News from the farm

by Kenneth Keavey

The art of producing food is marvellous and tough and on sunny days it is a privilege.

We talk about food all the time here, we grow it, we sow the seeds, we watch the plants grow, we fertilise the soil, we control the weeds and hope we have the right mix to ensure the plants grow healthy and pest free.

We spend the time in between managing the crops, maintaining the land, planting trees, growing hedging, sowing wildflowers for the bees, harnessing the power of the sun, these are all things we do.

We see first-hand the connection between the fresh produce and the cooked food on our plate. We can see how the process of growing healthy food from healthy soil creates local employment and impacts on our locality positively. Sustainable agriculture is good for all and it benefits the environment immeasurably.

We see more bees, and flies, and insects on our farm and we feel there is a balance as we rarely see an out-of-control pest issue. We see more birds, and wildlife, we see the land thrive, just this morning I saw a giant hare saunter past one of our polytunnels.

Not only that, but organic food is so much better for us, of course it hasn’t been sprayed and so is free of harmful chemicals, but it is also just better nutritionally.

A comprehensive study carried out by David Thomas has demonstrated a remarkable decrease in mineral content in fresh produce over 50 years, comparing food grown in 1941 to food grown in 1991. To the extent that today you would need to eat 6 apples to get the same nutritional value you got in 1941 from eating 5 apples. In some cases, mineral levels have dropped by as much as 70%.

The use of highly soluble fertilisers, pesticides and herbicides and the intensive production of food has led to land that is lifeless and food that is less healthy and less nutritionally dense, this reflects the remarkable connection between our food and the health of our soil.

There is no way we could know this, as a population we are in danger of losing our connection with the land and our food. This is not our fault, the food system that is championed by supermarkets and giant food producers has made it this way.

Imagine though if we could see the impact of our positive choices, if we could somehow rekindle that connection with our food? Over the past year it seems we have been remaking that connection.

We are reconnecting with our food by cooking and touching and smelling and seeing how our food is grown. We are redeveloping that connection with nature, and this is something we can pass onto our children, we can show them that there is a great, fun and fantastically positive way to live and eat.

Although from what I have seen recently it is the children who are teaching us!

Kenneth

Recipe Roundup – Rainbow Chard

by Simone Kelly

It’s the season for Irish grown greens, and rainbow chard is such a stunning looking crop, and so healthy. It’s high in vitamins A and K, and a great source of vitamin C and magnesium.

Click on the text in bold to get directly to the recipe page.

Enjoy x

Ladybirds and biodiversity

by Kenneth Keavey

We had a decision to make recently, in the grand scheme of things it may not have seemed like a very big one. But if we chose wrongly then it would have taken us away from our core value of biodiversity protection.

We had decided to put in an extra access road on our farm. There was a wall that could easily have been knocked which would make access easier and would have reduced the cost, so from a purely financial perspective it made sense to knock the wall and the growth around it. But as I was discussing this over with Emmanuel, nature gave us the nudge we needed in the right direction.

While we were standing there a giant bumble bee flew past us to nestle right into the grass and brambles at our feet, two little birds flew out of the bushes and as we continued to look we noticed a ladybird. One at first, then Emmanuel pointed out another and another there must have been 10 or more. There was a family of little red helpers there in that wall. This was in a tiny little space full with the vitality of nature.

The decision was made for us, and I was a little ashamed that I had been contemplating knocking the wall in the first place. So, the wall will stay, and we will work around it.

A small price to pay for the richness of nature that calls that little corner of the field it’s home.

This was a clear-cut decision.

When it comes to chemicals the effects can be much more difficult to spot. When chemicals are applied to fields and crops, they don’t just affect the targeted crop. There is no magic bullet, if the years spent studying chemistry thought me anything, it is that the magic bullet does not exist (The idea that a drug or chemical will only target a certain disease or pest without side effects).

So it is with chemicals that are routinely sprayed in nature. These chemicals are broad spectrum insecticides or herbicides. They do damage and they hurt biodiversity. The neonicotinoids for so long proclaimed safe for bees were as it turns out not safe for bees. Glyphosate which heralded a new in weed control has been shown to be a ‘probable carcinogen’ and it is everywhere in our environment now. 

These chemicals are the unseen freebies we get with our food, and they hurt our health. But even more importantly they hurt our land and the life we share this planet with too. 

Would that little corner of the field have been so rich and vibrant if we were applying chemicals to our fields? Absolutely not. So, with your support for our business you are supporting many little corners of land right across Ireland, whether it be here on our farm, or Joe Kelly’s farm in Mayo, or Padraigh Fahy’s farm in Galway, or Vincent Grace’s farm in Kilkenny, or Roy Lyttle’s farm in Antrim or Richard Galvin’s farm in Waterford or Cameron’s farm in Kildare or Philip Dreaper’s farm in Offaly and many more.

We all share the same belief that there is a better way to produce food that there is a safer and happier way to farm.

Thank you for your support, and for supporting our mission:

“Better for you, better for the planet”

Kenneth

Peanut Butter Cups

by Lou Robbie

We are always on the hunt for the perfect ‘no bake’ homemade snack and this is one of the best yet!! They are cute, sweet, salty and delicious. We recommend keeping them in the freezer so they don’t disappear too quickly. They are incredibly moorish, a real treat.

The base is oat and ground almonds, centre peanut butter and coconut oil and top chocolate and coconut oil- with a bit of sweetness added.

If you’re a choc PB lover you’ll love these, we promise!

Lou 🙂

Ingredients: makes 12 mini cups

Method:

  1. Make the oat base; add the oats and almonds to a blender, pulse to blend. Add the honey and 1 tablespoon of milk, blend again until the mix comes together, add more milk if needed. Spoon the base into the mini mounds and push down with the back of a small spoon.
  2. To make the centre; melt the coconut oil in the microwave or small pot, stir in the peanut butter and honey, mix well. Pour on top of the base and chill for 1 hour.
  3. For the top; melt the chocolate and coconut oil together and spoon on top, smooth over with a spatula.
  4. Chill again for 15 minutes.
  5. Pop the cups from the moulds, sprinkle with sea salt and tuck in.
  6. They will keep in the fridge for 3 days or in the freezer for 1 month. Take from the freezer 30 minutes before eating.

Fighting Food Waste Recipe roundup

by Simone Kelly

Food waste is such a huge issue, so much food gets wasted, a lot of it could still be used and feed us rather than end up in the compost bin. Food is too precious to let it go to waste, isn’t it? The EPA (environmental protection agency) estimates that Ireland generated 770,300 tonnes (t) of food waste in 2020.

So what can you do to reduce food waste in your house? Store fruit and veg correctly, for starters. And when cooking, make sure to check out the below recipes for using up things like overripe bananas and stale bread. Love food, hate waste.

  • Spicy and so good for you, this zero waste kimchi is amazing.
  • Got an air fryer? These croutons made from stale bread dress up any salad.
  • We all love our spuds. Use the peels to make delicious potato peel crisps as a snack!
  • A hearty and healthy soup that uses up all sorts of odds and ends from the fridge: ribollita
  • Overripe bananas deserve to be eaten too! in muffins, that shouldn’t be too hard.
  • Or the obvious choice, make chocolate chunk banana bread! Delicious.
  • Bagged salads are one of the most wasted food items. Don’t waste it, make pesto instead!
  • If you’ve never made your own oat milk, this is a real treat. Oh and make cookies with the pulp. Perfection!
  • A sweet bake perfect for those wrinkly soft apples: low waste apple cake.

And finally, check out our top 5 food waste tips.

Hot Cross Cookies

by Lou Robbie

I honesty don’t remember any special Easter baking recipes from my childhood in Tipperary. As kids we were too consumed with the thoughts of getting an easter egg to think about what was being baked. My mother would usually bake her famous apple tart and a giant pavlova to have on Easter Sunday after dinner.

I was much older when I learned about hot cross buns at Easter time. They have been baked for centuries across Europe to symbolise the Christianity and Jesus on the cross.

This is a twist on the cinnamon and yeast bun. It’s a lot quicker to make and like the bun uses spice, dried fruit, orange zest and of course the signature cross too.

Pick up most of what you need in our groceries.

Let us know if you make these.

Lou 🙂

Ingredients: makes 10

For the icing:

  • 50g icing sugar
  • 2 teaspoons boiling water

Method:

  1. Preheat the oven 180ºc. Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
  2. To a mixing bowl add the butter and beat for a minute to soften it, use an electric beater or wooden spoon.
  3. Add in the sugar and beat for a further few minutes and then beat in the eggs.
  4. Pour in the oats next and sieve in the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, mixed spice stir in the chopped date and orange zest.
  5. Stir and mix all the ingredients together until a large dough forms.
  6. Scoop or spoon onto the baking tray, push down to form round cookie shapes.
  7. Bake for 18-20 minutes, until nice and golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
  8. To make the icing mix the icing sugar with 2 teaspoons of boiling water until you have a thick paste. Transfer to a piping bag or a zip lock bag leave to cool for 5 minutes then snip off the corner and pipe a cross onto the cooled cookies.
  9. Enjoy with big glasses of milk and mugs of tea.

Loss leaders and multitasking

by Kenneth Keavey

I am sitting here on our tractor at the bottom of the farm as I write. The tractor ironically being the noisy beast it is, is a great place to find peace. There is something highly satisfying about tilling the land.

As much as there is a business to be managed, the luxury of being in the field at least on occasion is something that really grounds and reconnects a person to nature. Whilst margins and spreadsheets and efficiency ratios are all important all of these things can sometimes cloud the real reason of why it is we do what we do.

Don’t pay enough attention to those variables of course and the tiling of the land is nothing but an idle dream. Pay too much attention and you run the risk of getting lost and losing track of “The why”. It was brought to our attention last week by ‘the traveling stoic’ on Instagram that ‘the restrictive practices order 1987 prohibits the sale of grocery products at below net invoice price’ but this law does not include fresh produce! It is deemed permissible to allow loss leading on all things fresh, and that includes you may be surprised to learn not only fruit and vegetables, but also milk, meat, and fish.

All our primary producers are essentially being told: ‘We don’t value what you do and we will sell your produce for less than the price of production.’ This is upsetting on a number of levels, but especially when you consider the time, energy and care each producer puts into their produce. It is demoralising and financially unsustainable. We know we cannot possibly compete with supermarkets.

As I was writing this on my phone, for some mad reason spell check but in ‘cartels’! maybe that is a more apt description of these institutions!Supermarkets can afford to squeeze the producers, they have all the power, they can dictate terms. This approach has led to more and more growers saying enough is enough, and sometimes over the seemingly paltry sum of 5c per piece.

That is a sad situation. Those skills especially when it comes to vegetables as there are fewer and fewer of us are gone for ever. Many moons ago we decided that we would quit supplying supermarkets for good. It was a decision taken in the heat of the moment, which usually are very poor decisions indeed. We were told one Monday morning that unless we reduced our pricing and became responsible for the waste in their stores we should look elsewhere for custom.

I can’t say here what I said then, but we never supplied those supermarkets again. It was rash, but it meant we doubled our efforts at making a successful business of growing our own food and supporting other Irish growers and delivering direct to you, our customers.

We, only with your help are still here today 18 years later and we are thankful for that. I think Emmanuel (our farm manager) may be getting a little concerned now, not having seen our tractor move for some time. Writing and tiling are very difficult endeavours to multitask at! So, I think it’s time to put the phone down and get back to it.

Until next week thanks for your support.

Kenneth

Easter Bunny Garlic Knots

by Liz Child

Save this recipe to make over Easter. It’s a crowd pleaser, fun as a starter or part of a buffet. These are so delicious and fun to make with kids. Brush with a blend of butter, parsley and garlic or if you are lucky enough to live near a patch of wild garlic, you could make wild garlic butter for an extra special seasonal treat. We use our favourite Naturli butter to keep it dairy free, have you tried it yet?

Liz x

Ingredients (makes 16)

Pizza dough:

  • 450g flour
  • 7g instant yeast
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 350ml warm water

Garlic butter:

  • 50g butter
  • 2-3 garlic cloves
  • a handful of parsley
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • flakey salt to serve

Method

  1. Start with the pizza dough, it will need time to prove. Measure all the ingredients into a mixing bowl and use a wooden spoon to combine and work into a sticky, stretchy dough. Scrape down the sides and cover the bowl with a tea towel. Leave somewhere warm until doubled in size (this takes around an hour).
  2. When your dough is doubled in size, turn the oven to 200C and flour a clean work surface. Scrape the sticky dough out onto the floured surface and, using your hands as little as possible (this dough is sticky!), use a dough scraper to gather and turn the dough over into a ball. Use the dough scraper to cut the ball into 4 pieces. Then cut each quarter into four additional pieces. You should have 16 pieces of dough now.
  3. Roll each piece into a rope and then fold and twist into a bunny shape (see video). Place all the bunnies onto one or two large, lined baking sheets and cover with a clean tea towel. Leave to prove and almost double in size again in a warm spot.
  4. When your bunnies are ready, pop them in the oven to bake until golden brown (around 15-20 minutes).
  5. Meanwhile blend the garlic butter ingredients together in a small food processor. Or you can mince the garlic and parsley and stir into softened butter and season to taste.
  6. When the bunnies come out of the oven, spoon and brush over the garlic butter whilst it is still hot. Serve on a board or platter with the leftover butter and a sprinkle of flakey salt. Enjoy! 

Spring Veg Vegan Quiche

by Liz Child

Got some guests coming for Easter who don’t eat eggs or dairy? This quiche is the perfect spring centerpiece. Serve with salad and/or roasted vegetables. It’s protein rich, satisfying and so delicious!

Liz x

Ingredients

Shortcrust pastry:

  • 150g flour
  • 75g dairy free butter
  • 3 tbsp cold water

‘Egg’ mixture:

  • 350g silken tofu
  • 4 tbsp chickpea flour
  • 150ml oat milk
  • 3 tbsp nutritional yeast
  • 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 tbsp thyme
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric
  • 1 tsp each salt & pepper

Vegetable filling:

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 leek, washed & chopped
  • 2 cloves of garlic, sliced
  • 1 scallion, chopped
  • a mug of frozen peas
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • salt & pepper to taste
  • grated vegan cheese to top

Method

  1. Start with the pastry. Blend the butter and flour together until crumbly, then add the cold water and keep blending until the pastry comes together into a ball. Press evenly into a flan dish and chill for 20 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile turn the oven on to 175C and prepare the fillings. Blend the ‘egg’ mixture into a smooth batter and sauté the leek with the olive oil, garlic, thyme and salt. Remove from the heat and stir through the scallion and peas. Once cool, mix in the ‘egg’.
  3. Prick the chilled pastry with a fork and blind bake for 10 minutes to set the crust. Then fill with the veg and ‘egg’, top with cheese and bake for another 30-40 minutes until the quiche is set and golden brown on top.
  4. Enjoy in large slices with salad and/or roasted vegetables. Change up the vegetables and herbs in the quiche for any combination you like.

2 Ingredient Chocolate Mousse (Chocolate & Butternut Squash)

by Lou Robbie

Chocolate mousse with hidden butternut squash, we couldn’t wait to try this one!! An indulgent chocolate mousse that is made mostly of healthy stuff sounds too good to be true.

This one pass the test with my kids and the butternut squash went undetected! The mouse is delicious on its own but if you want to give it a lighter texture try folding whipped cream through it, this is how I served it to my kids.

TIP: For a really tasty mousse its important to use a good quality chocolate.

Will you try it?

Lou 🙂

Ingredients:

  • 700g raw butternut squash – peeled and cubed
  • 400g good quality chocolate, chopped (you can use your favourite milk or dark chocolate)
  • Serve with a dusting of cacoa powder, whipped cream or cremé fraichê and toasted hazelnuts or almonds, banana or raspberries would be delicious too

Method:

  1. Peel, deseed and cube the butternut squash. Put it in a medium sized pot cover with cold water. Put on the hob, bring to a simmer and cook until completely soft, 20-30 mins.
  2. Melt the chocolate in a microwave or on a double boiler on the hob.
  3. When the butternut squash is cooked, strain and add to a blender along with the melted chocolate.
  4. Blend until silky smooth.
  5. Pour into a large bowl or individual bowls. Leave to cool on the worktop then transfer to the fridge to set for at least 4 hours, overnight if possible.
  6. Dust with cocoa powder and serve!