What is the most valuable item you will ever purchase?

by Kenneth Keavey

My feeling when it comes to pesticide residues in our food is that the only safe limit is a zero limit. If I were to tell you that 50% of the food you eat contains pesticide residues, how would you feel?

My Grandad farmed on this piece of land that we now farm organically. He had a mixed family farm and grew much of his own food as did many in the locality back then. This food was more nutritious, it tasted better, it was fresher than food today, it was free from chemicals, and it was local and seasonal.

Today our food system is a complex web of producers, processors and logistics.  When we walk into a supermarket, we don’t have time to think too much about where our food comes from our how it was produced, the shiny plastic packs of produce give us the impression that our food system is limitless, vibrant and fair. Indeed, this very supermarket system and the global food corporations that supply it have disconnected us from our food and have been complicit in devaluing our most valuable commodity:  food.

Since my grandad’s time in the early 1950’s agriculture and food have changed unrecognisably. It has undergone a green revolution. Ironically this “green revolution” has left our current food system broken. GMOs, giant monocultures, pesticides, herbicides, artificial fertilisers and factory farms dominate our global food supply system, all hidden behind those shiny plastic packs on the supermarket shelves.

The term “green revolution” was always something that struck me as a bit odd, especially when you consider what green means today, this was a revolution that switched our agricultural system from a natural approach to a chemistry centred approach.

I am an organic farmer, but I wasn’t always. In fact, and again ironically, I was an organic chemist, I have a Ph. D in chemistry from Cambridge University. I spent nearly 15 years working with chemicals, pharmaceuticals and in the biotech industry, so I know a thing or two about chemicals.

Today chemicals are used to force nature to behave in the way they want, they have tried to impose factory type controls onto the natural environment that we rely on for our food.  But nature is not a factory, and the same rules do not apply, you cannot indiscriminately apply chemicals to our food and not expect a fall out. 

A report by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has found that nearly half the food they tested from almost 81,000 food samples had pesticides in them. Strawberries and lettuce are the most likely to exceed safe limits, the agency found. They are especially sensitive to fungus and bugs and so undergo considerable spraying with pesticides.

More than one in four (27.3%) of the food samples contained traces of more than one pesticide. 

The food we put into our bodies is one of the most valuable investments we can ever make. The simple fact is you can taste value, and if you have ever tasted a freshly harvested tomato, warm from the vine, free from chemicals, full of life and nutrition, then you will know what I am talking about here, that is real value. I think my grandad instinctively knew that, but then again that was all there was back then.

Here is to the best value food in the world.

As always thank you for your support.

Kenneth

Link to report below.

A new report by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has found that more than 97% of foods contain pesticide residue levels that fall within legal limits. Strawberries are the most likely to exceed safe limits, the agency found.

About 55% of the samples evaluated by EFSA were free of detectable traces of these chemicals, the agency said.

This means nearly half of food products in Europe contain residues of pesticides.

The highest rate of exceeding safety limits was for strawberries (2.5% of the sample), followed by lettuce (2.3%). They are especially sensitive to fungus and bugs and so undergo considerable spraying with pesticides.

‘Cocktail’ effects

More than one in four (27.3%) of the food samples contained traces of more than one pesticide. 

Chive and Cheese Potato Bites

by Nessa Robins

There are several dishes which can be created or elevated with leftover mashed potato; from a salad to a comforting pie-topper, there are so many possibilities for this humble staple. If you’re faced with a bowlful of leftover mash, I would however highly recommend you transform it into these delicious chive and cheese potato bites. They only take minutes to prepare and can be served as a dinner accompaniment or simply enjoyed as a snack. Any hard cheese of choice can be used, dairy or plant-based, but ensure it’s very finely grated, allowing it to incorporate well with the potato. Chives are back in season, and I love to add them wherever a little onion scent is required in a dish, but finely sliced scallions can also be used in their place. I like to mirror the flavours in the bites with a garlic and chive dip, but any dip of choice can be enjoyed alongside these crispy bites. 

Enjoy!

Nessa x

Chive and Cheese Potato Bites

Ingredients

  • 500g leftover mashed potato
  • 90g plain flour
  • 25g hard cheese, finely grated
  • 2tbsp fresh chives, finely chopped

To serve

  • Sea salt
  • Fresh chives
  • Chunk of hard cheese
  • Dip of choice

Method

Add the mashed potato to a large bowl with the flour, finely grated cheese and chopped chives. Stir well to combine. Take a spoonful of the mixture and roll it into a ball. Continue until all the mixture has been used, making about 20 potato bites. Place on a plate and into the fridge to set for a couple of hours.

When ready to cook, place a large frying pan over a medium heat. Add a thin layer of cooking oil, sunflower or olive, and once hot, fry the potato bites for about 5 minutes on each side, turning occasionally while frying. 

Transfer to a paper lined plate, then to a serving plate. Sprinkle with a little sea salt, a grating of hard cheese and some finely chopped chives. Enjoy immediately. 

where have all the insects gone?

by Kenneth Keavey

The next time you drive down the motorway, check your windscreen, it will be devoid of insect splatter, only 20-30 short years ago that used to be a completely different story. Here is something different to think about when we think about the disappearing insects, of course the insecticides are destroying whole ecosystems, but what about herbicides?

The dandelions are up in force. But consider this, next time you see a field of grass that is generally being grown to be fed to dairy cows, see how many dandelions you see, or in fact see how much of anything other than grass you see. I think you will find that there is very little. Grassland is produced to be a giant monoculture, and it is considered best practice to remove all diversity from these fields, to feed Ireland’s massive dairy industry.

But it didn’t always used to be like this, dairy cows in a not-too-distant past fed on mixed pasture. The irony of course is that a diverse array of plants access different levels of the soil and so bring up different nutrients and give a more balanced diet to the animals, providing a virtual plant salad bar for animals and supported a whole ecosystem, one a ryegrass-dominated monoculture never will.

The diversity today is removed by spraying herbicides, a typical spraying regime for grassland will involve an array of different chemicals. One that is actively used right here in Ireland goes by the tradename “Thurst” and it contains: 2,4-D + Dicamba. You may have heard of herbicides like 2,4-D before, it is one of the most common chemical weedkillers used in conventional farming. It’s designed to kill broadleaf weeds like dandelions without harming the grass. While it works effectively, it comes with a history and environmental impact that we’re not comfortable with.

👉 Did you know? 2,4-D was one of the ingredients in Agent Orange, the defoliant used in the Vietnam War. While modern formulations don’t contain the toxic contaminants that caused so much harm back then, 2,4-D is still a synthetic chemical. It can linger in soil and waterways, and it’s been classified as “possibly carcinogenic to humans” by the World Health Organization.

This is just one of a handful of chemicals that are used to keep grasslands, green, full of grass, and absent of biodiversity. Giant monocultures whether they be GM soya crops grown in the US or giant fields of grass grown in Ireland are food deserts for insects, there is nothing for them there, no weeds, no flowers, no food. The chemicals themselves that act on the plants are removing a crucial piece of our ecosystem that has a knock-on effect all the way up the food chain. We hear a lot about bees, and bee populations have been devastated over the last 20 years, but the bees are a bell weather for the insect population as a whole. If insects and bees go, well then the omen is not too good for us humans.

But there is hope, farmers more and more are incorporating clover into their grass swards and there is increasing demand for organic food which protects not only our health but biodiversity too. Our food choices matter, keeping chemicals out of our food matters, and they make a huge difference, they send a powerful message and can effect real change.

As always thank you for supporting our farm and business.

Kenneth

p.s We would ask you to support us over Easter week if you can. Thank you to everybody who did this week it made a real difference. And we hope if you ordered bread that you enjoyed the amazing Carraig Rua breads that we will have every week from now on!

Oat Bread

by Nessa Robins

Ultra-processed foods are everywhere, and it can sometimes be hard to believe a basic staple, such as the bread we use for our lunchtime sandwich, can be included in this list. Over the past week there has been an international celebration of real bread through Real Bread Week – a campaign which promotes the importance of real, additive-free bread. 

I love bread-making. I find it to be therapeutic but also making my own bread allows me to know exactly what I’m feeding my family. Traditional soda bread is my go-to but when I’m looking for a more substantial, nutrient-rich loaf, this oat bread would be top of my list. This oat bread is packed with protein-rich ingredients to give you a good energy boost first thing in the morning or enjoy it alongside a salad as a nutritious lunch. It’s simply oats, a good quality full fat Greek yogurt, milk, sunflower seeds, salt, and bread soda to help it rise, and a little honey to sweeten. It’s easy to assemble and bakes in just over 60 minutes. I’d love you to give it a try.

Enjoy!

Nessa x

Oat Bread

Ingredients

400g porridge oats

2tbsp sunflower seeds, plus extra for topping

1tsp bread soda, sieved 

½ tsp salt

400g Greek yogurt

50ml milk

1tbsp honey

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/fan 180°C /Gas Mark 6. Lightly grease a loaf tin with some butter.

2. Place the oats into a food processor and blitz for a few moments, until fine and they have a similar appearance to flour. 

3. Add the blitzed oats to a large bowl with the seeds, bread soda and salt. Stir to combine.

4. Make a well in the centre and add in the yogurt, milk, and honey. Using one hand, keep stirring the ingredients until a ball of dough has formed. 

5. When it comes together, place into the greased loaf tin. Top with a scattering of sunflower seeds and flatten slightly to ensure the loaf is even and the seeds are sticking to the dough. 

6. Place in the preheated oven for 50 minutes. After this time, carefully remove the loaf from the tin. Place the loaf directly onto the oven rack and continue to bake for an additional 10-15 minutes, after which the base of the loaf will sound hallow when tapped. 

7. Leave to cool on a wire rack before cutting into slices. 

Creamy Mushroom Pasta

by Nessa Robins

During the summer and autumn months we have an abundance of vegetables in season, but even at this time of year, when the rain is hitting the windows and the sun is reluctant to make any sort of an appearance, there is still an impressive number of Irish grown vegetables available. Some of the vegetables which are currently in season include potatoes, swede, parsnip, carrot, beetroot, onion, leek, kale, and cabbage. 

Due to mushrooms thriving in darkened conditions, Irish mushrooms are available to us all year round. Mushrooms also offer a certain meatiness to a meal, making them a satisfying addition to any pasta dish or pie. This pasta dish can be prepared and on the table within half an hour. It includes some seasonal vegetables, and a good dash of cream adds a little indulgence to this midweek supper.  

Enjoy,

Nessa x

Creamy Mushroom Pasta

Ingredients

Serves 2

  • 200g spaghetti
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • ½ leek, cut in half and finely sliced 
  • ½ tsp chilli flakes
  • 300g mushrooms, sliced
  • Knob of butter
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 100ml cream
  • 50g parmesan, grated, plus extra for serving
  • 1tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 75g spinach or young kale leaves, roughly chopped

Method

Cook the spaghetti according to the pack’s instructions. 

While the pasta is cooking, add the olive oil to a large frying pan over a medium heat. Add the leeks, stir to combine, and cook for about 5 minutes.

Add the chilli flakes and cook for about 30 seconds before adding the mushrooms and a knob of butter. Season well with black pepper. 

Cook for about five minutes, stirring continuously until the leeks and mushrooms appear cooked.  

Once the pasta is cooked, reserve a small cup of the cooking water before draining, covering, and leaving to one side.

In a small bowl, combine about 4 tbsp of the reserved pasta water with the cream, grated parmesan, lemon juice and a little sprinkling of salt.

Add the spinach and the cooked pasta to the pan. Pour over the cream mixture and stir well to combine. Check the seasoning, and serve straightaway with a good grating of parmesan, and a few grinds of black pepper. 

Take from the heat and serve straight away with a few grinds of black pepper and an extra grating of parmesan. Enjoy!

Chocolate Orange Energy Balls 

by Nessa Robins

Oranges are currently in season, making it a particularly good time to add them to your Green Earth Organics box. They are especially rich in vitamin C, which support our immune system, aids in the adsorption of iron and helps to find inflammation in the body. They are also a great source of fibre and folate. 

The zest of an orange holds incredible flavour and makes a great addition to sweet treats. Our oranges are organic and unwaxed, making the zest especially beneficial for using in recipes, but still give the oranges a wash before zesting. Orange zest can be placed in a freezer proof container and popped in the freezer for up to three months, so the next time you’re treating yourself to an orange, remove the zest first before peeling.

These chocolate orange energy balls make for a delicious, sweet treat to enjoy anytime of the day. They are packed with wholesome ingredients. If you prefer you can omit the chocolate topping, they will still be full of flavour. 

Enjoy!

Nessa x

Chocolate Orange Energy Balls 

Ingredients

Makes 24

Topping

  • 100g chocolate, of choice, melted
  • Zest ½ orange

Method

Leave to set and store in the fridge until ready to serve. They will keep well in the fridge in a sealed container for at least 5 days.

Add the oats and almonds to a high-powered blender and blitz until fine.

Add the dates, milk, peanut butter, cacao, and orange zest. Blitz for about 30 seconds, until fully combined.

Taking a little scoop of the dough, roll into a ball and place on a greaseproof paper-lined tray. Repeat with the remaining mixture, making about 24 balls. 

Drizzle over the melted chocolate. Top with some orange zest.                            

Over €400 m worth of vegetables imported…

by Kenneth Keavey

Over €400 million worth of vegetables were imported into Ireland in 2023, that is an increase of 17% in value and 6% in volume since 2022.

Last week we reviewed our farm accounts, and the picture painted was not one that brought joy to the heart, it rarely is unfortunately. The fundamentals of growing vegetables means that the price paid does not cover the costs of production, so far this year we are carrying a significant loss on our farm.

Whilst we as a nation seem to be importing more and more fresh produce we are losing more and more of our growers. There is no escaping the fact that as the industry has been left vulnerable and right on the edge by the price paid by supermarket buyers. Smaller growers have exited the industry, and this has been compensated for by the larger grower here in Ireland.

However, this is no longer the case as we all have heard the familiar story at this stage as the cost of inputs has risen over the last number of years and the decline of people wanting to work in the industry is critical. A number of bigger growers have also closed their doors for good. It is not an unreasonable path to take as why would you stay in business when you are losing money, and you have very little control over your income as prices are set by external buyers. These import figures come at the same time as our minister for agriculture states “it is important to consider agrifood imports in the context of corresponding exports.

Ireland recorded a total agri-food trade surplus of more than €5 billion in 2023”. This means we exported lots and lots of meat and dairy and imported lots of vegetables and fruit, but interestingly we also imported lots of cereal based animal feed to generate this trade surplus.

But our high reliance on imports when it come to our vegetable supply means that when there are shortages as a result of drought or other climate shocks which are getting more and more likely due to climate change then we will not be at the top of the priority list when it comes to supply. Right now, we are starting our farm planning for next year. We will also be talking to other Irish growers that supply us with produce and agreeing volumes and prices, for next year, prices that are always fair.

Since 2006 when we sold our first locally grown organic vegetable the planning of our farm has always been something that has been very close to my heart, but after 19 years of growing vegetables with only a handful of those years break even, it does leave you scratching your head when you just can’t make the numbers add up. We have always persevered and will continue to do so, but we can only ever do this and support the nearly 40 people that currently work in our farm and business with your support.

So as always thank you.

We all get sick sometimes

by Kenneth Keavey

We all get sick sometimes, but when something serious comes along how we define what is important to us can change significantly. There is little doubt that without our health we have very little. All it takes is to be laid up in bed with a serious dose of the flu to know that being sick can be serious. The prevalence of chronic disease in our current age is frightening, it is unfortunately a reflection on how we as a society have evolved. Our eating habits, working habits, exercising habits, have steadily changed and not for the better over the last 50 years.


But what has happened to our food is very concerning. Obviously, the ultra-processed
rubbish that is designed to be irresistible is very unhealthy, and we would in all seriousness
be better off eating cardboard. But it is often said that it is not what we do occasionally that
is the problem it is what we do every day that causes the benefit or the damage. Those
things we eat everyday are one of the keys to our health.
Our bodies are amazing machines and when we are young, we can cope at least for a
while with just about anything, but as we grow older things start to take a greater tole on our
health. So it is with our food, at least in my opinion the chemicals on conventional food must
over time do damage, they hurt us on the inside and they do it gradually over years. I
remember years ago my biology teacher telling me if you irritate something for long enough
you will cause cancer.
I know I am fortunate and can afford to consume organic food as I have it all around me, I
don’t take that for granted. Ironically, for health reasons I have a restricted diet and one of
the things I can eat are blueberries. Over the last couple of weeks, we haven’t been able to
source organic blueberries as we do not buy airfreighted produce. So, I bought some
conventional blueberries in a shop. I think they tasted a little odd, I ate them anyway. But I
decided to investigate this a little and here is what I found:
In 2024 Pesticides were found on 90 percent of conventional blueberry samples, compared
to 81 percent in 2014.  80 percent of samples had two or more pesticides, versus 70
percent in 2014. A single sample of blueberries could have up to 17 different pesticide
residues, compared to 13 in 2014. Reference here.

This information is relevant to the US, but many of the blueberries on Irish supermarket
shelves come from all over the world and could have the same residues. The most
troubling pesticides found on blueberries were phosmet and malathion, chemicals known as
organophosphate insecticides. They kill many types of insects and are toxic to the human
nervous system.  

Not only are conventional blueberries on the list of items to source organically if you can,
but green beans, peppers, and kale were also singled out. We have sourced organic
blueberries again, the first new European harvest from Spain. I write this piece to once
again highlight the difference between conventional food production and organic. Don’t we
deserve to known about these unseen extras?
So anyway, I am looking forward to getting the first new season organic non airfreighted
blueberries next week. They won’t be as good as the Irish ones we had a few weeks ago,
but they will be pretty good.


As always thank you for your support


Kenneth

Spicy Peanut Noodles – Vegan

by Nessa Robins

These spicy peanut noodles are so delicious and packed full of nutritious ingredients. I’ve used udon noodles in the recipe, but any noodles of choice can be used. This dish only takes minutes to assemble, and even though it is best enjoyed on the day it is made, it will keep well in the fridge for up to two days. 

Enjoy!

Nessa x

Spicy Peanut Noodles

Ingredients

  • 300g udon noodles
  • 1 carrot, grated
  • ½ courgette, grated
  • Handful of kale, finely chopped
  • Handful coriander leaves
  • 2tbsp peanuts, roughly chopped
  • 2tbsp sesame seeds

For the sauce

To serve

  • 2 scallions, finely sliced
  • 1 red chilli, finely sliced

Method

  1. Cook the noodles according to the instructions on the pack. Once cooked, add to a colander and rinse well under cold running water. 
  2. Roughly grate the carrot and courgette into a bowl. Using a paper towel, press down on the grated vegetables to soak up any excess water. 
  3. Add the grated carrot and courgette to a large bowl along with the cooled noodles, kale, coriander leaves, peanuts, and sesame seeds.
  4. To make the sauce, add the peanut butter, vinegar, soy sauce, honey, sesame oil, sriracha, and a dash of boiling water to a bowl. Whisk together using a fork. Pour over the noodles and vegetables and stir well to combine. 
  5. To serve, top with the sliced scallion and chilli. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two days. 

Roasted & Loaded Sweet Potato and Broccoli – Vegan

by Nessa Robins

This roasted sweet potato and broccoli bake is so tasty and only takes minutes to prepare. The sweet potatoes are coating in cornflour and seasoning which makes them deliciously crispy, while our broccoli needs little encouragement to shine as it is already so flavoursome and packed full of freshness. The toppings are another opportunity to add more goodness to the dish along with an added layer of tastiness. 

Enjoy!

Nessa x

Roasted & Loaded Sweet Potato and Broccoli

Ingredients

  • 2-3 tbsp olive oil
  • 500g sweet potatoes, well-scrubbed
  • 1tbsp cornflour
  • 1tsp smoked paprika
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 200g broccoli florets, cut in half

For the sauce

To serve

  • 1 lime
  • 1 ripe avocado, cut into chunks
  • 1 scallion, sliced
  • 1 red chilli, finely sliced
  • Fresh coriander leaves
  • Hot sauce

Method

  1. Pre-heat the oven to 220°C/fan 200°C/gas 7. Cut the sweet potatoes into slices and place in a large bowl. Drizzle over two tablespoons of olive oil plus the cornflour, smoked paprika and season with a little salt and pepper. Stir well to combine and transfer to a large baking tray, placing the slices evenly on the tray. Drizzle over any remaining oil in the bowl. Place in the preheated oven for 10 minutes.
  2. Take the tray from the oven. Add the florets of broccoli. Drizzle with a little olive oil and place back in the oven 15-20 minutes, stirring once during this cooking time. 
  3. While the vegetables are baking, make the sauce by stirring together the yogurt, lime, nutritional yeast, garlic and a little salt and pepper, in a small bowl. 
  4. Once the sweet potato and broccoli are cooked, transfer to a platter. Squeeze over the juice of half a lime and serve the other half on the side. Top with dollops of the sauce, chunks of avocado, a scattering of scallion, red chilli and coriander, plus a drizzle of hot sauce. Enjoy straight away.