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The luck of the crop rotation draw and bad design in my veg patch means that particular veg families tend to have what might be described as off years depending on the area they are destined to spend their growing season in. There’s a particular part of my veg patch that is hampered by being simultaneously… Read more »

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Though we haven’t quite reached hungry gap territory yet, I think it’s fair to say at this stage that we are beginning to pass the point of plenty as far as last year’s harvest is concerned. We still have plenty to eat in the veg patch and in stores, but things are a little scarce and… Read more »

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GIY announces winning community food-growing projects to be funded by the GIY Get Ireland Growing Fund, in partnership with AIB. Seventy-two community based food-growing projects, including voluntary groups, residents associations, schools and hospitals are to benefit from grants of up to €5000 from the GIY (Grow It Yourself) Get Ireland Growing Fund, in partnership with… Read more »

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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 »

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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 »

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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 »

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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 »

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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 »

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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 »

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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 »

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Slug hunting is a grim task Slugs are having an absolute field day this year, because of the cool and wet weather which we’ve had to endure in May and June. Each night when I lock in the hens, I detour to the veg patch on the way back to the house to hunt slugs… Read more »