Buncrana farmer discovers the seeds of success in Horticulture

A Buncrana plumber who once swore he would never step foot on a farm is reaping the rewards of organic farming thanks to an eye-opening Horticulture course.

Gary McLaughlin recently completed a QQI Level 5 training course with Donegal Education and Training Board’s (ETB’s) Further Education and Training (FET) Service. The course, taught three days a week in Letterkenny, has helped Gary transform his farm into a more profitable and thriving ecosystem.

Gary, a plumber by trade, inherited the Potts farm in Fallask from his sheep-farming father, but Gary himself had no interest in livestock. Seeking a broader understanding of horticulture, he temporarily stepped back from his plumbing business to return to the classroom.

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It was the instructor, Gareth Austin, who made the training so valuable, according to Gary.

“It’s rare to get a tutor like Gareth Austin who has such a wide understanding of the topics but also is so personable towards the class,” Gary said. “Gareth is unbelievably generous with his information.”

The course focuses on sustainable gardening, covering modules like growing fruit and vegetables, establishing ornamental flowering plants, trees and shrubs, and environmental sustainability awareness. Participants range from business owners and hobby gardeners to those working in community gardens.

“Gareth kept everyone happy by explaining things in different forms," Gary says. "He would explain the growth of carrots and would turn around and tell me what variety was more profitable or more beneficial for my soil type.”

Gary describes the lessons as more discussions than lectures. A typical day began with an hour in the classroom discussing the day's plan, followed by a cup of tea, and then hands-on training in the ETB’s own garden and polytunnels.

“You bring the produce right from seed to harvest. The training centre is run almost organically anyway, so it suited me very well,” Gary notes.

“It wasn't just a little hobby gardeners’ course; it was very informative about everything.

“Before going into the course, I wouldn’t have been aware of things like matching sunflowers with vegetables for the benefit. A lot of farmers look at flowers as weeds a lot of the time. Because of this course, I have a much better understanding of ornamental flowers and their purpose within ecosystems.

“I felt like I went into a horticulture course and came away with a business degree.”

Gary also praises Gareth and the ETB staff for accommodating learners’ needs.

“The practical side was excellent, if there was anyone with issues, such as mobility, Gareth was more than happy to order tools they would need or change the way we were working to make it easier.

“No hurdles were thrown up I could see that weren’t overcome by Gareth changing how things were going to be done.”

To others considering the course, Gary’s advice is to dig in!

“If you are a hobby gardener, it will help you with matching up plants, understanding soil types, manipulating the soil to do what you need it to do in a completely natural way without the need for synthetic fertiliser and additives,” he said.

“If you are a farm owner, it is an excellent course for understanding horticulture as a business and your farm as an ecosystem, as well as how to be more profitable.

“It has changed so much for me, especially for somebody who swore 20 years ago that they would never set foot on a farm!”

Gary’s course is just one of the many full and part-time courses offered by Donegal ETB’s FET Service – you’ll find their full range of courses across the county on their website, where you can also apply online at any time.