Vintage Potato Farming in Ireland Documentary

In this farming documentary film we capture how our ancestors grew potatoes here in Ireland for generations using horses and then the shift to the use of the tractor in the 1950s.
We show each of the stages in potato farming from the preparation of the ground, fertilising, planting ands then on to the harvesting. No crop is as associated with Ireland as the Potato and we look at its vital role as a food source. In this film we feature a local cook preparing two traditional Irish dishes with the humble potato.
This film, originally called "A Taste of Farming Life" was produced by John Thompson Video Production, Garvagh, Northern Ireland.
Please subscribe to our channel if you enjoyed this video bit.ly/2Qj95VI
Check out our Irish farming life playlist at bit.ly/2Swxloz

[@VideosofIrishFarmingLife]

Please subscribe to our channel if you enjoyed this video bit.ly/2Qj95VI Check out our Irish farming life playlist at bit.ly/2Swxloz

[@andrewbell3926]

As a child I used to watch this video on VHS cassette with my grandmother. Thank you for a delightful memory.

[@peteacher52]

A nostalgic look back at a lifestyle of hard work yet gentle, compared to today's hectic, confused and soulless rush.

[@patricianaegeli6433]

William OSullivan of Killarney has a fantastic collection of horse drawn antique farm machinery and other farming equipment and admirable skill using them.

[@normafollet7156]

I find this video very interesting as some of my ansesters came from Ireland to Australia. So yoj are showing me the life style my ansesters would have lived. Thank you 😊👍

[@shaneprior]

I grew up in Ireland, we picked potatoes, cut turf, won hay, and ate Champ, it was a great way to grow up, great video!

[@rayunseitig6367]

Lucky guy.

[@wisepranker]

Hi Shane, I grow up on a potato farm in England in the 60s and 70s and it was very similar, except we did not cut turf and ate Stunch, which was similar to Champ, but had swede in it. Some of the terms used here were different, but then again the machines and techniques had different names in other parts of England - I bet Ireland was the same.

[@BondJFK]

@@wisepranker England - potato - Ireland not go well in same sentence

[@randybutler4772]

With the name Butler, my Irish ancestry could have been potato producers. They fed their country and far beyond. Thank you for sharing.🇺🇸🇨🇮

[@gregwright2867]

As a my family came to Canada in the 1830’s, we always keep our Irish heritage, close to our heart. We love our potatoes! I love your videos and someday I hope we can come to the place we left in Ireland so long ago. Love your videos !

[@kurtiswithakayy]

I don't know why but these videos are so interesting and I'm not even Irish

[@greggibler2215]

I would someday very much love to visit Ireland. I love the part of the elderly lady cooking. It was good to have her in there.

[@mh73020]

My mouth watering watching the The potato sorting

[@danam.8709]

My great uncle always said that his team of mules only needed him when they plowed, to keep the plow from tipping. Furrows always straight and perfect depth, remarkably intelligent and sensitive creatures. Plus moving slower these plow teams mostly just moved worms aside, didn't kill off a a prime source of fertility.

[@sheilam4964]

Many thanks to this channel, all re-enactors, contributors and supporters who make these videos possible. Plz keep recording the ways of the past so they aren't lost.

[@VideosofIrishFarmingLife]

Thank you

[@leonstone4738]

The filming of this video is in north west area of Ballymena. I well remembering riding my bike in the area rather than going to school. I stopped at a farm field to watch the workers at their toil. I asked the farmer if I could help (stupid me) I was quickly to the farmer that I was out of my depth. The farmer was very kind and let me try at my own speed. I was given a fantastic lunch and thanked for my help. So, I understand what the children in this video experienced. Ah the early fifties, it was indeed a great time., we just didn’t appreciate it.

[@belomolnar2128]

Plates made from Boiled potatoes (“placky”) and also from Fresh potatoes (“babky”). Both are Fantastic and taste wonderfull. Great video Thanks. 💥💥🍀🕊🕊🌹👍⛲️⛲️⛲️🇸🇰

[@zerofull6936]

No fake news here and an authentic fine farmers wife!

[@VideosofIrishFarmingLife]

No John, just good old Irish farming videos.... Thanks for dropping a comment.

[@davidpettinger6350]

Just found this by accident, loved it. We had a potato pinger planter and spinner (the single vertical wheel version) and they were both used until mid 70's I don't recall ever getting the 75p per day though 😄. Both were pulled behind an MF 35. Incidently, we also had a grey fergie which my grandad bought and was the first in our village.

[@TheByard]

Thanks for the video that has reminded me of my youth, back in the late 50s I would go and stay on my uncles farm outside Wrexham in North Wales it was a market garden growing all what you see in a green grocers. He worked the land with horses and was saddened on one trip there when he told me he's bought a Grey Ferguson. Once at the farm I was glad to see the horses in the orchard and now only used for carting. As kids we would pick the small potatoes, climb ladders fruit picking, watering the horses after work, feeding the pigs, gathering eggs etc. Sundays was a walk to church, then over the bridge to England for uncle to have a pint and auntie her gin, we sat on the pub steps and sipped a lemonade.

[@jeffsuper1025]

Greetings from Montana. Thank You for the wonderful video!!! I found it very satisfying and relaxing to watch. Interesting to see that Agriculture is about the same around the world. The champ and potato bread, how wonderful. Takes me back to my grandmother's kitchen 50 years ago.

[@anthonymordawski-uf6ie]

Really enjoyed the video bought back many happy memories of my youth on my Great Aunt's farm in Ireland in the 60s and now have the receipy for potato bread yum yum my Azerbaijan friends will love it

[@ShalomMichael]

I just discovered this collection of videos. I really enjoyed the incorporation of the country cuisine and the perspective from the women of the farm.

[@VideosofIrishFarmingLife]

Thanks so much Michael

[@Bernie5172]

I spent many many days spraying crops with one of those copper sprayers. 1960s

[@RRS8840]

I enjoy your channel all the way from Alabama, USA. Love the videos.

[@gunnarespevik5118]

Interesting to see the Farming life in Ireland. It is very similar to the life I had when I grew up. I grew up on a farm located to the West part of Norway in the 1950s. That was a mixed farm, We had sheep, cows and a horse. We grew potatoes and wedgetables. We had a big forest with pinewood and plenty of birch which we cut for firewood and sold it as well.

[@loggerjohn01]

Great video, My ancestors from my Dad's side came from Ireland over to Canada, I live in eastern Ontario Canada and dream of someday going over to Ireland and walk where my ancestors did, what a beautiful country. My Dad would of loved these videos, Thanks so much for sharing

[@juanitamontoya7306]

I enjoy videos like this one they are very interesting From a little town Northern New Mexico.

[@markjarrett9400]

I had no interest in farming let alone farming methods of the past until one evening earlier in the year when I had nothing better to do than randomly surf through KZbin looking for a clip on how to make potato bread (clip is included in this compilation). Ever since watching that clip and many others of yours, I always look forward to your farming videos. Thanks for posting and thank's to the person who had the foresight to do the filming (??1970's).

[@VideosofIrishFarmingLife]

Cheers Mark, Its was my Dad that started filming these events in the mid 1980s.. I hope you keep following our channel as we will be uploading more full length videos over the coming weeks... All the best, Chris

[@katelutterodt2479]

THANKS,VERY EDUCATIVE

[@flippert0]

I absolutely love these vids about vintage farming. Now we have 8-forrow-or-more ploughs and huge machines that compact the soil and huge agribusinesses everywhere.

[@DomingoDeSantaClara]

I remember that bell on the potato planter,I hated that bell,I think I was around 13 at time,always a school holiday job....it still beats picking up potatoes!

[@thinking6307]

Thanks SO VERY MUCH for sharing these wonderful videos! After watching Rosemary cooking..I subscribed before the end.

[@anoshya]

My wife used to pick and plant spuds in Carlow with her Grandad in the 1950s. He also carried ferrets in his pockets. Hard,life…very self sufficient with one horse…

[@scubaman6]

My Father's ancestors are from County Kerry down in the South of Ireland, my great, great, great grandfather was conscripted by the English to build forts during the Napoleonic Wars. He came here in 1800, I found your production to be very interesting and well done.

[@richardwilliams1334]

In all my years working in the NZ bush we never ever heard let alone thought of making something so simple and tasty as your potato bread. I will be making one of these very soon, thank you for showing this simple recipe. As for the other?? ya that's pretty much a kiwi thing too but rather then using leeks I use shallots or just small onions cut up then added to the rewai mixture. I stumbled on to your show like many other as I myself am a keen small time gardener and it's nice to learn from others how they grow in their homelands. I have enjoyed your doco. I've never seen the potato harvester before but think its a great little way to dig up the whirly rewi.

[@cottagemommy5116]

Fascinating. It's incredible what brilliant & creative minds can come up with. I especially enjoyed the potatoes recipes- love to see more of those.

[@VideosofIrishFarmingLife]

So true!

[@TheByard]

We eat a close relative to Champ, Bubble and Squeak served with cold roast meat and pickles. Mashed potatoes, cooked cabbage or other greens, chopped onion fried then mixed all together and fried in butter to a golden dark brown colour. Yummy

[@lenny108]

30:35 yes, but wild boars come in the night and eat it all up?

[@Lee-nh5bb]

Rosemary Kennedy looks to be an excellent cook. I'm going to try her potato bread recipe!

[@anthonymctigue9038]

I grew up with all this heaven on earth old ways gods way

[@VideosofIrishFarmingLife]

Thanks for commenting Anthony

[@wazza33racer]

Ive ridden along a modern potato picker operating in the rich volcanic soils of the Atherton table lands of North Queensland, Australia. One machine could pick a 40,000kg load for my B-Double truck in about 2 days. Then I had just 48 hours to get the load to Sydney markets, 2400 km's away. In the plus 30C temps it was important to not delay, otherwise the potatoes sweat and go moldy making them a total loss.

[@PanJasnovidec]

Many thanks for a very interesting video: the length is right (doesn't want to be much longer), the information is well researched and not TOO technical, the farming content is interspersed with the cooking , and the comparisons of how long the tasks took between the old and newer methods are fascinating. Very well put together and informative. Thanks again to all involved. May the wind be always at your back ...

[@johncasey1020]

Oh for chissake, I'm trying to diet and now I want some champ and potato bread. Thanks a lot. :)

[@sonofeloah]

It is not the potato that puts on the weight but what you put on the potato you eat that can add the pounds. Adding a fried or poached egg to the champ in the morning will give you the energy for the day without the adding of pounds. Doing the bread with fish with a non-buttery fish sauce or maybe some chicken with gravy for the evening meal and you would do just fine.

[@martinmcandrew2849]

I done that work 60 years ago. Hard Timees.

[@ronaldlucas5360]

Enjoyed

[@KowboyUSA]

Good potatoes. Great life.

[@mh73020]

I am f I am from Irish dissent I appreciate this video. My grandma last name is Lacy

[@bobw9297]

Canada loves you

[@cherylbradbury4875]

I still make and lovingly enjoy my mashed potatoes the way she makes them. Yumm🥰

[@amitghosh3711]

I am definitely going to try that recipe. Looks and sounds delicious😊👍👍

[@caddycommercials8570]

Willie Shannon legend

[@BRI33NOR]

Born and raised on a farm in Lincolnshire England. Recognised most of that as it progressed from horses to tractors etc. As a boy horses were often used as petrol was needed for the war effort . Big old things those horses and I remember one who after a food break woukd not move at all, until Dad persuaded him to move by some method best known to Dads.

[@jfi368]

Watching this in Edinburgh 😊

[@DJBach]

Just watched a couple of your videos and subscribed. American Irish through Canada on my fathers side and I believe my ancestors were from northern Ireland. My daughter is now doing a lineage search, which is quite an undertaking because mothers side is from Germany.

[@astorrian6247]

Great video and really interesting content. My grandmother from county Mayo used to make potato bread but if you tried to pinch a slice she would have your fingers off... Loved that woman :)

[@NineballChris]

The gentleman at 6:04 gets ‘Best Dressed at a potato farm’.

[@waltspears8179]

Golden knowledge .thank GOD for the information age .unavailable to your average bear .thanx

[@matthewfunk4969]

Neat to watch, especially in light of what modern production in Washington State is capable of. 40+ US tons per acre, and harvesters that can dig over 1000 US tons per day.

[@michaelheery6303]

Trump does

[@LuckyBaldwin777]

This was a fun video. Never seen how potatoes are grown and harvested before. Thanks from S Arizona.where cotton is king. P.S. Those were some beautiful draft horses.

[@sonofeloah]

Love both of the potato recipes and the first one for a morning breakfast would have some sunny side up eggs upon them and the potato bread would have either fried fish or baked fish with a fish sauce on them. I am sure that during the war that ocean fishing would have been confined to the shores with rod and reel or a hand net in the surf, but also a pond, lake, or creek fishing would have surely sufficed.

[@BRI33NOR]

Takes me back a year or two. Horses as a growing lad. Fordsons and Fergusons later on. Done my hours at 'spud bashing school holidays'. Got a few shillings for new boots, trousers, winter jumper and once and air rifle !. Simple days, seemed happy , knew nothing else really. Worked a few hours sorting when the 'tatie pies' giant clamps were opened and riddled. Did have one of those old Lister petrol engines doing the turning bit though.

[@robertbest4398]

Back in the day remember it well back breaking good people though best chips in world fresh boiling of the park

[@claymack1109]

Fish and chips sounds pretty good actually

[@aodhmac7]

The commentary makes it interesting

[@AndrewCooper-eo7oh]

Love film would. Love more thanks.

[@jameshiggins3508]

Class

[@fintan2830]

Great to see how things were done the old ways. No need for gym workouts! 29:09 How NOT to run a PTO shaft (Spinning guard)

[@VideosofIrishFarmingLife]

Thanks for the comment Fintan..

[@happygardener28]

True, but based on the clothing and the appearance of the machines that type of drive adaption was long before guards were common. Times changed for good, and bad.

[@lisawaters2585]

Absolutely fantastic content! Completely enjoyable on every level! ......have you ever thought of compiling a recipe cook book?

[@VideosofIrishFarmingLife]

Hi Lisa, Great to hear from you.. Yeah, we had put some thought into it a while back.. I had also planned to film more traditional Irish cooking videos over the summer but Covid has knocked that into touch for the time being.. Chris

[@benji.B-side]

Love this, so interesting!!

[@VideosofIrishFarmingLife]

Thanks Benji

[@hiworldstephensonultranate290]

All of thisis Lost n Gone 2022 I reland Wasn't Passed onto my Generation Too Late Now

[@daudiahomar8367]

🇮🇪 🇸🇴 nice

[@walterperry4565]

Awsome veedio

[@jamesmeaney6222]

Verry good

[@VideosofIrishFarmingLife]

Thank you James..

[@johncourtneidge]

Marvellous. Somewhat sad that the folks in Manchester have to eat the soggy ware.

[@sueupham2519]

Thanks daddy. !

[@likklej8]

I walked the Kerry Way from Killarney to Kenmare on the walk my way was blocked by one of those cart horses,she could smell mint sweets in my pockets and after I’d fed her she let me pass. The farmer who was close by said “she can smell your sweets” She let me pet her beautiful Irish cart horses..

[@VideosofIrishFarmingLife]

Beautiful, Intelligent animals... Thanks for the comment..

[@pnwRC.]

I've watched a few of the videos on your channel. After enjoying EVERY video I've watched, I had to subscribe to the channel! Great work, & we're anxious to see what the future holds for videos here!

[@ITLLBGRAND]

There's nothing more Irish than spuds and butter

[@hugolopezc5637]

Seamos felices.

[@pedrowalter]

Nice tuber from South America

[@naashawginosh4570]

Always nice to see independent farmers with the ability to earn a living, old school. Today's genetically modified, corporate owned produce is a sin with small independent farmers getting squeezed out, unable to work on the farmer equipment technology.

[@Verfolnir]

I gained half a stone just *watching* the making of champ!

[@conlaithtrimble7824]

I show this to my grandad he loved it but

[@gendoll5006]

Master? Wow.

[@lourias]

So, because Ford & Son changed to green, is that why John Deer Green is so significant?

[@johngaspar4425]

Those that relied on meat eating starved. Those that relied on the potato lived and were healthy. 11:02

[@wdobni]

we always had a problem with colorado potato beetles which were ravenous and seemed to appear out of thin air .... either they aren't present in Ireland or some remedy has been found

[@bedebill]

11.55 Ivor Cummings , that is why you are so busy !

[@cattleNhay]

I’ll make potatoes for dinner..just an idea I got randomly somewhere

[@herbertlittle2699]

I love it , but I wish they could come up with a nother way to pick up potatoes.

[@whitewolfeyy]

cant bet the spuds

[@VideosofIrishFarmingLife]

For sure!

[@seanmurtagh5753]

Needs more salt

[@rapturebound197]

There is something to be said for the hard constant work involved to grow food in the fields and then cook it in the kitchen. People didn't have time and were far too tired to be up to no good in older times as they are in the 21st century. Genesis 2:15 ~ "The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it."

[@skeetorretard]

ever wonder what was farmed before they brought potatoes to ireland?

[@I_am_BiG_Al]

Loads of these "potato farmers" here in croydon 🥔 🚜

[@maineoutdoorsman677]

Man I bet she can cook ,make a man 500 pounds but happy as can be ,

[@tallcedars2310]

interesting video although can't watch the whole film due to too many commercials....

[@johnnieguitar5724]

Too many commercials for me. Always interrupting the story! :(

[@VideosofIrishFarmingLife]

Thanks for commenting Johnnie, we always welcome feedback from our subscribers

[@lenny108]

30:35 yes, but wild boars come in the night and eat it all up?

[@paddybyrne7632]

That’s a grand pot of spuds

[@VideosofIrishFarmingLife]

Tis indeed Paddy, thanks for dropping a comment..

[@EXARCWithGrandpop]

Sorry, Too many ads for half an hour.

[@kingjames4886]

"producing the Mc.fordison"

[@sigbjrnjohansen8872]

Har du poteter og ståltråd så er berget

[@hiworldstephensonultranate290]

Great At Last Irish Videos on Utube i was n other countries so Long on utube Go Raibh Maith Agat Sl'an More Please Brian Cork