What is growing in the fields of Ireland?
We produce lots of meat and dairy products and grain to feed this industry, but what about our vegetables?
Only 1% of farms in Ireland now grow vegetables.
We have been focused on just this issue for the past 18 years.
If anything, July onwards represent the months of Irish plenty on vegetable farms, but where are our vegetables growers?
More and more Irish vegetable producers are going out of business due to the loss leading practices of supermarkets, and in the long run this will not be good for you or I. There is no such thing as cheap food, there is always a price to be paid somewhere.
Carrots for 49c may mean that more Irish farmers go out of business, they can’t run a farm for these returns. This year farmers were closing their doors for good, shutting down their vegetable operations, those skills are lost for ever and are not easy to replace.
A food model based on the cheapest food possible is not sustainable, either the environment pays a price or the people producing the food do, or the end consumer (you and I) do, it is as straightforward as that.
Cooking from scratch can prove so much cheaper than buying overly processed packaged goods, plus you know what is in your meals and you will generally get better quality ingredients.
There are so many options right now especially for vegetables, these are the months of Irish seasonal plenty.
On our farm alone and many of the organic farmers that supply us there is a fantastic array of Irish seasonal stars. We have started harvesting our own onions, amazing tomatoes, we are getting fantastic cucumbers from Joe Kelly in Mayo and the best spinach and chard from Padraig Fahy in Ballinasloe.
We are harvesting lettuce, and salad, and kale, and broccoli, there is courgettes a plenty and the best Irish organic mushrooms from McArdles mushrooms right here in Ireland. Our gorgeous early IRISH potatoes taste amazing (just boil them gently!)
Or how about Ralph Haslam’s fresh organic milk, yogurt, and cheese from Offaly, you may know it as Mossfield organic farm. David Butlers organic eggs are delivered fresh in each week. All amazing Irish producers.
We truly have so much Irish organic produce and now is certainly the time to support it. The bonus of course, is fresh, organic, Irish food on your plate that is better for you and crucially you are supporting truly Irish businesses.
Here’s to an amazing Irish July and August.
Kenneth