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 The potato, (Word comes from the Spanish, Patata, the former having introduced the potato into Europe in the second half of the 16th century, following their conquest of the Inca Empire in Peru.) to the Irish people, still remains today the most useful of all foods.
The Chip we eat here in Ireland often come from England, as the potato variety “Maris Piper,” from the British Somerset region, makes a great chip. Chippers here are inclined to import them instead of using home-grown Irish spuds. The Irish potato is perfect for mashing, roasting or baking, but not so tasty when deep-fat fried.
During the so called Celtic Tiger years we all lost interest in growing at least some of our own vegetables. Now with more time on our hands, through unemployment etc, maybe it is time to turn that small piece of garden into something more productive. So now is the perfect time to grab your spade, fork and rake and sow a few potatoes, even if only for the exercise.
Potatoes need to be planted on a sunny site, in fertile and slightly acidic soil. Loosen up your soil first with a spade, then with the soil broken using a garden fork, break up the clumps of soil, removing stones and any weeds such as scutch grass, thistles or docks. Whether or not you have poor quality soil you will need to add organic matter. Traditionally, farm yard manure was used for potatoes, but good garden compost can also do the job.
Continue reading Plant Your Own Potatoes This Year
Green Party Politics may have vanished from Irish life, well for the moment, but Thurles Town and Tipperary, as a county, are both fast emerging as Ireland’s leader, when it comes to ‘green‘ business and ecological initiatives.
“Exploring the possibilities of Tipperary becoming an Eco County,” will headline an event to be hosted in Thurles, on Wednesday April 6th (from 5.30pm to 8.30pm) at the Tipperary Institute, by Coláiste Éile, in association with the Tipperary Institute and with Green Works Tipperary.
This workshop will launch a new ‘Tipperary Green Business Network,’ supported by the North Tipperary LEADER Partnership and Tipperary North County Enterprise Board.
Since it opened its doors to students in1996, the Tipperary Institute here in Thurles, has been to the fore in pioneering courses in renewable energy and sustainable rural development.
Over a decade ago, Eco-Tourism was introduced to Tipperary, with Ireland’s first eco-holiday cottage, the Ronga EcoBooley project near Clogheen, in Cahir.
Music courtesy of the late and great Johnny Cash
The Amergin Centre, which is a cross-departmental ‘Centre of excellence,’ bringing together expertise in the fields of environmental science, sustainable development, engineering, physics, electronics and administration for Sustainable Energy Development based at the Institute, is now leading in research on renewable energy with the Tipperary Energy Agency supporting the county in the reduction of CO2 emissions by stimulating and implementing best practice in the field of sustainable energy. The agency is assisting the development of Templederry Community Wind Farm and are also involved in the development of sustainable transport in the county, with projects in Personalised Travel Planning and Eco Driving in Local Authority Vehicles.
The Sustainable Energy in Rural Village Environments (SERVE) project is managed by the North Tipperary County Council and the Tipperary Energy Agency. This pioneering project has made a region in Tipperary a world leader in the implementation of sustainable energy actions and the reduction of energy consumption in rural areas, and could be widely replicable right across the EU.
Continue reading Thurles & Tipperary Pioneering Another Shade Of Green
 What benefits birds, also benefits humans, as those of our readers here in Thurles and Co Tipperary, who supplemented their garden’s birds’ diet, during the recent unprecedented harsh weather, can attest. By feeding the birds in your area, there is an automatically important knock-on effect for the flower lover and organic gardener, as birds will quickly get used to searching for food in your garden and will simultaneously search for pests such as greenfly, caterpillars and snails, all the year round.
By the way this video was captured on the new Flip Video Camera. Latter fits into the palm of your hand, easily fits in your jeans pocket while letting you record high quality HD footage with the greatest of ease. The rectangular shaped camera is the size of a standard mobile phone and can captures 2 hours of HD video at a time, so is ideal for the local football match, the confirmation or the children’s birthday party. On the Flip Video camera front is a zoom lens and microphone, while the back contains a 1.5 inch viewing screen, plus four directional arrows, a delete and a play button. A USB plug flips out from its side allowing you to connect it directly to a computer or laptop USB port, without the hassle of attaching messy cables, thus allowing you to play your captured content immediately without rendering. As you can see from this video, this tiny camera delivers a remarkably high quality picture on a device that any unskilled individual can use. I find it especially good in situations like observing nature, as with the aid of a tripod, it allows me to get up close and personal without being intrusive. (This extraordinary HD Video Camera is also very affordable, at around €170 .)
After the glut of each years Summer and Autumn fruits have passed and when insects are diminishing, winter is most certainly the correct time to feed our local bird population, but when should we stop?
With regard to this question, there are possibly two schools of thought. Some says you should stop gradually, once winter is over and more natural foods become available. Other state that stopping suddenly increases stress to birds, when they are already under pressure both defending territories and building their nests. There is possibly some truth in both schools of thinking, but it is true that allowing blue tits to feed their very their young babies on peanuts is likely to cause their deaths, as very young Blue Tits can’t digest the nuts fed by their parents. You could however, switch to other foods during the period, perhaps hanging up a meat bone, left over from your main meal, which offers to the birds a high protein food. There will be plenty of natural food available in your garden in Summer, with greenfly, caterpillars and snails, of all sizes, in much abundance.
The different species of our birds life have different feeding habits. Hanging food is ideal for sparrows and members of the Tit family, using a peanut or seed dispenser as shown in this video attached.
Continue reading What Benefits Birds Can Benefit Humans
An open day will take place on Sunday next, July 25th at Matt Fogarty’s tree farm and nursery near Ballinderry, Nenagh, Co Tipperary.
Matt’s Tree Nursery holds a wide range of both native and exotic species and he has visited woods and arboretums around the world, the evidence of which can be seen growing here in Ballinderry.
 The nursery is situated between Terryglass and Ballinderry close to beautiful Lough Derg. There are over 12 hectares of hardwood trees, hundreds of species, in varying sizes. The Deer and Pheasant run freely here and there are also an abundance of wild fowl living in and around the on-site pond area.
Matt won Farm Forester of the year in 1995 and Amenity Forester of the year in 2000. Warning however, Matt and Mary Fogarty’s passion for Mother Nature is very highly contagious, as seen when they guide groups, families or individuals through the tranquillity of their tree heaven.
As stated, there are over 12 hectares of different species to be admired and studied: e.g. Walnut, Oak, Copper Beech, and Spanish Chestnut, to Maple, Hornbeam, and the magnificent California Redwood, plus many others in different stages of maturity.
Imagine, If You Can, A World Without Trees
The American Soldier, Journalist and Poet Alfred Joyce Kilmer probably best described our love of this perennial woody plant in this simple poem.
“Trees” by Poet Alfred Joyce Kilmer (1886–1918)
I think that I shall never see – A poem lovely as a tree.
A tree whose hungry mouth is prest – Against the earth’s sweet flowing breast;
A tree that looks at God all day – And lifts her leafy arms to pray;
A tree that may in summer wear – A nest of robins in her hair;
Upon whose bosom snow has lain; – Who intimately lives with rain.
Poems are made by fools like me, – But only God can make a tree.
Another American poet Frederic Ogden Nash (1902–1971) well known for his light humorous verse, slightly changed the wording of this poem, lamenting the unnecessary destruction of our forests and the erection of massive wooden highway billboards, both adding to the destruction of our scenic environment.
“Trees” By Poet Frederic Ogden Nash (1902–1971)
I think that I shall never see, – A billboard lovely as a tree.
Indeed, unless the billboards fall, – I’ll never see a tree at all.
So if you are out and about this Sunday, you fancy a tree to enhance your dwelling place, don’t miss this opportunity to learn, at first hand, how you can grow a wide range of wonderful trees, many of which you will not be familiar, but which are very well suited to our Irish climate.
 The prize winning pupils in the Agri-Aware’s nationwide Incredible Edibles competition gathered in Dublin Zoo yesterday to receive prizes worth over €5,000 to help them develop school gardens.
Monastery Primary School (Scoil na mBriathre 3rd class) in Tipperary town was the nationwide winner out of thousands of primary schools which took part in the competition to grow their own potatoes, onions, baby carrots, lettuce, spinach and strawberries .
Agri Aware’s Mairead Lavery stated:
“The competition has given tens of thousands of children the thrill of growing their own food and understanding from whence their food is derived. They also understand how important it is for their health and the effort it takes to actually grow their own ‘five-a-day’.”
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