Will you go to the ploughing 2018

Dakota Dan · 23-08-2018 10:51pm

I went on my own with the missus one year, never again, every isle we went down she said we were there before so I asked her to lead the way and she couldn’t do that either. The next day I brought my daughter and had a great day and saw a lot more.

whelan2 · 25-08-2018 7:56pm

Many free tickets around this year, getting 2 here with grassland agro

hopeso · 25-08-2018 10:02pm

RobinBanks wrote: »

Lady Haywire wrote: »

You'll be doing well to see half of it comfortably in one day/quote]

Seriously??? I better book a few days off work so!

While you mightn't see everything in a day, you should be able see everything that interests you..... There is such a diverse range of stuff at it now that no one is interested in everything on display.....

Iodine1 · 27-08-2018 11:42pm

I'll prob go for 1 day, just to see a few things and anything new. However I don't look forward to it. Its a pain,walking miles over fields to get in, no where to sit and rest for a moment and generally feel why do I pay to go through this torture? Every year I come away saying never again.

20silkcut · 28-08-2018 2:50am

You drive two hours up the country queue in traffic park up in a mucky field walk a mile to queue up again at the gate pay 20 quid to get in and walk around basically to have advertisements and promotions shoved in your face all day.
As a farmer seeing top class livestock in the flesh is a bit of a thrill. I could give half an hour looking at a big massive charolais or simmental bull they are amazing looking animals when your up close to them. The machinery too to see it up close is quite a feast for the eyes.
The odd stand here or there catches the eye, but basically you are undertaking a pilgrimage and paying for the privilege of being exposed to advertising.

_Brian · 28-08-2018 7:49am

RobinBanks wrote: »

Would Mullingar be a handy enough spot to stay for getting to ploughing. What time would need to be arriving in morning to see everything comfortably in one day

We try to be onsite before 8am, time to get a bit of grub and then start.
I would do allot of walking and hiking but wlstill find one day a fair push to see all, fair bit of stuff I’d have no interest in though so just skip it bye.

RobinBanks · 28-08-2018 9:56am

What time do the gates to the main field open. I presume parking is open much earlier?

RobinBanks · 28-08-2018 9:59am

I'm going to follow Tanko's advise. I'm mainly interested in looking at cattle handling facilities, calf bedding options and fencing equipment. These are the 3 most labour intensive areas on my farm and I will focus on looking at these while I'm there. If we have time to spare I'd like to look at some machinery. Implements for front loader especially

lakill Farm · 28-08-2018 3:53pm

id try to be on site ready to rock for 730am. remember what car park your parked if you take no other advice here

Then I always start on Row 1 stand 1 and work over and back.

Skip what I have no interest in and look at what I have interest in.

Normally I stay out of them large tented areas. and you will have all covered by 1130/12 noon. grab a burger and head to the few spots you had an interest in but nobody was free to chat to. Out the gate 3/4pm

No traffic in, No traffic out
Parked close to the gates
most stands visited before the crowds hit

Iodine1 · 28-08-2018 11:17pm

20silkcut wrote: »

You drive two hours up the country queue in traffic park up in a mucky field walk a mile to queue up again at the gate pay 20 quid to get in and walk around basically to have advertisements and promotions shoved in your face all day.
As a farmer seeing top class livestock in the flesh is a bit of a thrill. I could give half an hour looking at a big massive charolais or simmental bull they are amazing looking animals when your up close to them. The machinery too to see it up close is quite a feast for the eyes.
The odd stand here or there catches the eye, but basically you are undertaking a pilgrimage and paying for the privilege of being exposed to advertising.

Agree, pretty much sums up the experience all right.

wrangler · 29-08-2018 7:31am

Iodine1 wrote: »

Agree, pretty much sums up the experience all right.

The exhibitors pay to be there, the farmers pay to look at them, win win really.
The gas thing is that we've been similarly screwed in the same townsland only five weeks before

Gravelly · 29-08-2018 10:05am

Last year was like fighting in the mud of Ypres. I don't think I've ever been as thoroughly saturated in my entire life. Just about made it out of the car park too, saw loads of people buried to the axles (don't rev it in a muddy field!). Will go this year if the weather looks better, but no way I'm going if it's like last year. I must be getting soft.
I think you can see all of it in one day if, in the words of Winston Churchill, you don't stop to throw stones at every dog that barks, but it means getting there early, pushing on at a fair pace, and only stopping at the stands that you actually are interested in.

blue5000 · 29-08-2018 10:56am

whelan2 wrote: »

Many free tickets around this year, getting 2 here with grassland agro

Any chance of a spare one, young lad started secondary and OH isn't too pushed. Where's there stand btw?

_Brian · 29-08-2018 11:09am

wrangler wrote: »

The exhibitors pay to be there, the farmers pay to look at them, win win really.
The gas thing is that we've been similarly screwed in the same townsland only five weeks before

People can always stay at home, attendance isn’t compulsory!

Reggie. · 29-08-2018 11:41am

Is say the ground conditions will be fine. Would take a serious amount of water to turn the ground like it was last year

anthony500_1 · 29-08-2018 12:14pm

Hope to go this year have not been for 3yrs now, if weather is good I'll go the Tuesday I'd say. If it is promised wet I'll go to work might as well be getting paid for being misserable. I'll leave Galway at 5 with the intention of being parked by latest 7.30am. Head straight for cattle section as I can't stand the crowds later in the day you see nothing and find it hard to talk to the owners/showers. Nice to see them prepping the cattle too washing drying etc. Then it's off to see the stands around 10. Start at row 1 no1 and up one row down the next, pass the stuff I've no I terest in. Which is a lot of the stuff. Then try get to see some ploughing hopefully the lads using horses and vintage but will all depend on the day. Out the gap by 4 at the latest stop somewhere along the road far enough away that I won't get caught in traffic

Out of intrest, from Galway would it be best head from balinasloe to blueball or keep her lit up the motorway into kilbeggan tullamore and back out to screggan. I know the back road would be shorter but on ploughing days which would be best

wrangler · 29-08-2018 1:21pm

anthony500_1 wrote: »

Hope to go this year have not been for 3yrs now, if weather is good I'll go the Tuesday I'd say. If it is promised wet I'll go to work might as well be getting paid for being misserable. I'll leave Galway at 5 with the intention of being parked by latest 7.30am. Head straight for cattle section as I can't stand the crowds later in the day you see nothing and find it hard to talk to the owners/showers. Nice to see them prepping the cattle too washing drying etc. Then it's off to see the stands around 10. Start at row 1 no1 and up one row down the next, pass the stuff I've no I terest in. Which is a lot of the stuff. Then try get to see some ploughing hopefully the lads using horses and vintage but will all depend on the day. Out the gap by 4 at the latest stop somewhere along the road far enough away that I won't get caught in traffic

Out of intrest, from Galway would it be best head from balinasloe to blueball or keep her lit up the motorway into kilbeggan tullamore and back out to screggan. I know the back road would be shorter but on ploughing days which would be best

It's usually difficult to go a different route in than they intend you to go, all back roads will be bumper to bumper on most of the by roads near the site.
Both Northern and eastern traffic seem to be meeting on that kilbeggan roundabout, maybe they'll change that this year

hopeso · 29-08-2018 2:28pm

anthony500_1 wrote: »

Out of intrest, from Galway would it be best head from balinasloe to blueball or keep her lit up the motorway into kilbeggan tullamore and back out to screggan. I know the back road would be shorter but on ploughing days which would be best

I went two years ago...to the same site. I got to Athlone, and headed out the M6. I wasn't too far out, when I came on the diversion for the ploughing.. I followed the route they had signposted, and arrived at the site in no time. The best access I ever experienced in all the times I went to the ploughing. And this was much later than you plan to go. Probably around 9am... As said, there is no point trying to go your own way, as they have a traffic plan in action, and you won't go against it!

Reggie. · 29-08-2018 2:31pm

hopeso wrote: »

I went two years ago...to the same site. I got to Athlone, and headed out the M6. I wasn't too far out, when I came on the diversion for the ploughing.. I followed the route they had signposted, and arrived at the site in no time. The best access I ever experienced in all the times I went to the ploughing. And this was much later than you plan to go. Probably around 9am... As said, there is no point trying to go your own way, as they have a traffic plan in action, and you won't go against it!

I go to kilbeggan and out the Clara road

whelan2 · 06-09-2018 11:29am

Got a text from kids secondary school. They are offering the bus and entry to ploughing for €5! Parents are welcome

_Brian · 06-09-2018 12:50pm

whelan2 wrote: »

Got a text from kids secondary school. They are offering the bus and entry to ploughing for €5! Parents are welcome

Parents welcome - to chaperone someone else’s mud caked kids !!
I’ll pay top notch and go on my own, and there’s a strong chance I won’t puke on the way home

My daughter is in TY so I expect she will be one of the gangs going about splashing ye all this year, enjoy !!

lakill Farm · 06-09-2018 1:59pm

_Brian wrote: »

Parents welcome - to chaperone someone else’s mud caked kids !!
I’ll pay top notch and go on my own, and there’s a strong chance I won’t puke on the way home

My daughter is in TY so I expect she will be one of the gangs going about splashing ye all this year, enjoy !!

With white runners and tracksuits

White Clover · 06-09-2018 2:05pm

lakill Farm wrote: »

With white runners and tracksuits

Have you a tent there this year Lakill?ðŸ˜ðŸ˜

lakill Farm · 06-09-2018 2:12pm

White Clover wrote: »

Have you a tent there this year Lakill?ðŸ˜ðŸ˜

No ðŸ˜‚. Finishing the stables at moment after a structural **** up by the builder

And the tent is retired. Invested in a 24ft exhibition trailer. If it blows over we are all in trouble. With added benefit of fridge. Microwave and tae

White Clover · 06-09-2018 2:19pm

lakill Farm wrote: »

No ðŸ˜‚. Finishing the stables at moment after a structural **** up by the builder

And the tent is retired. Invested in a 24ft exhibition trailer. If it blows over we are all in trouble. With added benefit of fridge. Microwave and tae

That's a pity....it's supposed to be windy ðŸ˜ðŸ˜

Sorry to hear about the stables, can you say what the problem is ?

lakill Farm · 06-09-2018 2:38pm

White Clover wrote: »

That's a pity....it's supposed to be windy ðŸ˜ðŸ˜

Sorry to hear about the stables, can you say what the problem is ?

roof purlins were not supported correctly. Have since retro fitted in steel purlins so its sorted and back on course

whelan2 · 13-09-2018 6:03am

Wont be going this year

wrangler · 13-09-2018 6:23am

whelan2 wrote: »

Wont be going this year

Finally going for a hernia repair next monday so be stupid to go to the ploughing this year.
Private hospitals are as busy as the public one also August seems to be favourite for consultants holidays

Reggie. · 13-09-2018 6:28am

whelan2 wrote: »

Wont be going this year

Why not? I'll take your free tickets so

tractorporn · 13-09-2018 6:56am

Pidae.m wrote:

Working there at my father in laws stand for the Tuesday. Its harder than any day testing at home. It's my penance for the year!

You'll have sympathy for us doing the three days on a stand so?

Will you go to the ploughing 2018

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