Tales from the Home Garden: My friend the Robin.

I am delighted to report that, in spite of the great lockdown, we have a constant stream of visitors calling to our home.
But they are mainly from the bird world. None more so than Ruadh the Robin. Every time I am digging or weeding amongst the vegetable plots, Ruadh swoops down from a tree to help himself to a worm or two. He often hangs around for a while, alighting on the handle of a spade or on top of a large stone.
Oftentimes, being a highly intelligent animal and cognizant of government COVID-19 guidelines of keeping clean and washing regularly, he enjoys having a good bath in our little water feature. 😁 In fact he is not the only feathered denizen that has done so- I have seen a thrush, a blackbird and a blue tit in its waters. Though I have to state that, observing social distancing protocol, they bathe singly! 😂
As the weather has been so dry lately, I would recommend people that have gardens to provide a water container of some sort for the birds. But be careful where you place it- you don't want to provide a handy meal for the local cats!

The Community That Eats Together Stays Together

What a joy it was to work last Saturday in  the Ballinfoile Mór Community Organic Garden. 

We decided to give this year's Harvest Festival a 'Slow Food' theme and provide an array of dishes made from the vegetables, fruits and herbs grown in our garden whilst encouraging people to eat and to chat together.
 

Picking Plums in the garden

Much work was done in advance by volunteers picking, collecting, cooking and baking the harvest produce.

Cepta picking berries from a hedgerow for tarts

 

Myriam & Sohiela harvesting Sloe Berries

It was a great success as hundreds of people turned up! 

Blackberry & Apple Tart

The tarts, cakes, salads, jams and soups made in advance were particularly popular as where the baked potatoes made onsite in our outdoor oven. Michael Tiernan, Michael McDonnell and Jack O'Connor from Cumann na bhFear (Men's Shed) installed a traditional open fire hearth complete with vintage black metal kettles and pots as they brought people back into time to an Ireland of 100 years ago as they served up mouth-watering bacon and cabbage, bread and tea (loose tea leaves). 

Times Past: Boiling Cabbage & Spuds on a traditional open fire

Baking Potatoes in the Garden Oven

Deasún Ó Seanain and Frances Brady gave us some lovely traditional Irish music seisiún, and Helen Caird had a sample of her lovely art work on display. 

Mayor Donal Lyons with Anh & Hung from Vietnam

Mayor Donal Lyons made a lovely supportive speech and we were visited by other politicians including councillors Anna Marley, Mairéad Farrell and Terry Flaherty (below).

Councillor Terry O'Flaherty has been a regular visitor to the garden over the years

Community Food Gatherings

Locally grown organic food using old and new recipes to make mouth watering dishes, salads, soups, desserts, tarts, jams, cakes and breads that were presented in a communal neighbourhood gathering is a gel that bring a community together. 

Wildlife Food: Small Tortoise Butterfly enjoys an Oxide Daisy FLower in the Garden

The event also allowed attendees to learn and to appreciate the importance of the importance of biodiversity and of how we need to nurture wildlife especially in an urbanised environment. 

Last Saturday's event will be the first of many. 

So thanks to the great team of garden volunteers (below) that made it all happen

A group of visitors from Sandyvale Lawn

Visitors from the Insight Research Centre at NUI Galway

Happy Hay Girls!  Johanna & Bernie from Crestwood

The Giant Celtic Cross & other Garden Stories

Volunteers are needed on Saturday (July 26) to help with a plethora of tasks within the Ballinfoile Mór Community Organic Garden and surrounding woodland area, including the maintenance/upkeep/development of a Living Willow Tunnel, a Wildlife Pond, Weeding, Scarecrow construction, Pathway enhancement and laying the foundations for a giant Celtic Cross feature that will form the axis of the garden.

We could use your presence on the day! 

Google Maps location: https://goo.gl/maps/YW3Zj

The Celtic Cross takes shape!

The photograph above shows the top section of the 'Celtic Cross': each of the four sun panels are covered with clay planted with wild-flowers under the supervision of Christine McGowan. Plus regular volunteers such as Caroline Mc Donagh, Deasún ÓSeanáin, Michael McDonnell Justine Delaney and other local residents are doing wonderful working bringing Nature into an urban setting.