A farm family crisp business in Co. Cork is appealing for help to handpick its beetroot crop after several efforts to harvest the crop failed due to ground conditions.
Joe’s Farm Crisps are based in Killeagh in the east of the county, about 32km from Cork city. The business produces Handcooked vegetable crisps, grown and cooked on-farm.
In a post on Facebook, the business said that an attempt was made to harvest the beetroot crop this morning (Friday, November 10).
However, this attempt, as with several others before today, failed due to wet and soft ground conditions.
The business is concerned over the vulnerability of the crop to weather conditions, as well as being unable to supply its product going into the Christmas period.
“We’ve an acre of beetroot that must get out of the ground [as soon as possible], as one night’s frost will destroy it. We also need to get it cooked into crisps [and] have it ready in the next few weeks for shows [and] Christmas.
“This has never happened to us before… This is the effects of constant rain [and] not being able to travel the land.”
Joe’s Farm Crisps has appealed for help to pick 14 beds of beetroot by hand.
“Ideally if we can get as many as possible to give us a day, the more we have the better,” the business said.
The family farm business is hoping to start handpicking the crop tomorrow (Saturday, November 11) from 10:00a.m, and to continue into next week.
“If anyone can help it would be absolutely amazing.”
The business is hoping to get volunteers to make contact, and to coordinate them to come to the farm at different times and days.
The business has also appealed for those who are not in a position to help to spread the word to see if others may be able to assist.
For those who are willing and able to help out in the coming days, there is a phone number included in the post on Joe’s Farm Crisps Facebook page.
The post noted that “wellies are essential”.