Mark Keenan is the man who writes The Sunday Times column about his experience producing food from an allotment in Bohernabreena in the foothills of the Dublin mountains. The column, for reasons you can guess, is called ‘Plot 34′. Small wonder then that he went on to write a book about the whole experience called [...]
Posts Tagged ‘December’
9 Dec
FEED THE BIRDS TO PREVENT A FEATHERED HOLOCAUST – FIRST WEEK IN DECEMBER 2010
I see that the National Parks and Wildlife service this week has brought in a temporary ban on the hunting of wild birds due to the recent and continuing freezing weather conditions across the island of Ireland. This measure is supported by hunting organisations also, for good reasons. Wild ducks, geese, waders and other game [...]
1 Jan
PARTIALLY FED AND WARMED OVER CHRISTMAS FROM THE GARDEN – FOURTH WEEK IN DECEMBER 2009
With guests invited for Christmas, the prospect of depending on the few leeks, carrots, onions and herbs from the garden, to create the meals I had in mind would have meant very small helpings. So thankfully the Balbriggan Fish and Farmers’ Market was open late before Christmas to allow me augment my larder with fresh local produce. As [...]
17 Dec
GARDEN FIR TREE BECOMES CHRISTMAS TREE INDOORS – THIRD WEEK IN DECEMBER 2009
Not much time for gardening with late Dáil sittings. I just about manage a few minutes in the garden to bring vegetable, fruit and kitchen paper waste out to the compost tumbler every couple of days. I notice the garlic cloves sown a couple of weeks ago are sprouting and the green shoots of new [...]
10 Dec
COLLECT LEAVES AND BAG THEM TO MAKE LEAFMOULD – SECOND WEEK IN DECEMBER 2009
There is certainly a shortage of money in the country but there is no shortage of leaves, in my garden atleast. And as the Mamas and the Papas would say ‘all the leaves are brown’. Time then to make leafmould. Leafmould is similar to composting. However on a forest floor it is fungi more than [...]
2 Dec
SEEDS SPROUTING AND CUTTINGS GROWING EVEN IN THE FIRST WEEK OF DECEMBER 2009
Before I began kitchen gardening, I was very clear that seeds were sown in Spring, grew in Summer, were harvested in Autumn and during Winter was the time to oogle seed catalogues and plan for the next round of seasons. This week I’ve been forced to realise life is not that straightforward. Out I went [...]
