It’s hard to believe that this time last year, we were basking in 20 degrees heat and headed for the beach over the Easter holidays. This year it’s a case of wrapping up well and trying to endure persistent freezing temperatures. It does all seem rather unnatural, particularly since it feels like it should be… Read more »
As we make the first tentative sowings of 2013, the 2012 growing season, for the moment, keeps on giving. Last weekend I got out in the veg patch in frost and brilliant sunshine to do some jobs which should have been done ages ago, and primary among them was to lift the remaining celeriac and… Read more »
With the 2013 growing season nearly upon us, I’m intrigued by the idea that 2012’s GIYing is still paying dividends. It’s a good time of the year therefore for a bit of stock-take. I use various locations to store vegetables—our kitchen doubles up as a larder at this time of the year (you can barely get… Read more »
Yes, its really true: Clare Garden Festival will become a stand-alone event in 2013! Following the successful first festival as part of Clare Agricultural Show this July, the 2013 festival is a stand-alone event to be held independently on 28th April 2013. The festival will be run in partnership with Co Clare Show committee at… Read more »
10% of People in Ireland living in Food Poverty Home-grown food could help lift people out of the Food Poverty trap Average sized vegetable patch can yield €500 worth of food each year GIY calls on Government to make more land available for allotments Not for profit organisation GIY (Grow it Yourself) Ireland has today… Read more »
Next weekend sees a series of courses from Wine and Cider Making to Wheatgrass, Sprouts and Juices and from Plan a year’s harvest to an Introduction to Wind Turbines and Wind Energy. There are still places available on all 4 courses and we offer 5 places for a reduced rate of €65 for the… Read more »
An autumn garden seminar will be held at Claregalway Castle (five miles outside Galway on the Tuam Road) on Saturday, October 6th. Among the speakers will be Klaus Laitenberger, the former head gardener at Rossinver Organic Garden Centre and co-ordinator of the restoration of the Victorian House who will deliver instructions on how to grow… Read more »
So, the GIY Gathering is all over for another year, and I’ve had a little time to reflect on the event this week. The first thing to say is how awesome it was to have nearly 450 GIYers at the event—though the tickets were incredible value (if you don’t mind me saying so) at just… Read more »
www.galwaygardenfestival.com 10:00 Coffee and Registration 10:15 How to Grow Veg Organically with Klaus Laitenberger 11:15 Coffee 11:30 ‘A Historic Library Garden’ with Dr. Muriel McCarthy, Marshs’ Library, Dublin 13:00 Lunch
If you are looking for inspiration for your growing endeavours, it can often be found in the gardens of other GIYers. I always find that walking around another grower’s garden leaves me with renewed inspiration and several useful tips to take back to my own vegetable patch. I guess this is why the garden visit… Read more »
1-day Workshop at The Organic Centre, Rossinver, Co. Leitrim Saturday 8th September, 10am -4pm Would you like a pest-free garden full of robust, healthy, productive plants? Would you like to achieve this easily, sustainably and without toxicity? Registered homeopath Mark O’Sullivan will conduct a practical workshop exploring the theory and practice of Agrohomeopathy, applying Homeopathy… Read more »
The strive to become more self-sufficient is often viewed in some quarters as inherently selfish—closing oneself off from the world and producing only enough food for your own needs (and to hell with the rest of you). In reality, I’ve found that self-sufficiency is in many ways a misnomer—as I’ve strived to become more self-sufficient, I’ve… Read more »
