Is there a link between gluten intolerance and glyphosate?

by Kenneth Keavey

It has been a bright few days and we are thankful for that.  We have ploughed the land and done our first pass tilling. We have our tunnels ready and, in a week, or so we will be filling them with the first amazing crops of spring, the season is in full flow now.

I saw my first bumble bee, or bee of any kind today, and this morning the buzzards that live in the local forest were being chased away from our fresh ploughing by some agitated seagulls.

The first buds on the hawthorn are opening up and are soon to be bursting into life. The first dandelions and daisies have miraculously appeared, and it is hard to know from one day to the next where they came from, they just suddenly appear.

This is nature, and it has its own ebb and flow and intelligence.

Then we come along with our harsh chemicals and try to exert control and power over these natural processes. Chemistry has its place but in the fields with our food and biodiversity is certainly not the place.

I certainly could not fill a tractor sprayer and go out into the fields and unleash these harsh chemicals. Roundup or glyphosate is still the first step for clearing fields, the extension of it’s licence in 2023 by the EU for a further 10 years was a lost opportunity, the reality is if that licence had been rescinded, by now farmers would have adapted to this new landscape and found alternative methods.

In the UK they have seen the first weed resistant to glyphosate and it is only a matter of time before nature adjusts and changes as it always does to render this chemical useless.

It may be a little more than a coincidence, but there have been some correlations drawn between the increased Glyphosate application: it has gone up by 1400% since the early 1990s, and last year alone $10.5 billion was sold and sprayed on our planet and the incidence of chronic disease.   

The above graph shows the correlation between increased glyphosate application and increased incidence of coeliac disease. I am sure there is other factors at play here too, but at the same time this patented antibiotic is in our food and does disrupt our intestinal microbiome, so for sure it certainly is not doing us any good and should be avoided if possible.

The best way to avoid this probably carcinogen chemical, is to choose organic where possible.

There certainly will never be synthetic chemicals like this used on our farm or on any of the organic food we grow or supply. It’s back to the fields now, and the ploughing, tilling and planting!

as always thank you for your support.

Kenneth

1 of 60 growers

by Kenneth Keavey

As organic vegetable growers we are lucky in some respects, after 19 years we are still growing. So many stop or have no choice but to get out of the industry. I was advised once that you can’t make any money from growing vegetables commercially, and it is certainly challenging and has been more so over the last ten years than ever before.

But this seems wrong to me. We never started for the money, nut any business needs to be profitable to survive, to reinvest in the business in the people in the land and more Over the last number of years, we find ourselves subsidising our farm from our business. We are lucky we sell directly to you our customers that allows us some reprieve and a bit of flexibility. Something you would never get with supermarkets.

But there may be change afoot. And two amazing things struck me this week.

1. Finally, I think, supermarkets are starting to realise at least in a small way that they need growers. You would have thought that this realisation would not be a new Eureka moment! When was it ever otherwise? Where do you think the food will comes from when/if we all stop growing? After 3 decades of playing one grower against another and effectively dismantling any resilience in the vegetable growing sector in Ireland, the penny is starting to drop that the situation is perilous.

But all of the talk in the world is pointless without supporting the talk with clear action and fair prices. Farmers don’t want to have to rely on grant aid to survive, who wants that? Imagine a food system where farmers don’t have to rely on grant aid, where fresh food is celebrated for the amazing nutrition it supplies, and as a fulcrum for protecting and enhancing biodiversity. Isn’t that the way it should be? What could be more important that having a vibrant resilient food system? Or to put it another way, what happens when our food system collapses, and we have empty supermarket shelves? What then?

Cheap imports that are becoming less cheap and scarcer, are reliant on a labour system that is not transparent and is less than fair. Exploitation of vulnerable workers is rife and underpins much of the cheap produce on supermarket shelves. That and a reliance on pesticide applications which damage our health and biodiversity.

2. The other amazing thing that is happening is young people are really fired up about growing food and in particular growing vegetables sustainably. These are the next generation of growers who want to protect biodiversity and stop using chemicals and grow food locally. Isn’t that amazing and wonderful and don’t people who want to do this deserve to get paid fairly for their efforts? They only can if the price of food increase.Just recently we have had several applications for the amazing OGI internship on our farm we hope to decide on a candidate next week.

So maybe there is a chance to reverse erosion of our vegetable growing industry and the fact that there are only 60 commercial vegetable growers left in the country, and we are one of them.

All of this has left me feeling hopeful for this season ahead, more than I have been in a while. So now we need to get muck on our boots and get on with the growing season and that we will do with your support, as always, thank you.

Kenneth

Butternut Squash & Chickpea Salad

by Nessa Robins

There are so many studies confirming the positive effect eating a diet rich in fruit and vegetables can have for our health. Whether we’re concerned with issues regarding our gut or even if we’re trying to ward off illnesses, how we fuel our bodies will always be something important we need to consider. 

This Butternut Squash & Chickpea Salad is a delicious way to serve a variety of plants in one serving. I prefer to eat this dish warm, but it also serves well cold, making it a nutritious lunch to make-ahead of time. 

Enjoy!

Nessa x

Butternut Squash & Chickpea Salad

Ingredients

  • 1 butternut squash, peeled and diced into bitesize pieces
  • 1 tin chickpeas, drained, rinsed and patted dry
  • 2tbsp olive oil
  • 1tsp smoked paprika
  • 1tsp ground cumin
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 100g quinoa
  • 300ml vegetable stock
  • 200g broccoli, cut into florets
  • 100g rocket and/or spinach

For the dressing

  • 100g natural, smooth peanut butter
  • 50ml water, recently boiled
  • Juice of 1 lime
  • 1 clove garlic, crushed
  • 1tbsp light soy sauce
  • 1tbsp maple syrup
  • 1tsp sesame oil

To serve

  • 1tbsp sesame seeds
  • Coriander leaves

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/fan 180°C /Gas Mark 6.

2. Place the butternut squash and chickpeas into a large roasting tray. Drizzle over the olive oil, and add the smoked paprika, cumin and a little salt and pepper. Cook in the preheated oven for about 40 minutes, stirring regularly as they cook. 

3. Prepare the quinoa according to the pack’s instructions, by adding the hot stock and quinoa to a small saucepan, cover with a lid and place on a low heat for about 20 minutes. 

4. In the meantime, lightly steam the broccoli for 2- 3 minutes, and set to one side.

5. Make the dressing by adding the dressing ingredients to a mini chopper and blitzing gently for a few seconds to combine.

6. To serve, place a layer of rocket and spinach on a large platter, or divide between four bowls, top with the cooked quinoa, the roasted squash and chickpeas, and the steamed broccoli. Sprinkle over the sesame seeds and some coriander leaves. Drizzle over the peanut dressing and enjoy!

Christmas Trifle

by Nessa Robins

A big bowlful of trifle has always been synonymise with Christmas. It looks so impressive, yet isn’t time-consuming to make. The spiced berry chia jam is filled with festive flavours, and can be prepared with fresh or frozen berries – if you happen to have a stash saved in the freezer. The base and custard layer of this trifle can be prepared and assembled the day before it’s needed, so on the big day it will only take minutes to add the cream and a few toppings. If you haven’t a large trifle bowl to hand, the mixture can easily be divided into individual serving bowls, or even glasses.

Enjoy!

Happy Christmas. 

Nessa x

Christmas Trifle

Ingredients

Serves 8

Spiced Berry Chia Jam

  • 500g raspberries & strawberries, fresh or frozen
  • 2tbsp water
  • 2tbsp honey
  • ¼ tsp cinnamon
  • Pinch of nutmeg
  • 2tbsp chia seeds
  • Zest of 1 orange 

Trifle Layers

  • 350g Madeira cake, homemade or shop-bought, thinly sliced
  • 250g fresh raspberries & strawberries, sliced or cut in half
  • 500ml good quality vanilla custard
  • 500ml cream, lightly whipped

Toppings

  • 50g hazelnuts, chopped
  • Zest of ½ orange 

Method

  1. To prepare the chia jam, place the berries, water, honey, cinnamon and nutmeg into a medium-sized saucepan, and place over a medium heat. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes, mashing the fruit intermittently. Remove from the heat and stir through the chia seeds and orange zest. Allow to cool fully before making the trifle.
  2. To assemble the trifle, place a layer of the cooled chia jam on the base of the trifle bowl. Top with the thin slices of Madeira cake. Add some more of the jam and continue layering the cake and berries until all have been used up. 
  3. Top with a layer of fresh berries, before adding an even layer of custard, if not serving immediately the trifle can now be refrigerated for up to 24 hours.
  4. Before serving, add the layer of whipped cream and sprinkle the hazelnuts and orange zest around the edges. Serve and enjoy!

Vegetable Wellington

by Nessa Robins

If you are looking for a show-stopping main, packed with Irish vegetables, we’ve got you covered. This Vegetable Wellington not only looks the part at a Christmas feast, it tastes scrumptious too. It can even be prepared in advance of the big day and popped into the freezer, only to defrost in the fridge the night before. Serve it alongside all the trimmings and lashings of gravy.

Enjoy!

Nessa x

Vegetable Wellington

Ingredients

2 rolls of puff pastry, taken from the fridge 20 minutes before using

225g mushrooms

1 carrot

1 stick celery

1 onion

1tbsp olive oil

100ml red wine

1tbsp soy sauce

1tbsp tomato puree

1tbsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped

1tbsp fresh sage, finely chopped

1 tin lentils, drained

180g cooked chestnuts, finely blitzed

Salt and freshly ground pepper

1tbsp milk, dairy or plant-based

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/fan 180°C /Gas Mark 6.
  2. Add the mushrooms, carrot, celery and onion to a processor and blitz for a few seconds until finely chopped.
  3. Add the oil to a large pan, over a medium heat. Once hot, add the vegetables and cook for about ten minutes, stirring regularly.
  4. Next, add the wine, soy sauce, tomato puree and herbs. Stir to combine. Add the lentils and blitzed chestnuts. Season with a little salt and pepper. Simmer on low for another 10 minutes, stirring regularly. Take from the heat and allow to cool a little.
  5. Place one sheet of puff pastry on a greaseproof-lined baking tray. Evenly, add the cooked mixture to the centre of the pastry, leaving a few centimetres all around the mixture. Place the other sheet of pastry on top and using your hands, mould the pastry around the filling.
  6. Cut away any excess pastry – this can be used to make festive shapes to place on top. Secure the edges with a fork, score a criss-cross pattern across the top using the tip of a sharp knife. Brush with a little milk, and place in the preheated oven for 20 minutes.
  7. Slice and serve immediately with all the trimmings. Enjoy!

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!

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 won a national organic award!

by Kenneth Keavey

You have heard the story about the frog in the pot of boiling water? He didn’t even notice, did he? and then it was too late, well it seems at least for now we are not that frog.

Minister of State, Pippa Hackett, Jim O’Toole, CEO Bord Bia and Kenneth Keavey, Green Earth Organics withat Bord Bia’s National Organic Awards which took place today at an awards ceremony this morning in the Bord Bia Global Hub, Dublin. Green Earth Organics was announced as the winner of the Direct to Consumer Excellence Award. For more information visit bordbia.ie

There are few wins in agriculture, it is a tough job, and retail as a small business selling fresh produce, is probably just about as challenging as it gets. But last week we won, and we won on the national level, making us one of only seven companies to receive a national organic award and we are delighted, over the moon in fact. It was amazing to receive the recognition that we are indeed getting some bits right.

It is only through the sheer determination, hard work and dedication of the people that work and support Green Earth Organics that we were able to come top of our category and receive such a prestigious accolade. To be in the same room with some of the big powerhouses of retail and agriculture such as Flahavans and Dunnes Stores and to come away with an award for best in category “Direct to Consumer” was overwhelming. It was a double win. Coming off the back of the two worst growing years in at least our 18-year history, and a retail environment where it is next to impossible to compete and succeed with the backdrop that the supermarkets paint, that we won. It is encouragement that couldn’t have come at a better time. I will forego modesty for this moment, it was an amazing achievement, and one that we are proud of and will relish. It is rare to know that you are not the frog in the boiling water, you know the story.

The awards showed us that we are not that frog. There have been plenty of times in the last 24 months, were we certainly felt like the water was heating, the increased costs of doing business and farming, the ravaging of our climate through man made emissions that is exacerbating our ability to grow crops. The difficulty in competing in a landscape where fresh produce is devalued and used as loss leaders. Throw into the mix six months of other challenges of our own making a new IT system that very nearly broke us, and you have the perfect storm.

For all of that, we have never been more committed to our mission of creating a more sustainable food system, one that respects biodiversity through the elimination of the use of chemicals and through the production of local food, to reduce our contribution to man-made climate breakdown.

It is through your support that we get to do this to stand up for the values: to protect our planet, and our land, and biodiversity, and to reduce plastic pollution and to ensure our food is free from chemicals.

As Margret Meade stated you are those citizens.“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed, citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”

Kenneth

Why are all the Irish vegetable farmers disappearing?

by Kenneth Keavey

I remember distinctly our first year of growing, which was 20 years ago, it was before we officially started our business, it was my first year back in Ireland after spending 11 years in the UK, it was on a small vegetable patch in my grandads back garden, it was amazingly rewarding and to get food at the end of it was a bonus.

We have been growing organic vegetables here on our farm in Galway for nearly 20 years.

We have seen many changes over that time, but something that has never changed has been our commitment to sustainable local food. We are Irish and grow Irish and support Irish and always have since we started delivering our first boxes in 2004.

Something that has changed since then is the price that the supermarket pays for and charges for fresh produce in the supermarket, which has decreased. Since 2007 the average price paid for 1kg of fresh vegetables has decreased from €1.87/kg in December 2007 to €1.46 in August 2020. This represents a 21% decrease in price paid for fresh produce over 13 years when everything else has been going up.

Back in 2007 the minimum wage was €8.65, that has since risen to €13.50 in 2025, representing a 56% increase in the cost of labour alone. This is one cost of many that has increased, fertiliser, energy, packaging, general farm inputs have all increased dramatically over that time, and yet the retailers have consistently and unrelentingly driven down the price paid for produce.

It is also a fallacy to state that the retailer takes the hit on the price promotions in stores, there and it is the added impact of driving down the price a farmer can get for his or her produce elsewhere.

There is a glimmer of change driven by consumer demand for Irish produce, where Irish producers can now demand a little more for what they are producing. The reality when you walk into any of these large supermarket stores is that they are promoting supporting Irish when mostly the produce is imported, have a look at our video or check it out for yourself when you are next in a supermarket.

The pressure and race to the bottom have driven a lot of good growers out of business, and now as the supermarkets feel the pressure from the consumer and sense the marketing opportunities to show themselves as the saviour of the industry, they are promoting with all their vigour the support for the Irish vegetable farmer.

It’s the sad reality that after 20 years of hollowing out the industry they now want to turn the other cheek, but only ever so slightly, not too much, and not enough in many cases. Any increase in price paid must still be fought for tooth and nail, and after years of devaluing the produce it looks like a very poor effort indeed.

But any change in mindset is being driven by one thing and that is completely down to you,

you the consumer demanding more local Irish produce.

We have growers all over the country of Ireland, from Joe Kelly in Mayo, To Padraigh Fahy and Una Ni Bhroin in Beechlawn in Galway, to Enda Hoban and Orla Burke in Galway, Audrey and Mick in Millhouse organic farm, Cameron in Battlemountain organic farm, Philip in Coolnagrower organic farm in Offally, Richard Galvin with his Irish organic apples in Waterford. Banner berries with their amazing blueberries in Clare, Donnelly with his organic cherries in Dublin, then there is Garynahinch mushrooms, McArdles mushrooms, and leeks from Roy Lyttle in Antrim, plus Joachim and Jeanette in Galway also. And of course, our own amazing organic farm where Emmanuel and his team grow a whole range of fresh Irish organic produce. All of these growers are Irish, all are organic, and all are committed to growing sustainable produce. With your support we get to bypass the juggernaut of the supermarket buying machine, and all the damage it leaves in its wake, and we get to support ourselves and all these amazing other growers, but only and very much because of your support.

Thank you.

Kenneth