Liveline saves Galway turkey farmer’s bacon

John Tedders from Shrule, opened Galway’s first zero-plastic shop called The Filling Station on M Street last August where customers bring their containers to get all manner of household products and food - from washing up liquid to granola – filled from bulk.

He also breeds organic chickens and turkeys on his farm and this year had upped his stock of turkey chicks to 160 following increased orders from butchers.

He had managed to sell just over half when an order for 70 birds was cancelled last week as the butcher was also let down by customers.

“There’s no contract as such – you’re only going to get a contract from a big supplier like SuperValu, but if you’re small you’re taking a risk on it – so when he told me he wasn’t going to be able to move them on last Monday I was in a bad, bad place – I was just pulling out my hair,” exclaimed John.

He rang butchers all over Galway but most had already filled their orders by this late stage.

“I was desperate and I thought to myself I’ll ring Liveline. I had no intention of going on but I think the girl I spoke to knew I was in a bad way. I was hardly able to speak but I said to myself: ‘here goes’.”

After chatting with broadcaster Joe Duffy, the orders starting piling in and by mid-week John had lost count of the orders that had been placed, some already for next year.

A large retailer in Dublin came on air and agreed to purchase whatever was left of the stock and sign a contract with him for next year, which will give him a guaranteed market for his 2020 flock.

“I got so many emails, literally a thousand orders between Facebook and email. My turkeys are going all over the country from Donegal to Cork to Meath. I’m getting emotional just even talking about it now.”

Unfortunately, John says he will barely break even after dropping the price of his prized birds to just €65 – down from €95 to €110 depending on size – but he is delighted not to have to give them away for nothing after all the hard work in raising them.

“That’s farming – you never know what you’re going to get. But the feedback I get every year from people who say my turkeys were absolutely gorgeous is nice. I rang a friend of mind in Offaly and the same thing happened him – he lost 30 customers just because they might move around for Christmas dinner so nothing is ever guaranteed.”

John took the leap of opening an eco-shop this Summer after missing the retail world. His family had a small convenience store in Shrule for over four decades but he had to close it 13 years ago because he was being “hammered” by the larger supermarkets.

“I never thought I’d go back to the way we did it when I was knee-high, weighing out the tea and sugar like in my father’s time,” he muses.

“But I missed the shop and I liked the idea of going back to the way it was and the way it should be.

“There’s too much plastic, too much waste. We buy everything in bulk in 25 kilo bags and that makes things affordable for customers.

“About 95% of our products are organic, I support local producers where I can. There is a considerable amount to be saved by buying in this way and if everyone was doing their bit by cutting down on packaging it would make a big difference in the long-run.”

So far he is delighted by the support the shop is receiving.

“It’s steady, it’s not going to make a fortune as the rent is high but it’s levelled out. We’ve had a good Christmas and I hope people will continue to support us.”