Comber earlies arriving on our dinner plates earlier than usual

The sunniest spring on record seems to have paid dividends at harvest time in a certain corner of Northern Ireland.

It's Comber earlies season - they are the first harvested new season potatoes in Northern Ireland and have protected geographical indication (PGI) status.

One grower has described this year as "a really good growing season", with a dry early May and rain when needed, making these Comber earlies even earlier.

Richard Orr, a fourth-generation potato farmer, has been harvesting one of his fields which sits nestled between Strangford Lough and the foot of Scrabo Tower.

He said the Comber crop is unique because it is the first new potatoes harvest each year due to the micro-climate around the lough.

"We are below Scrabo Tower here so the soil is free-draining," Mr Orr explained.

"It allows the soil to drain quickly in the late winter and early spring which allows us to get them planted.

"The proximity to the lough stops the frost, and then the micro-climate in this Comber area all contributes to the ideal growing conditions."

The chairman of the Comber Earlies Growers Co-Operative Society, he'll be help the town celebrate the famous spud in its annual festival.

Mr Orr said this field was planted on 12 February and the harvest was about two weeks early due to the sunny weather in late March and April, combined with the rain of recent weeks.

"They are really good this year," he said.

"They've matured and they've been in the ground that wee bit longer, and all that sun helps them to really grow out and mature, and leads to the flavour."

"You need the correct conditions all along right from planting, through growing and then at the end to let them finish out to mature and bulk up, so there's a big range as to what your yield is.

"But this year looks a reasonably good yield so far, with the potential to go on to be very good if we get the right conditions."

Also called new season Comber potatoes, these vegetables have enjoyed Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) since 2012.

This protects the geographical names of food, drink and agricultural products as intellectual property by the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra).

The granting of PGI status means the new season Comber potato is among an elite group of high quality European products, including Parma ham, Champagne wine and Stilton cheese.

Only potatoes planted, grown and harvested within the protected geographical indicated area can be marketed as Comber earlies, and only those harvested in May, June and July are eligible for the status.

The annual festival is organised by Ards and North Down Borough Council and supported through the Comber Regeneration Community Partnership and the Comber Earlies Growers' Co-operative.

At this year's Comber Earlies Food Festival, there will be live cooking demonstrations throughout the day, including TV chef Anna Haugh, as well as local local restaurateurs, and chefs from the South Eastern Regional College.

Children's entertainment includes tractor rides, a soil pit and sensory activities, as well as potato stamping, paper potters, potato face painting and a golden spud hunt.

There will be live music from the String Ninjas and the Cool Hand String Band.

The free-to-attend festival will be held at the Comber Leisure Centre car park on Saturday 28 June from 11:00 to 17:00 BST.