Anthony  on August 15, 2007

Conor
When next sunbathing on the rain soaked beaches of West Cork, grab some sea weed and dig that in.
Nothing like it - apart from worm compost which we have here - a by product of our vermicomposting unit!

conor  on August 15, 2007

I’ll do that. If I do it in Dunworley, I can pretend to be Joy Larkom!

Tom Atkins  on August 16, 2007

Hi Conor - it’s certainly been a difficult year for growing. But even the best gardeners have bad years!

One of the students on the course I teach at the Organic College is from Bandon. He and his wife are producing some stunning crops and are selling on the Bandon Farmer’s market - they’re called Stan and Ann - they also run the jewellery / watch shop. I keep meaning to visit their garden for some tips myself - perhaps they’re near to you? Stan is very open to sharing his knowledge.

I’m about to buy a polytunnel as I think protection from wind and rain in West Cork is now essential!

Happy gardening

Tom

conor  on August 16, 2007

I must have a chat the next time I’m down. If I got a polytunnel it’d probably just blow away!

Frannie  on August 18, 2007

Join the club, Conor. Very small returns generally from gardening this year. I nearly did a dance of joy when I picked one good sized courgette yesterday.

The rain has done for us this year - although I have to say my bin-grown carrots, though tiny, are delicious.

conor  on August 18, 2007

On the upside, the apples are flying. Kids want to harvest them and sell them in the estate for a euro each so they can buy Yu-Gi-Oh cards. Smart sods.

Many thanks for the mail on this topic, Brid. Don’t be shy about sticking comments in here. Only I get to see the email addresses and you don’t have to enter a web address.

Anthony  on August 18, 2007

Back from the market in Bandon where I spoke to Ann and bought some of her potatoes an hour or so ago.
Just cooked them and they were absolutely gorgeous; even Brigid and Muireann (5 & 3) actually said how good they were - praise indeed!
Quick BBQ’d chicken thighs (wrapped in guess whose rashers!) and a delicious colourful salad selection from the Hollies stall at the market plus Ann & Stan’s spuds!
Just shows that one can shop local and buy locally produced food which is every bit as good as any where else. We all need your support and encouragement, and praise is the best encouragement there is!

As an aside, a new foodie site has just launched which looks interesting: http://www.ifoods.tv. I have been following its creation since last year when I had correspondence with Niall Harbison, a bouncy chef!

conor  on August 18, 2007

Sounds wonderful!
iFoods looks interesting.

Anthony  on August 18, 2007

Looking to get lost for an hour or two?
An enterprising farming family, the McCarthy’s at Rathclaren, near Kilbrittain, have a Maze Trail in a 5 acre field of maize, which has clearly benefited from all the rain as it stands 7ft high and more.
I took my mother and my three little ones round it this afternoon; take your boots and have fun!
Thankfully they give you a map, otherwise we would still be trying to get out - oh and take your mobile phone: when you arrive, one of the first questions the McCarthy’s ask is “Do you have a mobile phone?” It’s only after half an hour wandering through the maize that you appreciate their concern!
I didn’t ask what they do if you haven’t got one! Maybe lend you one - or a flare!!
Call them on 023 49842 or 087 7965321 if you are lost!!

conor  on August 19, 2007

What a brilliant idea. We’ll definitely do that this week. Kids starting to go stir crazy….

Bluejunilla  on August 23, 2007

Conor, I just thought when I saw your mention of sorrel that I might share my own sorrel related issues It has certainly been a rubbish year for all of us who so much as dabble in a garden, but the sorrel does seem to be the exception. I have a few big pots of various herbs and the sorrel shares one with a few others. I’m actually quite fond of sorrel, which is just as well, since it is so big now that I’m more or less treating it like spinach in the kitchen. I wouldn’t mind at all since I’m quite taken with my new sorrel-spinach vegable but it’s gradually choking it’s neighbours, I’ve never had anything like this from it before. I suppose it’s nice to know that something thriving on the weather.

conor  on August 23, 2007

I actually think I’d like sorrel if I could catch it early. Lemony spinach sounds good to me. But the stuff grows two feet high between me cutting it down and walking back to the house

Bluejunilla  on August 23, 2007

Ah, that would be different so:) One of the advantages perhaps of being confined
to a ‘window box allotment’ is that things can’t really get totally out of hand.

JD  on August 29, 2007

Give my old buddy Peter Dowdall a holler in Dunsland Garden Centre in Glounthaune (near entrance to IBIS Hotel). He’s always got a few tips on growing in all seasons, especially herbs. Nice gardens to visit too (& free).
I successfully grew 4 ears of wheat (correct?) on a window box in my rental house in Rathfarnham a few years ago. A window box can be as big as you want it to be! We are deciding whether to hang baskets still… not a fan but I may lose this one as ‘Er Indoors is a fan of the aesthetic in nature.. whereas I like to eat things!

conor  on August 29, 2007

Thanks for the tips JD, I wasn’t aware of Dunsland at all. I’m of the eating persuasion too.

  Review of McCarthy’s Maize Maze by Conor’s Bandon Blog  on September 2, 2007

[...] Anthony Creswell of Ummera mentioned a maze down near Kilbrittain in the comments of my blog. We had some visitors down from Dublin over the weekend and decided to give it a go on [...]