Organic Guide to Ireland: full review

Did you know that there is a certified organic butcher on Achill Island? Or that you can have your organic apples turned into organic juice by a dedicated company in Tipperary? Or that there is an organic farm which doubles up as Zazen meditation centre in Cork, and one that runs eco summer camps in Kerry? And if you are after an organic horse livery, then Waterford is the place to go.

This and a lot more straightforward but important information is available in the newly published Organic Guide to Ireland. Published by the Organic centre, Rossinver, and edited by Marella Fyffe, this 2008 edition is a glossier though fairly similar publication to the previous edition.

What differs from the previous edition is the fact that the guide is divided into provinces, with just one extra listings section, which is devoted to associations.

The previous guide was divided into sections as diverse as polytunnels and wine sellers, livestock marts and farmers markets.

As a reference publication, this may help or hinder the user, depending upon their task.

Thankfully, this guide is not hamstrung by also striving nobly though impossibly to be a green guide, as the previous edition did.

The feature sections outline organic food�s role in feeding the world, in fighting climate change, in being better for your health and in mitigating the effects of peak oil.

There are also sections introducing organic, outlining how consumers can be sure the produce they buy is organic and giving the bigger picture on the EU dimension to organic certification.

One notable difference between this and the previous edition is the fact that the main state bodies involved in organic certification have also contributed sections. Teagasc, Bord Bia and the Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Food all pitch in, pointing out what supports they make available.

Essentially, this guide contains information on the 400 or so operators who want to make themselves known to others at some point in the food system.

For producers, the book will help with a range of activities, like sourcing certified organic feeds, seeds, or speciality breeds. Or it might give them that vital contact detail on advisors, or on a dedicated producer group or organisation.

For retailers, processors and consumers, there�s ample information too. Retailers, especially those at the deli, independent supermarket and health food store end, might find a product they are in need of � a jam, a bread, or any other artisan product ready to branch out or to make the next step up in scale terms.

Processors will have a handy reference point for many meat and milk producers, indeed anyone across the production spectrum, as this is primarily a guide of producers.

That said, what�s underrepresented though not entirely absent, are the sorts of farmers who mainly supply the bigger processors with meat and milk. These farmers have their own thing going on, and don�t necessarily want to receive calls from fresh faced consumers about their (non-existent) farm shop.

Consumers will have a treasure trove of a book. Places to stay, organic produce available direct, from farm shops to markets to box schemes, as well as lots of information about the bigger picture on organic food.

Because it is a cross border publication, DARD (Department of Agriculture and Rural Development) and the Soil Association have also written sections.

The Soil Association�s involvement is interesting. While they certify some organic operators in Northern Ireland, and a handful of operators in the republic who export (e.g. Sligo based Voya�s beauty products), they are in fact the main sponsors of the publication.

Considering their minor role in certification of organics on the island of Ireland, this sponsorship is surely a curiosity. Do the Soil Association intend to do a parallel move to a few political parties on these islands? Like the UK conservative party, and the much flagged Fianna Fail move into Northern Ireland, do they intend to move into the south as a prominent certifier? Only time will tell.

(disclosure: I contributed the piece on the labelling of organic food, as well as the piece on climate change)

To order, go to this link or ring 071 9854338

Earth Clock

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It�s a Recipe � Hard Squash

Roasted Squash and Red Onion Salad

Yep, we�re having a heat wave. Day and after day of sunny goodness, making us want to kick off our shoes and go splashing in the ocean blue. Still, if you�ve poked your head out the door in the evening (to take a gander at the moon perhaps) you�ll notice that the nights are starting to cool down. For cooler weather we say, Yeah! This means we can get our oven fired up again, and commence to making fall foods. Let�s celebrate the harvest season with a scrumptious dish from our Co-op Deli.

Roasted Squash and Red Onion Salad

2 1/2 cups red onion, halved then cut into wedges

2 pounds hard squash

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 teaspoons stone ground mustard

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

2 cups spinach leaves

1/4 cup pumpkin seeds, roasted

1 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Combine the onion, squash and 1 Tbsp. olive oil, sea salt, and black pepper, then roast on a baking sheet for 40 -60 minutes or until squash is soft, stirring every 20 minutes. Allow to cool. Combine remaining olive oil, vinegar, and mustard. Mix with the cooled squash and onion. Add the pumpkin seeds and spinach. Toss lightly, making sure not to bruise the spinach too much. Done!

organic news budget shocker

At 6.30 PM on Easter Sunday, April 18th 1930, something that would now seem unthinkable happened.

6.30 was newstime. The BBC announcer informed listeners that there was no news today. They got music instead.

Lovely. Arrogant but lovely, considering 24/7 media saturation today.

Sometimes, no news is good news. It can even be really good news, all things considered.

Looking around, organic farmers can consider themselves blessed.

(guess what B&W fireworks are...)

Pesticides and bees: the smoking gun located?

It is an ongoing story, one that has seen many conspiracies and possible culprits.

However, there has been a development of late, which is interesting from an organic farming and food perspective.

click here for an update on the story of the decline in the bee population worldwide.

Co-ops Are All Around Us

Co-ops Are All Around Us!

More than 800 million people around the world belong to cooperatives, and at least 100 million of them are employed by co-ops. And more often than you probably realize, co-ops play a vital part of your everyday life.

Knowing the source of the foods you eat, the services you employ and the products you purchase are just a few of the benefits of joining a cooperative. As a member, co-ops invite you to take part in the way your favorite grocery store or financial institution is run. This community approach to business is at the heart of the cooperative philosophy.

In honor of Co-op Month (which is this month, in case you didn�t know), why not step into the wonderful world of co-op education, and learn more about how cooperative democracy works. Click here www.go.coop to start your adventure.

Go Co-op!

Just Soup, Just Food

I met Deidre Hillard and her husband Kevin from the Just Food Company a couple of times recently, and the story of the growth of their business is as warming as their soup.

I met them at the SHOP trade and retail event in the RDS, and at the Dingle Peninsula Food and Wine Festival. At both events, Just Food scooped awards.

They received an incredible 5 Medals in 4 categories for their products at the inaugural National Irish Food Awards, Blas na hEireann, which were part of the Dingle event.

This included both the Gold and Silver Medals in the Soup Category, as well as awards in the sauces and dressings, healthier options and speciality meats categories.

A commended award was received by the company for their organic chicken liver Pate at SHOP, in the best frozen/chilled product.

Like so many other businesses, they found that their first farmers� market was the classic business incubation unit: Just Food was just available in Midelton farmers� market back in 2004 - today, 50 outlets stock their produce.

Now based in a dedicated unit in Cobh they employ six extra staff in the business. Despite expanding, they have tried to maintain a quality focus: �We believe that food cooked in small batches tastes better and is better. Smaller batches also cook quicker and closer to the time of consumption which has taste, nutritional and food safety benefits, and allows us to respond to natural differences in ingredients� according to Deirdre.

Their product range effortlessly spans the spectrum from healthy to gourmet � a difficult trick at the best of times.

In fact, it was their spicy lentil soup got the highest of their five Bl�s na hEireann awards, and that was in the soup rather than healthy foods category.

Believe me, it is no mean feat to convince a tablefull of food critics and chefs that lentils are tasty.

They are constantly listening to their customers: �Our restaurant customers and regular customers at Midleton farmers market provide us with very valuable direct feedback on the products we produce, allowing us to fine tune recipes and develop new products.�

Local organic has been important to them: �We have always tried to source our ingredients from local suppliers when possible. As Just Food has grown we have found this easier as we are buying larger quantities and are able to use our own product distribution network to collect ingredients from Irish suppliers�.

Just Food suppliers� list is like a who�s who of the quality organic food sector:
Dan and Ann Ahern supply the chicken livers for their pate. When Deirdre started selling at the Midleton Farmers market she shared a stall with Dan and Ann, and she has continued to use their organic chicken livers ever since. They also use the produce of Colum O�Regan in Kinsale.

Slightly further a field, their basil pesto is supplied bv Padraig Fahy and �na N� Bhroin of Beechlawn organic farm and Green Earth Organics, both from Galway.

Deidre was quick to point out how important the retailers are in all of this: �our retailers and distributors, who agree drop off points where we can collect our growers� ingredients, on our way home, having dropping off our own prepared produce.�

She was particularly complementary towards Tommy Grimes, manager of the Midelton Supervalu store adjacent to farmers� market. They were the first store to stock her produce: �the reputation of the Midleton Supervalu store and its manager has been of great assistance in helping us when we approached other retailers and restaurants� says Deidre.

�We�re expanding, and are looking for more local ingredients again� Deidre tells me.

On what was a blue sky day that Sunday in Dingle, I asked Kevin about the effect the economic downturn has been having on their business.

He thought for a while, and couldn�t really come up with anything. �We�ll we�re growing all the time, and I can�t say I�ve noticed any real change, even in recent times. People will always come back for good, simple, honest ingredients in food�

more: deirdreh@justfood.ie or 021 4812367

Co-ops Rock!

This video was developed to promote food co-ops in conjunction with the Co-ops Rock! concert benefiting the Cooperative Disaster Relief Fund.

rare breeds: organic pigs in Ireland

The big boys import organic pork into Ireland, the smaller are v small. The artisan producers often do a good job, but aren't much bigger than the small organic guys.

Here's a profile on the Moles in Roscommon, certified organic farmers with pigs.

Ted and Kay Mole are a rare breed with a rare breed cross. This is because they are certified organic pig farmers with Brightwell Blues.

They have been farming near Strokestown in Roscommon since 1996, and have been certified organic since 1998. Like some many in the world of artisan and organic farming, the Moles have a complex, interconnected and imaginative enterprise, with as much of the end point retail profit kept for themselves as possible.

They farm a 25 acre mixed farm. The Moles have 100 geese (which incidentally are amongst the best converters of feed to meat in the business), ducks, sheep, garden vegetables, an orchard, a range of fruit trees including pear and plum, and a crop of medicinal herbs. The latter are grown to contract for Leitrim-based Irish Organic Herbs. This crop includes Echinacea, red sage, sheep sorrel, and wild carrot.

A three year field rotation is carried out, to avoid any disease and parasite build up. They have to balance the benefits of dung with the damage caused by digging and foraging, in terms of soil structure and earthworms. Test plots are also grown for various reasons, including assessing geese feeding preferences.

Pigs are central to their enterprise.� The pigs here are mostly Brightwell blue, which is the best cross for outdoors. It�s a saddleback and landrace cross� according to Ted. Ted stocks up to four sows at any one time along with Eric the boar.

Feed price is obviously a concern. However, necessity breeds ingenuity, so they have found a few ways around it. Ted grows his own forage crops, buys in bulk feeds and sells feeds on from the farm gate by the tonne and in 25kg bags.

Whole and rolled wheat, oats, triticale, triticale/beans, peas and seaweed meal, as well as 2 year in-conversion oats are currently available. All are suitable for certified organic farmers � including the 2 year in conversion oats. The latter are especially affordable at present: 440/tonne whole, 500/tonne rolled, 12.50/25 kg bag whole, 14/25 kg bag rolled.

While they sell the equivalent of 50 pigs a year, the Moles don�t sell their pigs on. �Economically, it just couldn�t make sense. Instead, we use a local butcher, Sean Connolley in Ballinasloe�. They cure to their own recipe, and sell from the farm. While some of their other meat products go through a local co-op, the various pork cuts they sell are snapped up at the farm shop.

Strokestown may not have a large population base closeby, locally or regionally, but committed consumers can seek out the good stuff when it�s available.

Along with goose and lamb, fresh pork, dry cured ham and bacon as well as sausages are all for sale from the farm. The customers pay 6E per kg for fresh pork, 12-22E per kilo for dry cured bacon (depending upon the cut) and 10.30E per kilo for the sausages.

While the pigs are a mainstay, Ted and Kay also host farm walks and pig courses for NOTS, the National Organic Training Skillnets.

And beyond business, its not all about the money, the turnover, growth and profitability for Ted and Kay. Nurturing nature is a central part of their lives.

One part of this is trees. The Moles have planted many native trees all over their farm, and are very committed to hedge laying: �my aim is to avoid wire fencing altogether� according to Ted, who is a certified member of the Hedge Laying Association of Ireland.

�Done properly, laid hedges are great for stock proofing, providing shelter and also act as wildlife corridors�. Don�t get Ted started on how useless neglected and overgrown hedges are for stockproofing.

He goes on to tell me that they only need to be re-laid every 15 years or so, whereas wire fencing is expensive, time consuming and has no environmental benefit. �We have 13 fields on 25 acres, and the biggest one is 3 � acres�. In nature terms, that says it all really.

National Organic Awards: and the winners are

Mr. Trevor Sargent TD, Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, presented the Overall National Organic Award 2008 to Glenisk Irish Organic Butter. This new product will be launched onto shop shelves in the coming weeks. The awards, organised by Bord Bia in conjunction with the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, attracted over 100 entries from organic companies nationwide.

The winners were announced on Monday at SHOP, the annual food and drink retail trade event taking place in the RDS, Dublin. The individual category award winners were as follows: best organic grocery product went to Solaris Botanicals Presentation Box of Teas; Lily O�Brien�s Organic Collection won best organic sweet, flour and chocolate confectionary; in addition to the overall award Glenisk Irish Organic Butter won best organic chilled/frozen product and a new category this year best organic meat product was awarded to Oliver Carty�s Organic Loin of Bacon with a Citrus Topping.

(Pictured above, John McCracken, a farmer who supplies Glenisk)