What is an Artisan farmer?
In short, someone who works hard and gets their hands dirty.
But there's much more to it than that.
Artisan farming is part of a broader farm-to-table movement. One that calls for a closer connection between food producers and consumers.
And it involves transparency... quality... and sustainability in the food system.
In essence, Artisan farmers view their work as a craft and take pride in creating high quality, niche market produce. This often means heirloom varieties and heritage breeds that are known for their flavour and nutritional value.
Their farms are typically smaller than many. Which is good, because it allows for more attention to detail and better control over the quality of their produce or livestock.
Most Artisan farmers employ regenerative agriculture... pasture based grazing for livestock... on-farm nutrient cycling... and creative systems for crop and livestock rotation.
But the true test is this:
An Irish food writer describes Artisan food as a test of 4P’s, Personality of the producer... Place it comes from... Product... and Passion of the producer.
And that’s what it takes to produce great food.