Laois man Kevin Scully has recently begun the production of organic gluten free oats on his Vicarstown farm.
He and his family have taken the big step of growing and milling their own produce in what could be a very successful enterprise.
The Scully’s have been growing oats for over 80 years, with Kevin’s grandfather and granduncle sowing them when they ran the farm.
His new enterprise is called The Merry Mill and its produce can be found in local health stores and they have an online shop that delivers nationwide.
Kevin converted his 90 plus acre farm into an organic model, focusing mainly on beef production just over 12 years ago.
His herd consisted of a Wagyu-Hereford crossbreed and it was feeding these animals where Kevin stumbled across the idea of organic gluten free oats.
Speaking to Agriland Kevin said: “I had been growing them for the cows until one morning my youngest daughter, Niamh, who was with me, asked what I was feeding the cows.
“I told her it was a kind of porridge, and Niamh asked could we eat it. I told her we could if we removed the hulls. That’s where the Merry Mill’s journey began.”
Kevin also has two nieces that are coeliac and believes that the gluten free market isn’t just a healthy eating fad and people have genuine need for gluten free produce.
He said: “Although some people see gluten-free as just a fad, if you are a child or an adult that has been diagnosed with a gluten intolerance or coeliac disease, you will know that it is a serious condition.”
Kevin and his wife Jenny then set out on researching the industry and what machinery is needed to make the produce. Kevin travelled to Europe where he observed the production of gluten free oats in Prague. He then purchased a similar milling system in Austria.
He said: “The biggest to date was sourcing machinery for micro milling, as there are very few micro mills in Ireland. We are still having teething problems with our equipment but we are working away through it.”
The enterprise is now very much entwined in the Scully family as it is all hands-on deck.
Kevin is the head miller/farmer, Jenny oversees administration, and their four daughters, Sadbh covers the marketing, Aoife covers the social media, Roisin covers label and packaging and finally Niamh on exuberant idea generation.
If you would like to find out more information visit www.themerrymill.ie.
