Tesco

Tesco Ireland has once again got lots in store for visitors to the 2018 National Ploughing Championships with its best-in-quality experience within the retail section of the agriculture and lifestyle exhibition.

Irish farming families will be front and centre, as Tesco supports over 13,000 farmers and producers who supply the best in-season produce to Irish stores on a year-round basis.

Tesco.

Ploughing-goers will have the opportunity to meet several of them first hand including O’Brien’s Fine Foods, Kildare; Keelings from Co Dublin, and Stapleton’s Bakery, Co Tipperary.

This year, Fire Pit, exclusive to Tesco, will make its Ploughing debut.

Cooking with flair, guest chefs, world barbecue champion Charlie McKenna and Irish Pit Masters from New Ross, Co Wexford, will entertain the masses through the medium of food.

Get in line because across the festival, visitors to Fire Pit will be able to taste Finest burgers, Finest steak sandwiches,

Finest sausage buns, barbecue pulled pork, brisket beef and pork ribs, as well as its plant-based range of meals, Wicked Kitchen.

There is also the chance to win a €3,000 Irish Angus bull. Special guests in attendance again this year will include the Irish Angus Society, partners with Tesco for over 20 years.

Farm families have a unique opportunity to avail of a €3,000 voucher towards the purchase of an Irish Angus bull at the society’s elite sale, which attracts the best pedigree Irish Angus cattle in Ireland later this year.

Attendees can enter an exclusive competition at both stands.

  • Visit row 34, stand 673.
  • Aldi

    Aldi always pull out the stops when it comes to the Ploughing.

    Whether its visitors are line-dancing or keeping the rain away with their cowboy hats, it’s a stand always worth dropping into. However, one of the best events it hosts throughout the three days is its baking competition.

    The search has been on for the best brown bread recipe in Ireland with the finals due to take place at the Aldi stand, in association with the Irish Countrywomen’s Association and the National Ploughing Association.

    The winner will see their recipe on the shelf and will receive a portion of the profits. Last year, Sligo native Mary Conway emerged victorious.

    TV presenter Síle Seoige and TV3 chef Shane Smith were joined by reigning champion Mary Conway to announce details of this year’s competition.

    She says: “I was thrilled to have won last year. I was up against some of the best. The competition was great fun, and I met some wonderful people along the way. It is so exciting for me seeing my bread, ‘Mary’s Soda Bread’, on the shelves at Aldi stores nationwide.”

    There is also the national junior baking competition, run in association with Foróige, Ireland’s leading youth organization and the National Ploughing Association.

    The theme of the national junior baking competition this year is lemon drizzle cake and the judges are anticipating some delicious cakes from the wealth of talented young bakers around the country.

    Jessica Doherty (13) from Melvin Foróige Club, Co Leitrim, emerged as the winner last year.

    “I couldn’t believe it when I won,” said Jessica.

    “I was up against some other really great bakers on the day. The support from my friends and my family since then has been amazing, and it is so exciting seeing ‘Jessica’s Lemon Drizzle Cake’ on the shelf in Aldi every time I go into the store.”

    The winner of the national junior baking competition will win a €1,000 bursary to help them on their baking journey, as well as a trip for their local Foróige group to Delphi Adventure Centre in Co Mayo.

    For the third year as part of the national junior baking competition, Aldi will be stocking the winning lemon drizzle cake – a huge achievement for any budding young baker.

  • Visit row 10, stand 233.