The Week 10 pricelist is out (see sidebar left!)

Note that we have New seed potatoes (Collen, Orla) this week. Also new Red Plums, Pears Red Bartlet, Wheatgrass trays and Limes. Please send your veg & fruit order by 12 noon on Monday. Specify exact amount pc or kg to avoid mistakes.
Don’t forget to order your extra lemons and eggs for Pancake Tuesday

Nuachtlitir 1 Iuil 2010               Plásóg na bhFeá, Béal Atha na Slua

LÁR AN TSAMHRAIDH In the busiest months of the growing year the challenge was to get our winter plants into the ground by the end of June while keeping on top of the weeds growing around the main crops. At the moment we are harvesting French beans, courgette, scallions, lettuce, mixed salad leaves, spinach, cabbage, broccoli, cucumber, parsley, basil, sage and coriander from our own farm and will have new potatoes and tomatoes next week.

SEACHADTAÍ BAILE We are now delivering to Claregalway, Barna and Moycullen as well as our existing box delivery areas. We have new proposed types of veg box available, contact us if you want to preview them and let us know what you think. Depending on feedback we will go ahead with them in September.

CÁRTA CREIDMHEASA We now have a credit card terminal into our office so let us know if you want to pay by credit card.

LÁ OSCAILTE- Our annual farm tours this year are

*Wednesday 15^th September at 2pm (farm walk for growers/customers/friends -& light refreshments).

*Saturday 11^th September from 3 to 8pm (farm tours, bring your own picnic and children’s bouncy castle) Some refreshments will be also available.

AIMSIR & SÍOLTA The weather has been great for growing so far this summer. We are still sowing seed for Autumn lettuce and other crops and have begun producing wheatgrass. If you want to try it give us some notice as the wheatgrass must be the right size for maximum nutrition (When juiced it provides you with 100 vitamins and minerals!)

SIOPAÍ: Our farm produce is now available in a number of Supervalu stores in Galway, Mc Cambridge’s on Shop Street, Morton’s of Salthill, and in Oscars and Bar no. 8 and Árd Bia Nemos in Galway and the Wineport Restaurant and Left Bank Bistro in Athlone, the Deli Store and Crumbs-n-Cream in Ballinasloe.

CÚRSA GARAÍODÓIREACHTA We are hosting a few one day courses during the summer in Organic Gardening. Contact Séan Mc Gloin of NOTS (National Organic Training Network) 086 1728442 www.nots.ie or info@nots.ie NOTS also runs other interesting courses.

WIND TURBINE Our new addition to the farm is producting renewable energy.  Along with our passive house and solar panels we feel we are helping to stop climate change and lowering our carbon footprint.  By continuing to support us, you are too! SUÍOMH IDIRLÍN We are planning to re-design our website and include online purchasing and up to date news, products and pricelists. We are looking for companies who do this work.

CABHAIR AG TEASTÁIL As part of the Fás work placement programme we are looking for a person to work for us while keeping all entitlements.  They must have a full drivers licence. Contact us for further details.

Nuachtlitir 12 Feabhra 2010              Plásóg na bhFeá, Béal Atha na Slua

TOSNÚ NA BLIANA

We are delighted to be listed once again this year in the Bridgestone Good Food Guide.

After the cold weather, we are still harvesting our own frost hardy carrots, leeks, cabbage and turnip. We lost 6 drills of spuds (over 1 ton) to the frost (about ten percent of what we grew).  Luckily, our other potatoes were in storage at the farm.  In the last fortnight, however we have been getting complaints that Setanta potatoes are black on the inside.  Apologies to anyone who got these.  Please get in touch to arrange a refund.  We plan to purchase a root vegetable industrial washer so we can grade potatoes, carrots, turnip, parsnip and beetroot.  Of course some of you like mucky vegetables for their freshness but after cold spell the quality may not be good under the muck! Your feedback is welcome.

SEACHADTAÍ BAILE

We hope to extend our home deliveries in Galway to Claregalway, Barna and An Spidéal.

Let us know if you have a friend who would like a delivery in those areas.

SÍOLTA

We have sown our first seeds of the year on our heated propagator in the tunnel.  Leeks, scallions, lettuce, tomatoes, cabbage, spinach and rocket are starting to sprout and grow. The dry sunny weather has given us great hope for the growing season ahead.  Padraig recently took a trip to Wales to look at the latest technology in organic vegetable weeding, planting and harvesting.  We plan to sell seeds and compost at our market stalls and in the box scheme this Spring too.  Let us know if you would buy wheatgrass trays and we may start growing them.

CÚRSA GARAÍODÓIREACHTA

Ballinasloe VEC is hosting a ten week beginners evening class in Organic vegetable growing. Taught by Úna it will begin this Spring and is now enrolling.

Contact Rita Coen, Ballinasloe VEC  for details: 090 96 43479.

ENERGY AUDIT

An organic farmer in Devon, U.K. has conducted an energy audit on his farm to see his carbon footprint and how his farm and customers are helping to stop climate change. We run a similar but much smaller business to his.  Check out his findings which compare well with others.  www.riverford.co.uk/about/riverford_farm_foods

www.riverfordenvironment.co.uk/rivercarbfoot.aspx

LEABHAR DO PHÁISTÍ

We recommend an inspirational book called “Ting and the possible futures”. Written for children, but also suitable for adults, it explains climate change in simple terms.  It is printed by the United Nations Environmental programme.  Check out www.unep.org/tunza/children