Organic raw milk wins major Northern Irish food award

Organic raw milk has won the top product award at Northern Ireland's biggest food and farming showcase.

Weir's Organic Raw Milk was named 'Best Food and Drink Product' in the prestigious awards held as part of the annual Balmoral Show, the biggest agri-food event on the island of Ireland. The show attracts over 100,000 people from many parts of Ireland and Britain.

The raw milk, produced by husband and wife team Kerrie and Deane Weir, was chosen by a panel of UK food writers led by Charles Campion, the MasterChef judge and food writer for the Evening Standard newspaper in London and a columnist with Speciality Food magazine in Britain.

Campion, referring to the award to the artisan milk producer, says: "We chose Weir's Farm because of the outstanding taste of the milk the couple produce on their small farm. It was so creamy and rich."

The Weirs have been producing the raw milk on their 70-acre organic farm at Tandragee in county Armagh for the past three years. The milk is produced from their Friesian herd and sold from the farm and by means of a delivery service to a network of customers."

Kerrie Weir, commenting on the award adds: "We are absolutely delighted to have achieved this recognition in what is our first presentation within the Food NI Pavilion. The comments from the judges about the taste and freshness of our raw milk are brilliant and a marvellous boost for our small business."

Other award winners at the four-day agri-food event were:

Best Artisan Product: Neary Nogs Stoneground Chocolate from Flurrybridge, near Newry, in county Armagh;

Best Stand at the show: Broughgammon Farm Foods of Ballycastle, county Antrim, a family farm specialising in cabrito and rose veal.

The awards, organised by Food NI, were presented at the popular show, which features over 100 food and drink producers showcasing their products in the Food NI Pavilion, now one of the most popular attractions at the food and farming event.

The other members of the judging panel were Xanthe Clay, food writer at the Daily Telegraph, Lucas Hollweg, who writes on food for The Times and Sunday Times, and Jeremy Lee, a London restaurateur and freelance food writer. All three were impressed by the "outstandingly fresh and rich taste" of the organic raw milk from Weir's farm in county Armagh.

They were also impressed by the quality, variety and innovation of food and drink being exhibited at the show by upwards of 100 mostly artisan producers.

The judges also commended Krazi Baker of Dromore, county Down for his traditional Irish griddle breads, Lough Neagh Eels, Toomebridge, county Antrim, Peppup Sauces, Portaferry, county Down, Heatherlea Bakery, Bangor, county Down for the quality of their products. The judges were also impressed by the community focus and engagement of Clearer Water, Larne, county Antrim.

Pic: Kerrie and Deane Weir of Weir's Organic Raw Milk receiving their Best Product Award from Lucas Hollweg, part of the team of judges for the Food NI Food Pavilion Awards