Local food is important, but if that local food is sprayed with pesticides and grown on chemically fertilised soils, then that local farmer is putting chemicals into your waterways and your environment.

Regarding organic milk – I voted no. Most milk in Ireland is produced off grass. That is why Irish Butter has that lovely golden colour. While it might not be certified organic, in my book it is fairly close to pure.

Plus, supporting the Kerry cow and local producers is better and more important than supporting organic.

An Fear: I agree with you that organic doesn’t necessarily mean it tastes better, but it often does, and I am talking about Glenisk milk in our coffees. And we’re also concerned about that “tipping point.” It’s a tough call though – if we’re really trying to be the best, how far do we go without sending too many people away with price shock?

Deborah: We’re using milk from the endangered Kerry cow for the ice cream, delivered by a local farmer. It’s the best milk we have ever tasted. He’s starting the process of going organic, and I’d much rather support local farmers than bring organic ingredients in from far away. However, although we can pasteurise the Kerry milk for the ice cream, it wouldn’t be practical for the coffees. Finally, we always have the option of skim and non sugar sweetener in our shops. In the high season we have soy milk as well.

Tricia: Yes! Better taste and better feel-good factor.

Tracey: We’re all about treating yourself and luxury. That’s what we do! As for the raw milk, that’s why we use the milk from the Kerry cow.

mj: Those are real issues. Still, for us, it all comes down to taste (and, as I said, feel-good factor)

The very fact that certification carries an annual fee and depends on your land being free from artificial fertilizers for N years (where N depends on the organisation offering the certification) makes it a mockery. Are these organic farms geographically isolated from roads, other farms, towns, the rain, the air, animals and other plants?

Organic produce: a load of old tosh.

But….yes, I think you should probably go organic. There’s enough of an organic fad for you to improve your margins and attack a new niche.

The pictures of your ice cream make me want to visit Dingle (which is about as far away as you can get from here without leaving the island!). I am a confessed ice cream addict.