Justina Gavin
Innovator
Honestly Farm Kitchen
Ireland
Economic
Farming
Remote rural areas
The innovation journey
Justina Gavin, alongside her husband Justin, are the proud owners and operators of Honestly Farm Kitchen and are also the proprietors of Drumanilra Organic Farm. This allows a farm to fork process which is core to the ethos of the Honestly Farm Kitchen. In 2012, the family relocated to Ireland from the UK to their ancestral farm, which has a rich history spanning over 200 years. The return was motivated from a desire to sustain their family on home grown produce and to establish a self-reliant and environmentally responsible source of income for the farm by directly supplying produce to their customers.
The overall mission is to reconnect people with local, organic, and sustainable foods. Since 2012, the business has grown and diversified into a thriving business with three Honestly Farm Kitchens across the Western Region.
The innovation impact
As a first step to selling direct to customers, a “Shepherd’s Hut” style catering trailer was purchased and Justina toured shows and festivals around Ireland, selling Drumanilra Farm Dexter Burgers. Their innovation won a McKenna Food Guide Award. In 2015, a couple of months subsequent to achieving their full organic status from the Organic Trust, the Sheperd’s Hut became the first Drumanilra Farm Kitchen. Over the following fifteen months, an old house in the garden plot was renovated which added an in-door dining room, and a small farm shop. To expand the business, two further premises were purchased in prime locations and Honestly Farm Kitchens were established. All premises sell produce from Drumanilra Organic Farm, along with produce from other local and organic producers. The Honestly Farm Kitchen in Carrick-on-Shannon offers the first ever organic drive-through. An online shop offers a diversity of produce and extends the customer base of the business.
The Honestly Kitchen has received many awards including, Restaurant Association of Ireland Awards for Customer Services; Best “Free-From Menu; Best Emerging Irish Cuisine and Local Food Heroes for the Connacht region; and the Georgina Campbell’s Natural Food Award. The future plan is to develop a microbrewery and teaching kitchen while striving to “reconnect people with wholesome, organic, sustainable food, rooted in place”.