Shane Fitzgerald and his family have opened the gates of their dairy farm in Portlaw, Co Waterford, to show the general public what dairy farming entails and help families not familiar with farming to understand where their food comes from.

The Agri Aware event is designed to bridge the gap between rural and urban Ireland and promote greater awareness among the non-farming community of modern agriculture, the rural environment, animal welfare, food quality and safety.

The day will help to inform the non-farming community about the crucial role that the farming and agri-food industry play in the Irish economy.

Open from 11am to 4pm, the open farm 2023 event on the Fitzgerald farm will allow the public to visit and see what a working Irish family dairy farm looks like and how it goes about producing top-quality food while doing its bit for the environment.

From seeing cows being milked, walking scenic nature trails, taking in an eye-watering machinery display, cooking demonstrations, panel talks and a kids zone for the little ones, the aim is to have something for all the family to enjoy on the day.

The event is being supported by the National Dairy Council, Tirlán, Teagasc, the Department of Agriculture and Macra.