This is a plea…

by Kenneth Keavey

It is always with a great sense of irony that we head into July. It is the official end of the hungry gap. We are catapulted from a frenzy of farming activity and a dearth of harvest in early June to a level of activity bordering on the insane and an overflowing harvest basket.

July is the time when we have a plentiful harvest, and it is the very same time that many of you our customers break your routine with cooking and many people are going away on holidays and are taking a well-earned break.

It is hard to assess our harvest need a year in advance and the last three years we have seen so much volatility; we are not sure what way is up anymore. But plans were made back in November and now we are harvesting the fruits of our labour.

This summer is proving to be a big challenge; We have so much of our own freshly harvested food right now and we have developed relationships with other local organic farms and now when the time of Irish plenty arrives, we find that you our customers are taking a break for all the usual reasons, holidays, not cooking, routines out the window and we understand completely.

The downturn this summer for us is leaving us with surplus harvest with nowhere to go but back into the ground.

This time of every year we also see a large increase in labour costs on the farm. It is a double downturn for us, as our costs go up and our sales go down. Anybody will tell you this is not a good way to run a business.

The initial start of the growing season on our organic farm, seeds, plants, fertiliser (organic), compost, contractors and labour are high, before you harvest even one bean. All of this is necessary to make the food in the fields happen.

Growing food at the best of times is not a money-making enterprise, far from it, we only ever expect the farm to break even and most years this is a stretch to achieve. We grow the food, because we love to do it, because sustainable agriculture is something we strongly believe in, and we believe is the key to a healthier future.

We have PV cells generating our electricity, we have invested in a zero-emission electric van, we collect our rainwater, we plant trees, and hedgerows, we use only plastic free packaging. We educate people on how important biodiversity is with free farm walks on the first Saturday of every month. To get everybody involved in thinking about the planet and the environment, where our food comes and how it is produced is our critical philosophy.

All of this takes time and energy, it all costs money and at the end of the day although everybody wants to enjoy their job and although nearly everybody that works with us believes in our values and our mission, they still need to get paid.

So, this is a plea, a plea to ask you to order next week, to find a way (if you can at all) to continue supporting us over the summer, to tell your friends and family to order from us, or let us deliver to you if you are on holidays in Ireland, (we deliver to every county with sustainable packaging).

The boxes next week are loaded with the most amazing fresh local Irish organic produce, including, spinach, salad, lettuce, courgettes, cucumbers, kale, scallions, tomatoes and we even have new IRISH organic potatoes.

So please if you can at all place an order.

Your support as always is very much appreciated.

Thanks

Kenneth

Easy Spelt Bread

by Lou Robbie

This is such an easy spelt soda bread. And that makes it easier, is if you buy Dunany Organic Spelt flour their recipe is on the back of the packet. I’ve followed their recipe here and modified it slightly, it makes 2 delicious loaves.

Spelt bread is a great choice it’s more digestible than most wheat breads and it can help improve the immune system, lower blood sugar, and reduce bad cholesterol levels. This is a fantastic Irish product from the east coast that makes beautiful home baked bread. We love ours with real butter, jam and a mug of tea.

How do you like yours? Let us know in the comments, we love to hear from you.

This recipe calls for buttermilk. I don’t buy it, I make my own sour milk with milk and vinegar see the recipe below.

Lou 🙂

Recipe credit goes to The Workmans @dunanyflour – thank you for making it so easy to use your fantastic flour.

Ingredients: makes 2 loaves

Method:

Step 1: Preheat the oven 200ºC and line 2 loaf tins with non-stick paper liners or grease really well to prevent sticking.

Step 2: Measure the spelt flour, salt and brown sugar into a mixing bowl. Sieve in the bread soda. Mix well, I like to use a whisk.

Step 3: Measure the buttermilk into a jug along with the water. Crack in the egg and mix well with a fork.

Step 4: Pour the wet ingredients into the mixing bowl and stir to combine. Divide between each loaf tin, smooth to make even. Sprinkle with mixed seeds.

Step 5: Bake for 15 minutes, then turn the oven down to 180ºC and bake for a further 30 minutes until fully baked.

*To make your own buttermilk, simple mix the milk and vinegar together, it sours the milk immediately, and continue from step 2.

Cherry Tomato Pasta (Galway Grown toms)

by Lou Robbie

It is July and there are ripe red cherry tomatoes being harvested on the farm, they are then packed and delivered across the country to your doorstep. My kids and I saw them growing first hand, in the tunnels, at the farm walk last Saturday and it truly made me appreciate how special they really are.

A simple dish like this really celebrates the cherry tomato. This recipe was shared by an Italian Nonna (granny) she said using the best ingredients is what matters most. I think she’s right. Like her I added some bicarbonate of soda to the sauce this balances the acidity in the tomatoes and really elavates the sweetness. Try it and tell us what you think!

Lou 🙂

Ingredients: Serves 2

Method:

  • Step 1: Rinse the cherry tomatoes and cut them in half. Finely slice the garlic cloves.
  • Step 2: Warm a wide pan on a medium heat. Add a good glug of oil to the pan along with the sliced garlic, cook for a minute.
  • Step 3: Pour in the cherry tomatoes cook for a few minutes. Then add the bicarbonate of soda, chilli flakes, sugar and salt. Simmer for 5-10 minutes, until the tomatoes start to soften.
  • Step 4: Meanwhile, cook the pasta in boiling salty water. Then add straight to the cooked tomatoes, stir to coat, add the fresh basil leaves and serve up. Bellissimo!

Date Caramel – 4 Ingredients

by Lou Robbie

This is our ‘guilt free’ caramel sauce. It’s refined sugar free, dairy free, nut free, gluten free, vegan and so creamy … a lovely treat!

Our organic dates are just amazing, they are full of fibre and antioxidants. They are great for your gut and bone health, a natural sweetener and are so easy to store and cook with. I’m never without them. Having a jar of this date caramel in the fridge is just the best when you want a spoon of natural sweetness added to your overnight oats, creamy porridge, yoghurt, toast/ oat crackers, chocolate milkshake, smoothies or banana nice cream. Try it you and you won’t be disappointed.

We have big and small packets of organic dates as well as medjool dates available in the shop all in compostable packaging.

Lou 🙂

Ingredients – makes 1 jar

Method:

Step 1: Put the dates in a bowl, cover with boiling water to help them soften for 10 minutes. Then stain and discard the water.

Step 2: Add the dates to a blender along with the non dairy milk, vanilla and sea salt. Blend until really smooth. I use a smoothie blender for this, it works a treat.

Step 3: Taste the sauce and add more salt if you wish. Scoop the sauce into a clean jar and store in the fridge for 1 week.

Serving suggestions: Add a spoon to your morning oats, eat on crackers or toast with banana, drizzle over pancakes and waffles or with vanilla ice cream….enjoy!

Crispy Parmesan Potatoes

by Lou Robbie

Boy do we love our potatoes. Nothing excites us more than finding new ways to cook them. This recipe is a must try before you die…lol!! Buttery, cheesy, big flavour from the garlic and aromatic from the hints of fresh rosemary. They are pretty special.

To get the flavour right to the centre score the potato with a crisscross this makes all the difference.

Our Irish grown Elland potatoes work great for these. We’ve made ours in the air fryer for speed and convenience but you could cook them in the oven too, they might take a bit longer.

What do you think? Will you try them?

Lou 🙂

Ingredients: serves 2 as a side

  • 5-6 small potatoes
  • 80g butter
  • 70g grated parmesan
  • 3 garlic cloves, crushed
  • pinch salt & pepper
  • 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped

Method:

  • Step 1: Air fryer method: Begin by washing and cutting the potatoes in half. Then with a small sharp knife score a crisscross on each half of the potato.
  • Step 2: Melt the butter in the microwave or small pot. Pour it into the air fryer basket toss in the crushed garlic cloves, add 1/2 of the grated parmesan and give it a stir. Place the potatoes cut side now on into the basket. Air fry at 200ºC for 20 minutes.
  • Step 3: Take out the garlic cloves and discard. using a spoon carefully turn the potatoes and season with salt and pepper, add the remaining parmesan and sprinkle over the chopped rosemary. Air fry for a further 10 minutes.
  • Oven method: Cook in a preheated oven at 200ºC but use a deep roasting tin. Follow the steps above, if the potatoes are still hard after the cooking time, leave them in the oven for a further 5-10 minutes.

Carrot Cake Bliss Balls

by Lou Robbie

Healthy wholesome sweet and tasty!! Indulge in these easy snacks over the summer holidays.

We were invited to an outdoor picnic last week and I was wracking my head thinking what to bring as a sweet treat. I made these and they went down really well. They are pre portioned, easy to box up and transport, bite sized, no messy fingers and taste top!

We have Irish organic carrots galore and all the ingredients for these tasty balls in stock.

Save them for your next picnic treat.

Lou 🙂

P.S. Let us know if you make them.

Ingredients: makes 15 approx

  • 225g Irish organic carrots grated – 4 small 
  • 75g walnuts
  • 1 cup rolled oats (80g)
  • 10 pitted dates chopped (soaked in hot water for 10 minutes help blend)
  • ½ tsp cinnamon
  • ½ tsp mixed spice (or nutmeg/ginger)
  • 2-4 tbsp hot water to blend- use 2 tbsp to start, you may need more depending on the liquid from the carrots 
  • To roll: 25g desiccated coconut or ground almonds as a substitute 

Method:

Step 1: To a blender add the grated carrots, walnuts, oats, chopped dates, cinnamon, mixed spice and 2 tbsp of hot water. The mix should be sticky, if its a bit dry add a small bit of water and blend again.

Step 2: Blend until you reach they desired consistency, plus for chunky or blend on high for smoother. Test it to see if it will roll into balls.

Step 3: Roll the balls in the coconut and put them on a tray or plate. Let them set in the fridge for 1 hour, then enjoy. They will keep in the fridge in a closed container for 3 days or in the freezer for longer.

Spicy Chickpea and Raw Veg Salad

by Lou Robbie

The best salads are those that have a combination of textures and flavours that pop in your mouth with every fork full. This salad was inspired by the veg in my rescue box and a tin of chickpeas in the cupboard. And I remembered to pluck some mint from the garden for a hint of minty freshness to finish.

We have shared recipes for roasted chickpeas numerous times. They are so quick and easy to make and they add excitement to the plate too.

So roast and toast some chickpeas with spice in the air fryer or oven, whiz up a garlicky dressing and chop your favourite raw veggies and add juicy tomatoes for sweetness and colour.

Just lovely.

Lou 🙂

Ingredients: makes 2 big salads

  • 1/2 cup quinoa
  • For the spicy chickpeas:
  • 1 tin of chickpeas, drained use the chickpea liquid for aquafaba
  • 1 heaped teaspoon of mixed chilli spice – like harissa or cajun spice, or a mix of cumin, chilli & paprika
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • salt and pepper
  • For the dressing:
  • 1/2 cup olive oil, or rapeseed oil
  • 1 clove garlic, crushed
  • lemon juice from 1/2 lemon
  • dash of maple syrup
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • For the raw veggies:
  • 200g cherry tomatoes (approx 18)
  • 1 stick celery
  • 1 small bulb of fennel
  • 1/2 head broccoli
  • Small bunch of mint leaves to serve, baby leaves or finely chopped

Method:

Step 1 – Roast the chickpeas, add the drained chickpeas to the airf ryer basket, sprinkle over some mixed chilli spice – like harissa or cajun spice, or a mix of cumin, chilli & paprika. Season with salt and pepper, drizzle with oil and Air fry 200ºC for 12 minutes. Or roast in the oven on a baking tray 200ºC for 20 minutes.

Step 2: Cook the quinoa in a small pot, add 1/2 cup of quinoa to 1 cup of boiling water simmer until cooked about 10 minutes, then strain.

Step 3: Make the dressing, to a small food processor add the oil, lemon juice, crushed garlic, maple, plus a small pinch of salt and pepper. Whiz until combined, pour into a jug.

Step 4: Quarter the cherry tomatoes and chop the fennel, celery and broccoli. I like mine finely chopped.

Step 5: Build the salad by adding each component to a salad bowl, drizzle over the dressing and mix. Scatter on some mint leaves, serve and enjoy.

Apple Puff Pastry Turnover

by Lou Robbie

These are a must try with delicious Irish apples. We are so lucky to have sweet organic apples all year round. So good to eat and nice to bake with too.

The puff pastry turnovers are so simple to put together, the sugar and cinnamon caramelise to give a crunchy caramel topping, once turned.

We promise you’ll love this one. Please let us know in the comments if you make it. Check out our sweet organic apples in the shop.

Lou 🙂

Ingredients:

  • 3 Irish apples
  • 45g white sugar
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 pack of ready rolled puff pastry – 375g
  • To serve:
  • toasted pecans
  • 250ml fresh cream – whipped
  • icing sugar

Method:

Step1: Preheat the oven 180ºc. Line a large baking tray with parchment paper – you may need two baking trays.

Step 2: Peel the 3 apples in half and scoop out the core.

Step 3: Mix the sugar and the cinnamon in a bowl.

Step 4: Divide the pastry into 6 equal squares.

Step 5: Spoon the cinnamon sugar onto the tray, you want 6 mounds of sugar. Place the apple flat side down on each of the sugar mounds. Put the pastry over each apple half and use your hands to cup the pastry around the apple half.

Step 6: Place in the oven and bake for 35 minutes. Let the pastries cool for 15 minutes, use a wide spatula to slide under the caramelised apple and lift it off carefully. Serve warm with pecans and cream or ice cream. Dust with icing sugar if you wish.

“You will need a touch of Roundup to make this work…”

by Kenneth Keavey

Over the last couple of months, I had forgotten how grounding growing food is. On a sunny day walking through the crops, you feel alive.  It’s the vibrancy of nature that recharges us, don’t we have a duty to protect this fragile system of life?

“You will need a touch of Roundup to make this work” some friendly advice 18 years ago imparted to us on our vegetable growing journey. Needless to say, we did not take it!
 
Using chemicals to fight nature will never work. In the short term it may give a temporary reprieve from a certain disease or pest, but that pest will come back stronger and more resistant next time. It is in a way a self-perpetuating industry.


I spent a good percentage of my early life studying and working with chemistry and I am thankful for the many benefits modern science makes possible, but synthetic toxic chemicals have no place in our food chain, end of story.

Our organic farm is situated in rural Ireland and it is beautiful in its own way it’s vibrancy is defined by a myriad of greens, and flowers and it overflowing with life.

Once upon a time, flowers and mushrooms were commonplace in fields of grass around our lovely country, not so anymore. I don’t know about you, but the sight of a cowslip flower transports me back in time, to a time when the fields next to our family home were full of these beautiful flowers.

Sadly, today, these flowers are not to be found in most farm grasslands, they have all but disappeared (as have the button mushrooms that also used to be commonly found in meadows).

The reason sadly: the common use of artificial fertiliser and herbicides. Many of these grass tracks are sprayed to remove anything that is not grass, depriving the land of variety, variety being the cornerstone of all life. Such is the way of much of our production systems these days, large monocultures, engineered to produce at all costs.

The one common theme that can be found in all of these food systems generally starts with a application of the chemical glyphosate which as a molecule looks benign enough, but is far from benign.

The active ingredient in Roundup: glyphosate is the most widely used herbicide in human history, nearly 10 billion kg have been used globally.  It is a probable-carcinogen and it now contaminates most non-organic food stuffs. It is systemic in nature which means if it is sprayed on a crop then it gets absorbed and sits inside it.  It destroys all life, and leaves fields barren and dead.

Surely the production of food in a way that contributes to our health and the health of the planet, a way that enhances and protects biodiversity, a way that encourages working with nature rather than against it must be the best way to grow food?

The funny thing is that usually this type of approach produces food that tastes great, is better for us and is also better for our land. Your support makes it possible, and during the summer we need it more than ever, thank you.

Kenneth

Fruity Recipe Roundup

by Simone Kelly

It’s summer, and summer is time for all sorts of fruits. Peaches, strawberries, watermelon… Fresh, organic and taste like sunshine.

Here’s a few ideas for new fruity recipes, from breakfast to snacks to tasty salads. Click on the bold below to go directly to the recipe.