Our Farm
Built in 1776, Ballinteggart House (Grade 2 listed) is set in mature gardens nestled within orchards in County Armagh and has been home to the Troughton family since 1898. Visit us to soak up the historic surroundings, bringing to life a world of folklore and giants and tales of whirlwind romance, a haunted cellar and a royal visit to help your imagination blossom as well our orchards do.
County Armagh is known as the orchard county of Ireland and is famous for the Armagh Bramley Apple, which was awarded PGI (Protected Geographical Indication) status in 2012. Much like the grapes used to make Champagne, only Bramley apples grown in the designated area within the Archdiocese of Armagh can truly claim to be the genuine article.
The Orchard County serves up lush and enchanting landscapes, traditional experiences and non-stop charm. We enjoy sharing the magic of our apple orchards with families from across Northern Ireland and beyond.
Ballinteggart Estate has been home to Armagh Cider Company, an independent family business, since 2005. We are one of the few producers open for visits. Discover how we craft our award-winning artisan ciders, juices and lemonades and make use of our crystal clear spring water. All our processes, from blossom to bottle, are carried out here at home.
The family farm has also been home to a hugely successful sport horse breeding stud for over 20 years and rosettes are also crafted on site.
There is so much to see and do. You can go on a tour of our production facilities or simply enjoy a stroll through the orchards followed by tasting some of our award winning drinks – a celebration of Northern Ireland’s wonderful food and drink sector. You might even want to take a taste of County Armagh home with you from our on-site farm shop. Whatever you decide, we provide a warm and friendly County Armagh welcome and an experience to remember.
Ballinteggart has it all, beckoning visitors from near and far.
Come and explore…
Sustainable Orchard Farming
TRADITIONAL ORCHARD MANAGEMENT
Traditional orchards are havens for biodiversity.
They offer both food and shelter to thousands of species some of which have high conservation priority. By protecting traditional orchards and maintaining low intensity management we protect all the species that live and forage there too.
Traditional style orchards are now recognised and celebrated as being ecologically benevolent and long-term sustainable.
What makes an orchard ‘traditional’?
Modern intensive orchards contain small, short-lived trees managed with pesticides, herbicides and fertilisers. This increases productivity but greatly reduces any opportunity for wildlife, in particular the wild pollinators and the predators that would keep pests in check.
Traditional management eschews large-scale alteration of the environment, instead favouring the natural balance of predator and prey. The trees are larger and more widely spaced, and the sward is allowed to develop naturally, usually being grazed or only occasionally cut.
Although the orchards at Ballinteggart are not organic, we are very pleased to not have sprayed any insecticides for over 30 years – enabling our orchards to live in balance – as nature intended
WASTE WATER MANAGEMENT
The constructed wetlands at Ballinteggart handle all the waste water and effluent from the cider-making plant, and have been designed with plenty of extra capacity for future growth.
Designed as a series of water ponds, the whole area is planted with over 10,000 wetland plants, including many varieties of willow, reeds.
This man-made “natural” system will degrade the waste as it progresses through the planted ponds, until the end product is “clean” water.
The scheme extends over approximately 2 acres and while the outlay for the scheme was large, it requires minimal attention and has created a haven for wildlife.