark hours. It's been a Summer for intense rain and that has borne out in the barley this year with a slightly lower yield. Around are other crops like corn for animal feed, which has seen a big rise in planting over the last few years.
We ran into Andrew Harrison whilst taking the back road into Portaferry, but had been keeping an eye on this land all Summer as the crops changed and the number of harvests increased. He kindly demonstrated what was happening in this Ballyphilip Townland field, on one of the many drumlin hills overlooking Strangford Lough. The family also have a restaurant at Greyabbey which uses local produce. The overall feeling with these working crews is one of energy and optimism - and they have to be, knowing that only certain days allow the cutting, gathering and transporting of crops and those days will be worked long into the dark hours. It's been a Summer for intense rain and that has borne out in the barley this year with a slightly lower yield. Around are other crops like corn for animal feed, which has seen a big rise in planting over the last few years.
