No thanks, free chemicals with every piece of produce.

by Kenneth Keavey

It would certainly be much easier to farm with chemicals, apply some herbicides for the weeds, a pesticide or two to deal with the aphids and other mealy bugs, and a fungicide here and there to deal with the different fungal diseases. For good measure maybe throw in a growth inhibitor and a chemical wax coating to literally seal the deal and we have our food system all sown up.

This unfortunately is the reality of our modern-day food system. There is little doubt that the illusion of healthy food fostering great happy farmers, and a vibrant diverse landscape is very neatly packed in shiny plastic packaging on supermarket shelves. It looks lovely and shiny and clean and perfect.It is more challenging to grow food organically, you cannot reach for a bottle of chemicals to deal with every problem

When an inspector came to our farm and took a sample of kale to test for chemicals, they tested for 870 chemicals to be exact, the kale came back completely clean, but it was shocking that they tested for this many active pesticides.That is a lot of chemicals that are floating around that could potentially be used on our food. Farming with nature, protecting biodiversity, producing good clean healthy food is important to us. As I was walking up from creating this video I saw a black bird eating a worm. It struck me that if we were using chemicals on our farm then that worm would have consumed chemicals in the soil and the blackbird would then also be consuming chemicals and the cycle would go on. The lovely picture-perfect produce wrapped in plastic on the supermarket shelves is hiding so much. It is hiding how that food was produced; what chemicals were applied to the food, whether nature was harmed, whether the people producing the food were treated with respect. We can’t think about all of that, the world is too crazy, and we are too busy. The question is how did we arrive at a place where these are questions we must associate with our food? They shouldn’t be. Of course there are MRLs, (maximum residue limits) these are limits that restrict the amount of chemical allowed in a food. But not all foods are tested and when they are a scary 54% of conventional food have chemicals in them (read the report here). Now I think it would be preferable if we didn’t have to consume any toxic chemicals with our food, especially chemicals we are getting without our knowledge.

But our journey is not about fear; it’s about empowerment. By choosing organic farming methods and supporting others who do the same, we are cultivating a relationship with the land that prioritizes health and sustainability. Our commitment to nurture the earth and provide nourishing food for you our community, can only continue through your support. After a tough year, now more than ever we could do with your support

.Thank you.

Kenneth

PS thank you to everybody who has placed a Christmas order already, we are very grateful for your support, and we hope you will be delighted with the produce and groceries that you receive for Christmas. If you haven’t done so already, please have a look now on our website and remember of course you can order a Christmas box, but also you can choose whatever you need for Christmas and we will deliver that too!

Link to the report

https://www.pcs.agriculture.gov.ie/media/pesticides/content/foodsafety/pesticideresiduesinfoodfrom2020/2021AnnualReportPesticideResiduesinFood060923.pdf

Root Vegetable Crisps 

by Nessa Robins

With the Late Late Toy Show on the horizon, excitement levels and festive cheer will be bubbling within every household in Ireland. On the night, young and old will come together to enjoy the show and pick what they’d like from Santa this year, all while tucking into a few tasty treats. With this to mind, I decided to create a bowlful of snacks using the gorgeous seasonal vegetables which arrived in my veg box this week. Parsnip, beetroot and of course potato all make for delicious crisps, and they really are so easy to make. However, the oil must be very hot, so this is a job for the grown-ups! I’ve sprinkled the cooked crisps in sea salt, but you could use any spice you like. 

Enjoy!

Nessa

Root Vegetable Crisps

Ingredients

Method

  1. Wash and peel the vegetables, before thinly slicing them using a mandolin or sharp knife. Add the prepared vegetables to three separate bowls and cover with cold water.
  2. After 30 minutes, drain the water from the vegetables and dry them well with some paper towels. 
  3. Heat the oil to 180°C in a high-sided, wide pan. When ready, add the vegetables in batches. Don’t overcrowd the pan and turn each one a few times during the cooking time. Each batch should take between 7-10 minutes, depending on their thickness. Once crispy and golden, remove carefully with a slotted spoon.
  4. Transfer to a paper-lined wire rack. Sprinkle with sea salt and served straightaway once cooled.

fond memories and better days…

by Kenneth Keavey

Its funny how some memories stay with us. We all have flashes that we remember, or think we remember. I have some memories of my early years and of my grandad, he was a gardener and a farmer. He brought some of the benefits he learned as head gardener at Cregg Castle to his home garden where he grew so much lovely food. I remember his little seat in the garden where he would take a break and sharpen is always with him knife and smoke his pipe. He used to make raised beds for the carrots and potatoes. When I came back from England and started out in 2004 exactly 20 years ago, I made the same raised beds in that same garden.  

He gardened and farmed, and I don’t know if he was happy, but I have happy memories, so I assume he was. I have very little doubt that the work was hard and so much more of my grandparents’ time was devoted to work. He worked on his farm and grew as much food as he could. There was a strong sense of community back then and a connection to the food, it was essential, that connection to food and community. It was a means of survival, they needed that food, and I imagine those first new season potatoes were appreciated back then in a way we cannot imagine today.


There is little doubt that the convenience of the modern-day food system is something that would have inspired awe in my grandparents, to them it would have been a miracle. But I wonder whether they would have enjoyed the food? The variety and diversity: yes, but how about the taste and the freshness? Would they have traded their fresh carrots for the supermarket wrapped chemically sprayed, not so fresh supermarket carrots? Maybe not.


But we have traded something fundamental, something very important for our convenient food system, something that is in danger of disappearing from our way of life here in Ireland for ever. Something that has swiftly been side lined to move with the modernisation of our food system.  
We have traded part of our heritage, and our love for food and our connection to the land for convenience, and in so doing we risk losing something very valuable.  
The race to the bottom, to the cheapest food possible at all costs has a very real price. Apart from what we pay at the automated tills (These machines would have sent my grandad running back to the fields). These costs loom large, the loss of our native growers here in Ireland, the degradation of the land by polluting our soil and rivers, and the destruction of biodiversity to maximise every inch of productive land. The short-term gain of cheap food today, will not be any good to us in even half a generations time.
I loved my grandad, and the turnip juice I used to drink from a tin cup on his knee in his kitchen.  My grandparents didn’t have much but they had healthy food that nourished them and the land they farmed.


Your support gives us the courage we need to continue, thank you.

Kenneth  

PS please support local organic farms this Christmas, our Christmas boxes are jam packed full of the best local Irish organic ingredients on offer from organic farms including ours across the country.  Get your order in now to ensure delivery on the 23rd of December.  

 Frozen Mulled Berry Pie

by Nessa Robins

If you are searching for a show-stopping dessert which can be made in advance and basically served straight from your freezer we have you covered. This pie is indulgent but also surprisingly light in texture. For the pie to be removed from the tin with ease, it’s best to use a springform/loose bottom tin. Also, take from the freezer about 20 minutes before serving and when cutting, use a large knife, which has been dipped in hot water and wiped dry, to help cut through the cake quickly and evenly. 

With a festive feel, thanks to the mulled berry topping, and wreath-like decorating, this pie would make for a welcome addition at any gathering this Christmas.

Enjoy!

Nessa 

Frozen Mulled Berry Pie

Ingredients

Base

  • 175g digestive biscuits
  • 75g butter, dairy or plant-based

Filling

  • 500ml cream, dairy or plant-based
  • 1 tin (397g) condensed milk, dairy or plant-based
  • 2tsp vanilla extract

Topping

  • 200g raspberries & blueberries
  • 50ml port
  • 25g caster sugar
  • ½ tsp cinnamon

To decorate

  • Reserved cream mixture
  • Raspberries, blueberries, rosemary sprigs

Method

1. In a food processor, blitz the biscuits until they’re like a fine dust. Gently melt the butter either in a pan or in the microwave and add to the crushed biscuits. 

2. Stir to combine and pour into a 17cm springform tin. Press it down firmly and evenly, and place in the fridge for about 30 minutes to chill.

3. To prepare the mulled berries, add the berries to a small saucepan with the port, caster sugar, and cinnamon, and set over a medium heat. Bring to the boil, turn down the heat and simmer for about five minutes, stirring regularly. Take from the heat and allow to cool completely before blitzing until smooth.  

4. In a large bowl, or using a mixer, whisk the cream until it is lightly whisked. Add the condensed milk and vanilla extract. Continue to whisk for a couple of minutes until combined and thick but be careful not to over whisk. Reserve a few tablespoons of the cream mixture into a piping bag with a large nozzle attached and place in the fridge.

5. Evenly spread the cream mixture over the biscuit base. Add dollops of the cooled, blitzed berry mixture and using a skewer gently swirl to combine. Reserve some of the berry mixture to serve on the side of the pie – it will keep well in the fridge for up to three days, or pop into a bag in the freezer and defrost when needed. 

6. Pipe the reserved cream mixture on outer layer of the pie, and top with a few raspberries, and blueberries.

7. Place in the freezer, uncovered for an hour, before loosely covering in cling film. Place in a freezer-proof container and return to the freezer for at least 4 hours, or until ready to serve. 

8. Take from the freezer about 20 minutes before serving, add some sprigs of rosemary, dust with icing sugar and enjoy!

Clean energy from our roof, and climate change…

by Kenneth Keavey

When it comes to growing food we need water, and not too much but certainly not too little, between May and September 2018 we had the direst summer ever. We had a water deficit here on our farm. We had parched ground that went down 18 inches, never in my lifetime or in my dad’s lifetime had we seen such a thing.

Our planet is burning, it seems like we are walking in an alternate universe, there is so little talk about the climate crisis, as today COP29 finishes. Three weeks ago, Spain was devastated by the worst flooding on record, did you see it? A year’s worth of rain fell in less than half a day in some regions, killing at least 205 people.

I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. We have seen Europe burn in two successive summers. The impact that this changing climate will have and is having on our food supply will be immense.

The science is clear, and it makes sense, warming oceans mean more water and energy in the air, hence bigger wind and more rain. Last year I remember swimming in the sea off Galway and the water was hot! Another once off. An unheard-of marine heatwave caused an increase of 5C in sea water temperature. These “once off” events are happening more often, the extremes are becoming normalised.

We are not immune here in Ireland either, thankfully we have been spared the worst, or maybe better to say we have been spared the extremes. But how about the relentless rain? I know there will be many who smile and say of course it rains this is Ireland, but this is on a whole new level. It started raining in June 2023 and it didn’t stop here until the end of August 2024. It prevented us getting into the fields to plant, It delayed harvest, it reduced yields, increased disease, it has had a very serious impact. July 2023 was the wettest July ever recorded here in Ireland, EVER!

Why is all of this change happening so fast? We all know the answer to this, we are putting too much greenhouse gases at too fast a rate into the atmosphere. Of course, there are natural variations in the climate but over the last 11700 years we have been blessed to live in a relatively stable climate. This is all on the cusp of changing, but why? Why must we destabilise a planetary system that has allowed us to prosper, to have such abundance like never before?

There is only one reason when clean energy solutions are staring us in the face: GREED. The fossil fuel companies are determined to keep us on this path of planetary overheating. 57 fossil fuel producers have been responsible for 80% of all global CO2 emissions. Of course we need energy, but we can change to clean energy, and we are.

There is such hope in renewable energy, we have these amazing natural resources that are clean and do not pour warming gases into an already overheated atmosphere, why wouldn’t we do it? What is the downside? There is none that I can see.

In 2018 with the help of a crowd funding campaign we got enough money together to install a 10KW solar panel array. Two years ago, we borrowed to increase this and finally with the aid of a grant from the Department of agriculture we installed a further 20KW array this week. I am so excited to have finally taken this step, which brings us one step closer to creating our energy here locally from the sun and becoming carbon neutral. There are so many sheds on farms all over Ireland, and there is good support from the government, if you are in agriculture, surely it is worth a look?

Producing our food locally and harvesting and being able to store it in fridges that are being run by the sun makes me feel very happy. What makes me feel even happier is that there are people like you who believe that taking these steps are critical to protecting our planet.

I can only say, at this time of great change in the world, you are needed now more than ever.

We can only ever take these steps because you support us.

Thank you.

Kenneth

Root Vegetable Gratin

by Nessa Robins

This Christmas, how about making vegetables the centrepiece of your Christmas feast? Better again, how about supporting Irish farmers by including lots of local vegetables, grown organically without the use of any pesticides? We’re kicking off our Christmas series of recipes today with a gorgeous root vegetable gratin. Hearty enough to sustain itself as a main, but it makes for a delicious and nutritious side too. This vegetable-ladened gratin is a rich source of fibre, vitamins, and minerals. The beetroot adds a beautiful pink hue to the finished dish, along with a burst of nutrients including iron, vitamin B6 and magnesium. If you would like to get-ahead for the big day, this gratin also freezes perfectly; simply take it from the oven before adding the cheese, allow to cool fully, before wrapping tightly and freezing in a freezer-proof dish. Then defrost in the fridge overnight the night before cooking, add a layer of cheese and bake for about 20 minutes or until fully cooked through.  

Enjoy!

Nessa x

Root Vegetable Gratin

Ingredients

  • 2 large potatoes
  • 1 large parsnip
  • 1 large beetroot
  • 2 carrots
  • 250ml hot vegetable stock
  • 200ml cream, plant-based or regular
  • Sprig of sage and rosemary, finely chopped
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 75g parmesan, or vegan alternative, grated

Method

  1. Pre-heat the oven to 200°C/ fan 180°C/gas mark 6.
  2. Wash, peel, and very thinly slice the vegetables. Rinse with water and pat dry with a paper towel. 
  3. Add to a large bowl with the stock, cream, sage, rosemary and some salt and pepper. Stir to combine.
  4. Transfer to a large casserole dish, and bake in the oven for 50 minutes, giving the mixture a stir a couple times during cooking.
  5. Add an even layer of the grated cheese to the gratin and return to the oven for 10-15 minutes until it is bubbling, cooked through and the cheese is bubbling. Serve and enjoy!

Carrot Fries with a Coriander & Lime Dip

by Nessa Robins

Once you make these carrot fries for the first time, they will soon become a part of your recipe repertoire as they are totally addictive and so easy-to-make. Of course, they are also bursting with goodness. Carrots are rich in beta carotene, which is converted into Vitamin A by the body. Vitamin A supports our immune system and vision, while promoting healthy skin, bones, and teeth. These carrot fries are scrumptious as a snack but are also perfect to serve as a side. The coriander dip serves perfectly with the fries, but if you’re not a fan of coriander, basil can be used in its place. 

Enjoy!

Nessa x

Carrot Fries with a Coriander & Lime Dip

Ingredients

  • 2 medium-sized carrots
  • 2tbsp olive oil
  • 2tbsp cornflour
  • 1tsp smoked paprika
  • ½ tsp onion granules
  • ½ tsp garlic powder
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper

For the dip

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 220°C/fan 200°C /Gas Mark 7, or the air fryer to 200°C.
  2. Prepare the carrots by peeling them and cutting into strips or batons.
  3. Add to a large bowl along with the olive oil, cornflour, smoked paprika, onion granules, and garlic powder. Season with a little salt and pepper. Toss to combine and fully coat the carrots. 
  4. Cook in the air fryer for 18- 20 minutes or the oven for 25-30 minutes, turning twice during cooking.
  5. While the carrots are cooking, make the dip by adding the ingredients to a high-powered processor and blitz for a few seconds until smooth. Refrigerate until needed. 
  6. Serve the carrots while hot with the dip on the side. Enjoy!

I was never going to be a Franciscan monk…

by Kenneth Keavey

I must have been 13 years old when I started working as a helper gardener with the Franciscan monastery in Corrandulla, and no this was not to be my path! It was purely a means to an end for a young lad and to be fair I had an interest in working outdoors and with plants.

The monastery had glass houses and a walled garden, it was amazing and unheard of back then in the mid 80’s. There were tomato plants in those glass houses. I cannot tell you how unbelievable it was to see tomatoes growing in Galway back then. One job I remember in particular was using a knapsack sprayer for the first time. This is a sprayer that you put on your back. The head Gardener filled up the sprayer and I was given the job of spraying the tomatoes, I was told the spray was for the plants and that was it, and off I went to do my job.

The tomatoes were doing really well, so I sprayed the plants thinking I was doing some good. The day finished and I remember it was a Friday, and I went home. On my return to work on Monday I was greeted with a less than happy monk, the plants were all dying, I guess he added the wrong chemical to the mix, it was quite probable it was Roundup. Since Roundup’s introduction in 1974, weeds have out paced the ability of chemicals to control their presence. Superweeds are now well documented such as Palmer amaranth. The chemical company’s response has been to increase the application rate of the said chemical or/and merge two herbicides such as Glyphosate and Dicamba, the second of which is now banned again.

These increased toxic cocktails are not a step in the right direction.

The entomologist Robert van den Bosch coined the term “pesticide treadmill,” a concept referring to the slow escalation in the potency of the chemicals needed to control pests and maintain crop yield. The challenge of course though is in a world now reliant more and more on GMO seeds and heavy doses of one single herbicide, how do farmers in this system produce food when it fails as it is now.

There are different possibilities, but there is little doubt that the years of cheap commodity crops being raised to feed animals may be coming to an end.

The number one reason that organic food is more expensive than conventional food is the labour required to manage weeds. Spraying a field with a chemical is easy and cheap. Having said all of that the potential benefits of moving away from chemical agriculture towards a more holistic approach to food, can be financially viable. The costs associated with less sickness, increased biodiversity, less pollution, clean water, clean soil and healthier food; these hidden costs of the impact of our current approach to agriculture could then be redistributed fairly to farmers to protect our amazing planet. Like the tomatoes in the green house, it was as I know today completely possible to grow these phenomenal plants without any synthetic chemicals whatsoever.

As always thanks for your support.

Kenneth

Green Vegan Mac & Cheese 

by Nessa Robins

As the evenings are getting darker and a little colder, comforting dinners, such as this delicious green vegan mac & cheese, are perfect for tucking into. The addition of romanesco to this pasta dish adds extra flavour, texture, and colour, as well as lots of nutrient. It is part of the brassica family of vegetables and tastes like a cross between broccoli and cauliflower. This stunning vegetable is grown on the farm, so nutritionally it benefits greatly from the best of soil. It is rich in fibre, calcium, and iron, and also a good source of vitamins, such as A, C and K. This dish only takes minutes to prepare and is best served with a simply green salad and chunks of crusty bread. 

Enjoy!

Nessa x

Green Vegan Mac & Cheese

Ingredients

Method

  1. Place the cashew nuts in a heat-proof bowl. Cover with boiling water and leave to soak for 15 minutes. 
  2. In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook the macaroni according to the pack’s instructions. Add the romanesco to the pot for the last 3 minutes of cooking time. Drain the pot, reserving 175ml of the cooking water.
  3. Drain the cashews and add to a processor, with the juice of one lemon, nutritional yeast, Dijon mustard, turmeric, the reserved pasta water and a little salt and pepper. Blend until combined.
  4. In a large casserole dish, combine the drained macaroni and romanesco with the sauce. Top with the vegan cheese and place under the grill for 5 minutes until golden brown. Serve straight away. Enjoy!

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.