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Archive for Edible Skibbereen

3 bays skibbereen community orchard

A 3-bay composting system for the Community Orchard

Posted by Sustainable Skibbereen 
· November 20, 2019 

The volunteers at the community orchard have been busy building a 3-bay composting system for the gardens there. This system handles a lot of garden waste and is a good way to produce your own compost. Fresh cuttings and garden waste are added to the first bay and as they rot down they are turned and moved into the next bay until finally the rotted compost is ready in the last bay for use in the garden.

The community orchard plans to host a composting workshop over the winter at the orchard so keep an eye out for details.

3 bays skibbereen community orchard

3 bay composting at Skibbereen community orchard

 

Composting is good- info here from One Green Planet

1. Composting reduces landfill waste and incineration, and therefore emissions.

Modern waste management methods are environmental tragedies. Waste lies stagnant in landfill sites where the vital oxygen that is needed to facilitate the decaying process cannot reach it. Landfill material also releases greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change: methane gas escapes during the building process. Incineration leaves some toxic ash waste, and the burning process releases a vast amount of carbon dioxide into our precious atmosphere.

2. Composting reduces dependence on fossil fuels.

Most people buy compost for their own potting needs, however in the words of expert composter John Cossham, ‘Home compost is always superior.’ Commercial methods of composting require the use of oil-reliant machinery and a sped-up method of oxidising organic matter at a high heat to get it to break down quickly. No fungal decomposition is involved in this process. Through the slower and more traditional method of composting at home, there is more assurance that everything has been well-broken down by the fungi and bacteria.

3. Composting is good for the land.

Everything you compost at home becomes a thriving habitat and nutritious fodder for an entire population of bacteria, bugs, worms, fungi and creepy crawlies, and what they leave behind becomes nourishing fodder for you plants. The amount of methane emitted through a well-managed compost heap at home? ZERO.

Composting is nature’s way of recycling, found in ancient woodlands and other natural soils across the world. It uses a natural process that still occurs worldwide to produce rich degraded organic matter, also known as humus. This humus provides channels for air and moisture to get into the soil and other gases to get out, eg respiration gases from fungi and insects. Soils with organic matter in them allow mycorrhiza fungi to form a network between different plants in order to facilitate nutrient exchange, and perhaps even communication exchange — but that’s another topic altogether.

Composting is the active breakdown of foods and other materials through an organic process. The ‘waste’ matter becomes as rich as the nutrients you put into it, and compost made from a variety of ‘waste’ materials usually harbours vital micronutrients. You can test this theory by conducting the following experiment. Pot one plant into garden soil and another plant into garden soil mixed with compost. The outcome? The plant in the partial-compost will grow visibly larger than the purely soil-based one.

4. Composting Helps You to Embrace the Natural Cycle of Life and Decay.

Environmentalism is at times heavily focused on the idea of ‘waste,’ because it is such a key issue to the health of the planet. However, ‘waste’ is a human concept and also a human problem. In nature there is no waste, as every living thing serves a greater purpose than its own lifespan, and contributes to the growth of something else. It’s easy to forget this crucial fact, but when you delve into composting your own ‘waste’ you learn to appreciate the cycle of life which involves decay and new growth in equal measure, and you come to understand that everything has a place in the world.

5. You Can Compost Anything that has Lived or Grown Recently

San Francisco is a city that aims for its citizens to live within their means when it comes to ‘waste’ production. In addition to its high recycling rates, the city can also fine citizens found guilty of throwing food in the rubbish bin. This ordinance was introduced with the understanding that landfill-bound waste could be reduced by up to thirty per cent through instigating composting. However, this figure is dependent on the wide-spread idea – and myth – that many types of waste, including certain types of food, cannot be composted, which is simply not true. In fact, you can compost anything that has lived or grown recently. You can compost anything that hadn’t fossilised, as well as types of latex rubber such as marigold gloves, hot water bottles, and latex condoms. There is endless and conflicting advice regarding which materials should not be composted, but evidence behind the suggested reasons is only theory-based, unclear, or murky at best. Cooked foods are said to attract rats, however this can be avoided by digging the compost bin into the ground, ensuring that it has a well-fitted lid, and- if rats really are a problem- burying food waste under a thin layer of the compost that is already in the bin. Many items of decaying food apparently smell bad when they decay, however this can also be remedied, as compost that smells requires more dry materials, e.g. paper, card or twigs.

Composting requires very little work and resources and it has a huge positive impact on the environment. It creates excellent new resources, and in my experience it can encourage even the most stubborn anti-green individual to take part in making a difference. And that’s why it’s the greenest thing you can do for our planet.

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Bicycle Buffet Friday 13th Sept

Posted by Sustainable Skibbereen 
· August 30, 2019 

The Sustainable Skibbereen Bicycle Buffet will provide cyclists with a wonderful journey around Skibbereen while enjoying four sumptious courses of beautfully prepared local ingredients.  One of the few events in the festival that leaves you fitter as well as well fed!

How it works:  On arrival, enjoy a ‘mocktail’ made from incredible local edibles. Then mount your bicycle* and ride to two mystery locations where pop up food vendors will supply delicious food using the finest local ingredients and incredible edible produce. Then take a leisurely cycle back to a mystery destination no 3 for an incredibly edible dessert!

Buy your tickets below.

Meet at Chapel Quay, North St. Skibbereen (by the civil defense building/library) 5.00pm Friday 13th Sept.

Parking is available opposite the cathedral

Part of the Taste of West Cork Food Festival 2019!

Only €25

*Some bicycles available for loan. Email us to book.

Fill out my online form.

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Seed Bomb Workshop

Posted by Sustainable Skibbereen 
· May 20, 2019 

@ St Patricks National School, Skibbereen. Wed 22nd May 2019 7pm

 

 

From From Gardenista.com
“Seed bombs are the main weapon guerrilla gardeners can use to spread flowers in bare spots, creating pockets of beauty and habitats for pollinators. Gardening without permission is another way of describing these activities: not strictly legal but filed away by the authorities under the category of “What’s not to like.” Alex Mitchell in her book The Rurbanite shows us how to make seed bombs, using guerrilla tactics to spread cheer.

“Seed bombs are best, and the most fun, when thrown into neglected roundabouts, central reservations, flower beds, and planters,” says Mitchell.

Many guerrilla gardeners arm themselves with trowels and work nocturnally. But with seed bombs it is possible to make a difference without that considerable commitment; lob a bomb from a bicycle, a car window, or when passing on foot.

Seed bombing is best done in spring and autumn, says Alex Mitchell. Or, time your attack to coincide with heavy rainfall.

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Starters to Cycle for at the Bicycle Buffet 2018

Posted by Sustainable Skibbereen 
· September 14, 2018 

The amazing Alex discussed the salad dressings on his world class starters at this years Bicycle Buffet. A Taste of West Cork’s best event.

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School Veg for Bicycle Buffet

Posted by Sustainable Skibbereen 
· September 13, 2018 

St Patrick’s BNS comes up with the goods again.  A fantastic tray of spuds, herbs and salads were grown by pupils at the school and the boxes in the picture above were donated to the Bicycle Buffet 2018.

 

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Skibbereen Community Hospital Veg

Posted by Sustainable Skibbereen 
· September 12, 2018 

Another donation of veg for the Incredible Edible Bicycle Buffet from Andrew and the gang at the Community Hospital.   Veg is grown as a therapeutic activity and as a great thing to eat!  Enjoy your does of veg therapy and exercise on Thursday’s Bike Buffet.   Tickets at link 

 

 

 

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Glebe Gardens veg for Bicycle Buffet

Posted by Sustainable Skibbereen 
· September 12, 2018 

Thanks again to Jean Perry at the Glebe Garden Cafe in Baltimore for another annual donation of fresh veg for this years Incredible Edible Bicycle Buffet.   Chard, tomatoes, cucumbers and more will be prepared by (secret location No 2)  restaurant tomorrow as the main course  on the fantastic buffet.   A few tickets still available  

Picture above shows more veg arriving at a secret destination, with some locally grown vegetables on the right.

 

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Our Farms Our Food Our Future

Posted by Sustainable Skibbereen 
· September 3, 2018 

Book now for a great line up speakers at the Town Hall Skibbereen on Saturday 8th September as part of the TOWC Food Festival.  Details in the TOWC programme, at Eventbrite and below  in the article in the SS.

Tickets here

DESCRIPTION

This forum is being organised by nutritional therapist Majella O’Neill and organic farmer and seed saver Madeline McKeever. As a result of their research they are committed to highlighting the vital connection between how we grow and produce our food and our health and well-being. Chronic diseases such as obesity, infertility, diabetes and mental illnesses, have increased in recent years. At the same time soil quality, animal health, and wildlife biodiversity are in decline. Research from the APC Microbiome UCC and others are pointing to the link between microbes and soil, plant, animal and human health. There is growing evidence that these are damaged by chemicals used in modern farming. To elucidate these issues, and to highlight them, they has brought together this international panel of experts. They hope the final discussion will find ways forward for West Cork Farmers to grow food that will truly nourish people. This forum is for farmers, health professionals and all who have an interest in food, health and wellbeing.

Speakers:-

– Professor Giles Eric Séralini, Professor of molecular biology at the University of Caen,

Researcher, teacher, Author of books on environmental pollution, GMOs, and detoxication (8 books and more than 100scientific papers or publications). -.He was expert for the French government and the European commission on GMOs, president. President of the scientific council for independent research on genetic engineering (1999-2016)(www.criigen.org).

– Jérôme DOUZELET , Chef

Co-author with Gilles-Eric Séralini of two books « Cooked pleasures or hidden poisons, », translated in English under the title “The Great Health Scam” , and “Le goût des pesticides dans le vin” “The taste of pesticides in wines” published also as a research paper (see www.seralini.fr). He is the first expert in tasting and discovering the differential tastes of synthetic pesticides in water at levels present in wines. He cooks essentially natural, fresh,organic and esthetic meals of high quality. The quality of his products is highly controlled as well as their origin, and is commited to avoiding GMOs and pesticides in the food he serves .

– Ib Pedersen

Danish Pig Farmer and Researcher who carried out studies on his farm to limit incidence of disease and fertility issues in his stock by removing GM soya from the feed. As a result of his finding the Danish Department of Agriculture have commissioned studies through Aarhus University,

– Darina Allen… Chef

Owner of Ballymaloe cookery school, columnist, author and TV presenter. A tireless ambassador for Irish food and farmer’s markets. She holds many positions in food organisations such as the East Cork Slow Food convivium, the Taste Council of Bord Bia, the Artisan Food Forum of the Food Safety Authority of Ireland. and a patron of Irish Seed Savers. Member of Euro-Toques (European Association of Chefs) and Guild of Foodwriters.

– Dr Fiona Crispie

Researcher with Dr Paul Cotter, Teagasc Food Research Centre Moorepark. Her research interests include the microbiology of food and the human/animal gut and its role in health and disease in humans and animals. She has a PHD in molecular biology

From the Southern Star 

WORLD experts will outline the established link between our health and what we eat, as part of next month’s A Taste of West Cork Food Festival.  A day-long forum called ‘Our Farms, Our Food, Our Future’ takes place in the Town Hall, Skibbereen on Saturday September 8th from 10.30am to 6.30pm.

Nutritional therapist Majella O’Neill and organic farmer Madeline McKeever are organising the forum which will be of interest to farmers, food producers, chefs, health professionals and anyone interested in exploring food and health. Majella and Madeline are committed to highlighting the vital connection between food choices, how we grow and produce food and our health and well-being.

Majella said: ‘We hope this discussion will find ways forward for Irish farmers and food producers to lead the way on the world stage toward a more sustainable health promoting model of food production that will truly nourish us into the future.’

She added: ‘Here in Ireland we have a culture of relatively small diverse holdings and a growing lucrative artisan food industry incorporating many health promoting principals. Ireland’s farming and food industry is perfectly poised to lead the way on the world food stage, and capiatalise on a growing consumer sentiment by embracing food production standards  that give real, dependable assurances to consumers as to the quality and health benefits of our food products.’

Speakers include Professor Giles Eric Seralini Seralini, professor of molecular Biology, Caen University, France and author and researcher on effects of pesticide and GMO; Dr Fiona Crispie, technologist, Teagasc and Dr Laura Boyle, animal scientist with Teagasc.

Jérome Douzelet, hotel and restaurant owner in the South of France, who cooks organic meals and knows how to detoxify chemicals in food through particular culinary methods and use of detoxifying ingredients will also address the forum along with tireless campaigner Darina Allen, chef and co-owner of Ballymaloe Cookery School.

Ib Pedersen, a pig farmer who discovered when he stopped feeding genetically modified soya to his pigs that there were immediate improvements in their health and fertility, and who is now working with the Danish Department of Agriculture to combat the use of pesticides in food crops, completes the impressive line-up.

• Tickets for the event cost €25  and are available from eventbrite.ie

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Bicycle Buffet 2018

Posted by Sustainable Skibbereen 
· August 31, 2018 

Don’t miss the 2018 Bicycle Buffet  – tickets here . Pictures also here of the fantastic Bicycle Buffet 2017.

 

Categories :

Mary Clear Visits Incredible Edible

Posted by Sustainable Skibbereen 
· July 28, 2018 

Recently 4 of us went over the water to visit the West Cork Garden Trail.  We saw and heard from remarkable people doing lovely things.  It cannot be denied we fell a little in love with the emerald isle. I got the chairperson perks of cutting a giant ribbons for the local school Geodome project.
Mary cuts ribbon at St. Patrick’s  Boys’ National School Skibbereen
In all these years I have not seen such a well thought out garden project. Not only was it functional, beautiful but very much sustainable, relying on the enthusiasm and energy of the local community. If you want to take a look at what they are doing, how much they spent and how they intend to proceed into the future? we have it all. We have been given all the relevant documents and will keep them as a resource on our site. The school would love to hear from you.

St. Patrick’s Boys’ National School Skibbereen

Official Opening of Garden & Geodome 10th September 2016

Origins of Our Garden
The staff of St. Patrick’s B.N.S. started a discussion less than a year ago about how to further develop the area of ground behind the school. The original idea was to build a number of raised beds into the slope. From this starting point, the idea of a school garden evolved and bloomed. Teacher Brian Granaghan has designed an exciting and multi-faceted garden which we are so proud to share with the public today.
Work Begins
On February 26th 2016, work began on our garden. Local gardening expert Mark Lee carried out the initial work to develop the garden layout. Since that date, we are amazed at the progress which has been made thanks to staff, children, parents and the wider community. Key Elements of our Garden

Geodome – we believe we are the first primary school in the country with its own geodome. Our geodome enables us to grow fruit and vegetables all year round. It allows us to experiment with exotic plants: we are growing pineapple, banana, tea, avocado and many more. We have our Venus Fly Traps and even our own mini paddy field for growing rice. It provides fantastic educational opportunities and introduces the children to a wide range of possibilities for planting and growing, cooking and eating. The geodome, circular in nature, has a teaching area in the centre and has raised beds circling the interior of the dome for planting and growing.  Raised Beds – we have 10 raised beds – one for each class. Each class gets to grow something different so that by the end of their time in St. Patrick’s, each child will have grown a variety of plants and vegetables.

Sensory Garden – Our Sensory Garden has a Sensory Path which leads from one end of the garden to the other. It is divided into a number of different sections, each with a different surface e.g. bark mulch, gravel, stone, logs etc. We also have a Zen Garden where we can rake and play with the sand. On either side of our sensory path are our planting areas where we can grow various plants, shrubs and crops.

Willow Dome & Tunnel – The boys from 3rd & 4th class, under the guidance of Lucy Bell, built our willow tunnel and dome. Over the next year and a half this will grow to give us an enjoyable and fun place to play and learn.
Amphitheatre – We have built an amphitheatre which will act as an outdoor classroom. All we need now is some good weather!!!
*Wild Trai*l – We have made a simple wild trail behind our prefabs where we can observe wild flowers and grass as well as insects and small creatures
Insect Hotel – we have built a simple insect hotel out of pallets. We have filled each tier with a different material for bugs to use to make their homes. It’s ideal for classes to visit to see little creatures up close.
Woodland Area – we are lucky to have a small area with mature trees. We have put some bird houses in here and it is a beautiful sheltered area within the garden.
What Comes Next??
Wormery & Composting Areas – we will be building a wormery and composting area so that we can make our own compost for growing.
Orchard – we plan to plant an orchard this year so that we can grow our own apples, pears and other fruit.
Native Hedging – we plan to plant a number of different varieties of native hedging along the perimeter fence at the back of our school.
Mini-Forest – we will plant a number of trees close together to make a mini forest.
*Herb Wheel*–we will build a herb wheel so that we can grow a variety of herbs.
Water Feature – we want to introduce a water feature to our garden.

 

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