Today was lots of fun - School Tour, yay!

First stop was Frank Hederman's Belvelly Smoke House near Cobh. Frank smokes a range of products from fish to porridge oats. Yes porridge oats, weird but fantastic I think. He smokes the porridge for a company that make biscuits out of it, tasty I would say.

After a quick tour and description of their work we were back on the bus & heading for Mahon Point Farmers Market.

The Farmers Market is run by Rupert Hugh Jones. It is a great little set up. Lots of different stalls selling good quality local products including coffee, hot chocolate, cakes & cookies, curries & spices, steak sandwichs & ginger beer, fruit & veg, bread etc. etc. Very easy to spend a bit but well worth every cent!

Back on the bus after a tasty steak sandwich & hot chocolate & off to Cashel Blue Cheese near Fethard, Co. Tipperary. A tour through every section of the cheese factory with lots of information from Sarah Grubb, daughter of the Jane & Louis who set up the business in 1984.

On again next to lovely Lismore, Co. Waterford. On the way we drove through the mountains with stunning views from the Vee. When we arrived we went to O'Briens Chop House run by Justin & Jenny Green. This is a great little restaurant thats run with all the work ethics that I wish to carry on with me once I leave Ballymaloe (which is coming soon, ahhhh!). Anyway they use their own homegrown produce & rear their own pigs which then eat the leftovers so no waste, fantastic! What they cant produce they source locally.

Then down the road to Summer House Cafe - this was right up my street! Owen Madden is the owner & he did the Ballymaloe 12 week course in 1993. He went through how the cafe works and explained how keeping it simple & starting small can make it all so easy. He encouraged anyone that is interested in starting their own business to go for it. I left there feeling like I can do this whole cafe thing - which I have been doubting in recent weeks.

Finally we took another stroll down the same street to visit McGrath's Craft Butchers. McGrath's have their own abattoir which is a rare these days. They are in to the 5th generation in the family to be a part of the business & are very successful. They have their own farm, rear their own cows & sheep to sell in the shop. They also slaughter animals for neighbours. Great business to see. They have invited us back on Monday morning to watch them slaughter if we like, think I might give it a miss though, not sure I can handle the whole thing!

A quick mess around in a childrens park before getting on to the bus and back to the school. Good day had by all!!!