Galway-based social enterprise Hinterland has announced the dates for a series of seasonal on-farm workshops at Leaf & Root Farm in Loughrea, named ‘The Living Table’, which are designed to nourish, teach, and inspire those attending.
Hinterland combines the shared values of its three thought-leading co-founders; former Michelin-starred chef Enda McEvoy (of Loam, Galway ), farmer Fergal Anderson (founder of Leaf & Root Farm ), and producer Claire Davey (formerly of America Village Apothecary ).
The trio founded Hinterland in 2023 with the aim of connecting food, people, and place in their home county of Galway. The social enterprise’s long-term mission is to successfully create and scale a sustainable food supply model that enables farmers, producers, and communities to thrive. And, through driving positive change, Hinterland hopes to ensure access to nutritious food for all.
‘The Living Table’ workshop series
Supported by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, ‘The Living Table’ food and land workshops hosted by Hinterland on Sunday September 21 (‘Abundance and Preservation’ ) and Sunday October 5 (‘Rest and Release’ ) will explore how we grow, preserve, and imagine food futures together.
Both sessions are structured to combine hands-on learning with systems thinking, cultural exploration, and practical take-home skills for those attending.
Participants will begin their experience with a guided walk of Leaf & Root Farm in Loughrea - a 30-acre horticulture and woodland farm - with founder, Fergal Anderson, that takes in its seedbeds, wild hedgerows, perennial planting areas, and compost systems.
You will then enjoy a hands-on fermentation workshop hosted by Enda McEvoy, the first chef in Great Britain and Ireland to receive a Michelin Green Star award from the Michelin Guide in recognition of his exceptional commitment to sustainable gastronomy.
During the session, you will create your own vegetable-based ferment using seasonal and foraged ingredients that you get to take home with you, while also exploring the microbial processes involved, the nutritional value of ferments, and the cultural traditions that sustain them.
A nourishing farm-prepared shared seasonal lunch featuring locally sourced and preserved ingredients then provides the opportunity to break bread with like-minded individuals before attendees break into smaller groups and delve deeper into a preferred subject area; Seed Saving with Fergal Anderson, Herbal Tincture Making with Claire Davey, or Advanced Flavour Fermentation with Enda McEvoy.
You will finish up a day full of nourishment, learning and inspiration with a collaborative mapping session, led by Hinterland’s founders, that will guide your group in creating a collective food vision map. This element focuses on imagining what a just and resilient local food system could look like.
Key takeaways from the day include a personally prepared ferment, or tincture, printed handouts and seasonal recipes, practical tools to support sustainable food practices, and connections with others who are committed to building more equitable, localised, and sustainable food systems.
Tickets for ‘The Living Table’ workshops, which run from 10am to 4pm on Sunday September 21 and Sunday October 5 at Leaf & Roof Farm in Loughrea, are priced at €120 per person and can be booked online via the Hinterland website, www.hinterlandwest.ie
