East

A field in Co. Wexford

Here is a field used for pasture in Co. Wexford. Along with the climate the flat nature of the land makes it ideal for grazing.

Courtesy of Wexford County Council

A field in Co. Wexford
Courtesy of Wexford County Council

A field in Co. Wexford

Here is a field used for pasture in Co. Wexford. Along with the climate the flat nature of the land makes it ideal for grazing.

Courtesy of Wexford County Council

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County Wexford has lower average annual rainfall than other places in Ireland. This means that it does not have as much rain. Wexford also has longer annual periods of bright sunshine, and longer frost-free periods than anywhere else in Ireland. Wexford is situated in a part of Ireland known as the sunny south -east.

In the coastal regions of South Wexford, farming is mainly dairying and rearing cattle. There is a small amount of tillage farming, mainly wheat and beet. Fishing also provides employment here. On the wetter soils unsuited to tillage, dairying is preferred, with the milk going to the Glanbia plant at Inch. Here it is produced into Yoplait yoghurt.

The centre of the County Wexford has dairy farming and it produces fresh milk for Snowcream Dairies and for Wexford Creamery and Waterford Co-Operative's cheese-making. Sheep are reared on the higher ground.

The north and west of the county in the past specialised in growing sugar beet but there is less of this done lately because some of the sugar beet factories have closed down.

Quick quiz

1. Does Wexford have high or low annual rainfall?

2. What is the main cereal crop grown in Wexford-a. wheat b. rice c. barley d. maize

3. What part of Wexford grows strawberries?

Strawberries

This photograph shows some strawberries growing in a green house.

Irish Farmers' Journal

Strawberries
Irish Farmers' Journal

Strawberries

This photograph shows some strawberries growing in a green house.

Irish Farmers' Journal

Enlarge image

Barley is Ireland's main cereal crop. Barley needs lots of sunshine to get ripe and Wexford suits it because it is sunny. Barley needs temperature of about 15 degrees C to ripen. North and west Wexford have farms with grow malting barley for Guinness's brewery. This barley is used for making beer and whiskey. Barley used to feed farm animals is called fodder-barley.

This type of barley does not need so much sunshine to ripen and so can grow in other parts of Ireland. Some summers when there is bad weather and less sunshine than usual the barley crop does not do well and the farmer can lose money. Sometimes the whole crop is destroyed.

Strawberries: An area from Clonroche to Enniscorthy is noted for growing soft fruit, especially strawberries. Carne, on the extremity of Carnsore Point, is famous for its early potatoes which thrive in the frost-free climate.