Ten Winn Parish 4-H members traveled to Ireland this July as part of Louisiana 4-H’s first overseas trip, joining more than 100 students and adults from across the state to explore rolling farmlands, historic castles and sweeping coastal landscapes.
For eight days, participants explored Irish farming and culture through hands-on learning. Organized by Louisiana 4-H in partnership with EF Tours, the trip brought together youth and adults from across the state for a journey that blended education, community service and cultural exchange.
The group toured dairy, beef, oyster and strawberry farms, as well as an apple orchard, gaining firsthand knowledge of Irish agriculture and agribusiness practices. At one stop, members engaged in community service by helping a local farmer plant Romanesco, a hybrid of broccoli and cauliflower, for use in his restaurant operation. That evening, they enjoyed a farm-to-table supper featuring vegetables harvested from the same farm, where the Romanesco they planted will eventually be served once it’s ready for harvest.
Their trek featured stops in Dublin, Waterford, Kilkenny, Galway and the Cliffs of Moher. In Dublin, members toured St. Patrick’s Cathedral, the EPIC Museum and the historic library before traveling to the Irish National Stud Farm in Kildare. They later explored Kilkenny Castle and Gardens and toured Highbanks Orchard, an organic apple farm where they sampled several items produced on site. The group also visited Wheelocks Strawberry Farm, where the farmer’s story of perseverance inspired participants to consider how a similar perspective could be applied in their own communities upon returning home. “The best strawberries you will ever eat were grown on this farm,” states Chevallier.
Other stops included Glengowla Mines, where they witnessed a sheepdog demonstration and explored local mining history; Kylemore Abbey, where they enjoyed lunch and shopping; and an oyster farm, Connemara Oysters, where they learned about aquaculture and had the opportunity to shuck, clean, package, and sample fresh local oysters.
The trip concluded in Galway with a walking tour and a glimpse of the city’s horse-racing festivities before the group returned to Dublin for their departure.
For Winn Parish Nutrition and Community Health Agent Shannan Chevallier, the trip emphasized the value of agricultural innovation. She highlighted Highbanks Orchard, where farmers turn their apple harvest into juices, syrups and other products to minimize waste and expand their business. She noted how those practices could inspire similar efforts in Winn Parish, where leaders are working to strengthen local resources and attract new industry.
“The trip showed our members not only the challenges Irish farmers face, but also the creative solutions they use,” Chevallier said. “It was a reminder that we can build on what we already have in Winn Parish to grow stronger communities.”
