Articles

This month Martin reflects on an essential difference between the way the Irish and the French behave: La Politesse. I think that the question most often asked of us by Irish people here on holidays is as to how well we fit in with the village and its people here in France.
more...

The spring is beginning to pick up pace at Castlefarm. At last the end of spring calving is in sight. Since I last wrote this column over 80 calves were born at Castlefarm. Some days we had up to 8 new arrivals.
more...

There is lot of talk about the economy showing green shoots, for me the pink shoots of Rhubarb pushing through the ground in early Spring are uplifting, a new season bringing with it new growth.
more...

Although usually used in sweet dishes, rhubarb is not a fruit but classed as a vegetable. It grows easily in Ireland and is still a familiar feature in gardens all over the country. It dies down in winter and now, as it begins to re-emerge for the new season (later than usual this year, due to the prolonged cold weather over the winter), the new stalks will be at their pinkest and most tender.
more...

This month Darina focuses on the shocking problem of obesity, its cost in human and financial terms - and gives her 10 Top Tips to avoid it.
more...

Rachel Gaffney, the famous foodie who’s flying the flag for Ireland in Texas, introduces an Irish visitor to a local food phenomenen the Dallas food trucks - and, who knows, maybe the food truck could be the next big thing over here too.
more...

If you want to grow your own food and are starting with lawn, where do you begin? Let’s take a look at three different options. First of all, if you’re not in too much of a hurry to get started, you could try the following. Cover the area down with a thick layer of farmyard manure or compost and then with a sheet of black plastic.
more...

This month our intrepid thinker Lucy Madden considers the irresisistible force that so often lures the wrong people into opening a restaurant - and gives some excellent examples of the good and the bad
more...

Apples grow well in many parts of Ireland and the limestone-rich soil of Co Kilkenny, where Rod and Julie Calder-Potts have farmed since1969 (organically since 1994), is particularly suitable. Beginning with farm-gate sales of surplus apples, they produced fresh apple juice and apple concentrates to make wine - a product that attracted the interest of poteen-makers.
more...

It’s generally a quiet time of year for new books but, in any case, everything else can go on the back burner this month as the big news in the Irish foodie world is the much anticipated arrival of Biddy White Lennon and Evan Doyle’s foraging book, Wild Food - Nature’s Harvest: How to Gather Cook & Preserve (O’Brien Press, hardback €16.99).
more...