land preparation for snail farm

helenmaria1970

mf240 wrote: »

Was going to say you'd put a good few in an ivor Williams, but they'd be a fortnight going up the ramp...

Brilliant 😎😁

roosterman71

What part of the midlands are you basing yourself in?
Can you sell through existing channels (say through that Eva lady in Carlow)?

helenmaria1970

Was seriously considering snail farming, contacted Eva about doing a course with her but the story about the snail farmer guy who did the runner after collecting money had frightened me off the idea. Dunno now.

Suckler

helenmaria1970 wrote: »

Was seriously considering snail farming, contacted Eva about doing a course with her but the story about the snail farmer guy who did the runner after collecting money had frightened me off the idea. Dunno now.

Talk to Brian McDade in Rathvilly. The Irish Snail Farm Ltd

helenmaria1970

helenmaria1970 wrote: »

Was seriously considering snail farming, contacted Eva about doing a course with her but the story about the snail farmer guy who did the runner after collecting money had frightened me off the idea. Dunno now.

That was a while ago. I done the course with Eva back in 2017. Shes brilliant. Very infectious in her enthusiasm for this venture and a genuine hard working person

uck51js9zml2yt

I imagine there's a slow return on your investment:)

Beckham Witty Question

Beckham Witty Question wrote: »

I imagine there's a slow return on your investment:)

Snails pace

I reckon a co-op structure could be best way forward

helenmaria1970

Suckler wrote: »

Talk to Brian McDade in Rathvilly. The Irish Snail Farm Ltd

Will do thanks Suckler.

Visconti

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Resale value is estimated around 4500-5000 thousand per tonne.

Its a mystery to me too to be honest why the french are not producing within. Could be due to simply an unwillingness to farm? Perhaps increasing urbanisation? Italy seem to be growing the industry now. i honestly dont know. I suppose you kind of answered your own question there with the sentance ive highlighted. Many are grotesqued by the notion of interacting with snails once let alone daily. While people will consume the final product they may not like to see the farming process. I like beef but i probably would turn my back at a cow being slaughtered.

40000-50000 roughly in a tonne and that is the recommended breed helix asperta muller which is a native snail of this country and thrives in our conditions

I am thinking of doing a course in Snail farming. Am divided between exclusive escargot and gaelic escargot. I have watched a lot on youtube and have a good idea of what to do. Im looking more for contacts to buy snail food and markets etc shipping companies etc
Any advice greatly appreciated.

Lime Tree Farm

https://www.teagasc.ie/media/website/publications/2017/Snail-Farming-Fact-Sheet-17.pdf

Literature produced by Teagasc in 2016

Maybe you should contact your local Teagasc office for advice and guidance.

Lime Tree Farm

https://www.independent.ie/business/farming/news/courts/snail-farm-plans-can-go-ahead-high-court-rules-38305468.html

Roadtoad

What about leveraging off the whelk fishermen along the east coast e.g. Wicklow harbour for shipping and marketing strategies. Bord Iascaigh Mhara might be more tuned in than Teagasc. Huge parallels once you convince the beasties to leave home.

_Brian

Friend went to an open day on snail farming, thinking was in the organic centre in Leitrim.

You can put everything in place, supplies, market etc and still when you have your snails ready they have to pass a taste test, if they don’t make the grade they are refused flat out.

I’ll be hard convinced that like deer, lama, or any niche farming the money is to be made running classes and supplying breeding stock rather than actually farming the product.

Money to be made ON farmers rather than farming.

tractorporn

_Brian wrote: »

Friend went to an open day on snail farming, thinking was in the organic centre in Leitrim.

You can put everything in place, supplies, market etc and still when you have your snails ready they have to pass a taste test, if they don’t make the grade they are refused flat out.

I’ll be hard convinced that like deer, lama, or any niche farming the money is to be made running classes and supplying breeding stock rather than actually farming the product.

Money to be made ON farmers rather than farming.

This ×1000.

When the recession hit I contacted Gaelic Escargot and she had zero interest in setting up a co-op/producer group all she wanted was to sell me a course and off you go on your merry little way.

Gawddawggonnit

https://www.maisonroyer.fr/gb/

These guys have a thriving business from snails. They’re originally farmers but I now rent their farm.
They make cosmetics etc from snail slime...
They don’t speak English but they’d be helpful to anyone. Give me a pm and I’ll set up a visit if anyone is interested.

Bass Reeves

_Brian wrote: »

Friend went to an open day on snail farming, thinking was in the organic centre in Leitrim.

You can put everything in place, supplies, market etc and still when you have your snails ready they have to pass a taste test, if they don’t make the grade they are refused flat out.

I’ll be hard convinced that like deer, lama, or any niche farming the money is to be made running classes and supplying breeding stock rather than actually farming the product.

Money to be made ON farmers rather than farming.

Ya the deer farming was some lark and expensive as well, was there not an attempt at ostrich farming as well. I be wary of wagyu beef as well. There was a big rabbit farming attempt in the 70's as well.

The only thing that can be said about the snail game I'd it is not overly capital expensive.

They are often a bit like pyrimid schemes the first fee in can make serious money, the next few make a few bob and everyone else leaves without there shirt

Visconti

Lime Tree Farm wrote: »

https://www.teagasc.ie/media/website/publications/2017/Snail-Farming-Fact-Sheet-17.pdf

Literature produced by Teagasc in 2016

Maybe you should contact your local Teagasc office for advice and guidance.

Fantastic thanks

Visconti

tractorporn wrote: »

This ×1000.

When the recession hit I contacted Gaelic Escargot and she had zero interest in setting up a co-op/producer group all she wanted was to sell me a course and off you go on your merry little way.

Dont think anyone would be interested in a co-op the whole idea of being self employed is to call your own shots.
I have got a few pm's saying Eva is lovely and runs a great course (gaelic escargot)
Have got a good few about (exclusive escargot) saying its a con and the guy just wants your money, he wont give a receipt for money you give him its just a cash deal under the counter and when you try to ask him anything after the course is finished he just blocks the number.
Eva is running a legitimate business and seems to be the best in the country.
I will check out the other person on the Teagasc website before deciding who to do the couse with.
My main thing before I spend money on a course is IS THERE A MARKET ? I know there is none in Ireland but if a person has 1 ton of snails how do you ship them to the market ? Europe I suppose. How do you get paid ?
I dont want to put money into a course, money into snails, money into feed and infrastructure to have a product I have to dump.

Visconti

_Brian wrote: »

Friend went to an open day on snail farming, thinking was in the organic centre in Leitrim.

You can put everything in place, supplies, market etc and still when you have your snails ready they have to pass a taste test, if they don’t make the grade they are refused flat out.

I’ll be hard convinced that like deer, lama, or any niche farming the money is to be made running classes and supplying breeding stock rather than actually farming the product.

Money to be made ON farmers rather than farming.

A french guy told me snails have no taste, they just carry whatever sauce thats on them. Never heard of snails having to pass a taste test. Do they fry them up in a pan and do like the pepsi challenge? Is there cooking facilities at the snail market ? All seems weird.

_Brian

Visconti wrote: »

A french guy told me snails have no taste, they just carry whatever sauce thats on them. Never heard of snails having to pass a taste test. Do they fry them up in a pan and do like the pepsi challenge? Is there cooking facilities at the snail market ? All seems weird.

It was information given out at an open day. I know this guy was interested upnto that point.

Visconti

_Brian wrote: »

It was information given out at an open day. I know this guy was interested upnto that point.

Ok everything is possible I suppose. There seems to be people putting each other off and giving misinformation with regard to snail farming. Its surprising as it does not seem the fastest paced or most competitive industry to me ðŸ˜

_Brian

Visconti wrote: »

Ok everything is possible I suppose. There seems to be people putting each other off and giving misinformation with regard to snail farming. Its surprising as it does not seem the fastest paced or most competitive industry to me

I’ve no skin in the game here at all.

I have seen enough “new farming” fads to know the money is made on the farmers not by the farmers.

There are wild deer near us that are descended from deer that we’re released into the wild after deer farming broke a few lads who gave it a go, that must have been 30 years ago now. A neighbour has a shed of cages from rabbit farming, that’s going nac further, closer to 40 years since I saw rabbits in them.

endainoz

I went to the gaelic escargot course. Eva was very friendly and gave great information on the production and the business side of things.

I had thought to go for it but there were just way too many variables and things that can go wrong and ruin your snails.

You could also play devil's advocate and say: well why does she have to run courses if she's making so much money from the snail farming itself. I don't really have an answer for that. Knew a guy from my green cert course that was looking into it in a big scale also but he decided against it himself as there was no viable production facility in Ireland for it.

The course was interesting though. I'm always looking into other things to diversify the farm. Hopefully the organic application will work out and I'm hopefully going to chance an acre of hemp in 2020 aswell.

Visconti

_Brian wrote: »

I’ve no skin in the game here at all.

I have seen enough “new farming” fads to know the money is made on the farmers not by the farmers.

There are wild deer near us that are descended from deer that we’re released into the wild after deer farming broke a few lads who gave it a go, that must have been 30 years ago now. A neighbour has a shed of cages from rabbit farming, that’s going nac further, closer to 40 years since I saw rabbits in them.

Good points.

Visconti

endainoz wrote: »

I went to the gaelic escargot course. Eva was very friendly and gave great information on the production and the business side of things.

I had thought to go for it but there were just way too many variables and things that can go wrong and ruin your snails.

You could also play devil's advocate and say: well why does she have to run courses if she's making so much money from the snail farming itself. I don't really have an answer for that. Knew a guy from my green cert course that was looking into it in a big scale also but he decided against it himself as there was no viable production facility in Ireland for it.

The course was interesting though. I'm always looking into other things to diversify the farm. Hopefully the organic application will work out and I'm hopefully going to chance an acre of hemp in 2020 aswell.

All interesting points. I think the hemp is going to be big in the future but its not really my thing. My biggest concern is being able to actually transport and sell snails as I dont believe there is any market at all in Ireland and never will be.

endainoz

Visconti wrote:

All interesting points. I think the hemp is going to be big in the future but its not really my thing. My biggest concern is being able to actually transport and sell snails as I dont believe there is any market at all in Ireland and never will be.

Yeah I can't see us changing our eating patterns as a nation that much!

I'm going to try a small plot of a no dig garden too just to see how it goes in the spring too.

endainoz

endainoz wrote: »

Yeah I can't see us changing our eating patterns as a nation that much!

I'm going to try a small plot of a no dig garden too just to see how it goes in the spring too.

We dont have to. We are a small dot on the Atlantic at the end of the day. The big markets are in France and Italy who cant meet the demand