Producers from '50 mile radius' for Carnaross Harvest Festival

Sheridans Cheesemongers of Carnaross are hosting a harvest festival on Sunday 5th September to celebrate food grown or produced within a 50 mile radius. The 'Fifty Mile Festival' will be held at Sheridans' headquarters at Virginia Road Station, Carnaross. They are focusing on local food following the huge success of their Irish food festival in May of this year, when over forty Irish food producers and more than 3,500 people attended. There will be producers and growers from Meath and the surrounding areas in Carnaross to sell, sample and talk extensively about their wonderful foods. ''We want this small festival to celebrate the diversity and quality of food being produced on a small scale in our area and to highlight this to the community," said Kevin Sheridan. The many local producers in attendance will include Bellingham Blue and Glebe Brethan, ice-cream producer, Bernie Burke, Aine's Chocolates, as well as many more artisan producers of jams, chutneys, backers fish smokers, small butchers, organic growers and many more. They will also have several areas where local food is being cooked and served on site. Acclaimed local chef, Pauric White, will be doing cooking demonstrations throughout the day. Pauric is the chef owner of the Forge Restaurant, which is next door to Sheridans Cheesemongers. The forge was recently awarded best restaurant in County Meath by the RAI. A variety of workshops will be held throughout the day, including children's workshops and tutored tastings and there will be plenty to do for all the family, including kids fun, live music and traditional games. The event will be held on the grounds of Sheridans Cheesemongers' warehouse and offices in the townsland of Pottlereagh on the Meath/Cavan border. The site was formerly the Virginia road railway station. Sheridans received the Ellisson Award from An Taisce for their work in renovating and conserving the old railway store. This large stone building now houses a retail shop displaying Sheridan's famous selection of quality cheeses, foods and wines. Sheridans Cheesemongers are retailers and wholesalers of quality cheeses and good foods and they source and sell foods which are produced in a sustainable manner. The company was founded in 1995 by brothers Seamus and Kevin Sheridan and in 2007 they opened the converted 19th century Virginia road railway station