Sallygardens Smallholding

Don't Panic, I Have a 'Survival Seeds Emergency Package'

I recently had an email from a budding new on-line company called Hometown Seeds asking me to visit their website and in particular to review a package of seeds they sell called Survival Seeds Emergency Package which aims to provide everything a family might need to survive during a time of food supply crisis! The seeds are GMO free and not only provide delicious crops, they are also suitable for harvesting seed from when matured.  This is a huge advantage as many commercially available varieties are designed to be infertile so the consumer has no choice but to buy seeds year after year and if a crises does ever come to pass it's a bit of a design flaw from a survival point of view. It may seem a little far fetched but having peace of mind that you've got a sustainable strain of reliable seeds ready to go might not be a bad idea. You may be relieved to be able to pick from the garden rather than shop in a crowded supermarket during a virulent pandemic, or as prices rocket in the shops due to the increasing cost of fuel your home grown will come in at a fraction of the price. For us, the latter is a major reason for home growing and it helps make ends meet.

But we don't need a world crisis before investing in seeds! What could be a more fitting gift for anybody interested in gardening or starting to grow their own vegetables? Any seasoned gardener would jump for joy with this package under the tree and no better way to inspire a beginner than with a range of seeds and maybe a good gardening book.

Best Sustainable Living Christmas Book Selection

Much of our knowledge at Sallygardens has been gleaned from a range of most excellent books and since many folk are considering what gifts to give loved ones for Christmas this time of year I've compiled a list of top favourites. This is a chance to give a gift that can really make a positive lifestyle difference.

Top of the list for anybody remotely interested in living sustainably, whether living in a rural or urban environment is the now legendary eco  bible The New Complete Book of Self Sufficiency by John Seymour. This book is fantastic and covers a huge range of topics. It's detailed enough to get you started on most things but such a delightfully presented book it makes a wonderful coffee table book too. Five years down the line I still dip into it and find new ideas. Everything from vegetable gardening, to rearing pigs to making your own wine.

A great practical, no nonsense easy to understand gardening book is Organic Gardening by Geoff Hamilton, it's ideal for either total beginners or seasoned growers. The layout is crisp (although ours is very muddy from repeated use!) and attractive, the information is to the point. It's a great reference book for anything and everything you might want to consider growing in your veg garden, the organic way.

A brilliant way to investigate how all these eco conscious living ideas can be incorporated into everyday life is to get your hands on a copy of the Earthcare Manual, a book based on the theory of permaculture. It's full of practical information on how to achieve sustainable living not just in the garden, but in your home, work and right across the board. It will change the way you think about consumerism and the use of materials.

Now you have the veggies growing and your lifestyle in tune with the environment a great cook book for utilising those crops is the infamous River Cottage Cookbook. It's full of delicious recipies, tips on gardening and rearing livestock.

With the environment in mind ... you could probably borrow these books from your local library, but if you're planning on buying these as gifts you could check with like minded neighbours to make sure you don't buy the same book, instead plan to buy the range between you and then swap when needed. Any purchased via these links will mean I get a few percent towards a gift token. Happy shopping.

Goats Cheese Almost Got The Better Of Me

Last year I made the most simple form of cheese which involves straining the moisture out of yogurt until it reaches the consistency of a cheese spread. It only keeps for a few days in the fridge so it has to be made as and when it's required. You can do this with shop bought yogurt or use your own home produced milk if you have it. The process is simple and not much goes to waste, it's also a wonderful thing for the children to get involved with. I think showing them how food is made really broadens their horizons on so many levels. They begin to think about animal welfare, ingredients, the labour involved and of course the flavours. When we buy yogurt in the supermarket now they seem to have far more respect for their food and little goes to waste. Even if they don't finish something, they'll think about which animal could eat it safely or where to compost it.

Since the simple yogurt cheese making all went so well last year I was determined to try and make 'proper' cheese this year. I did a bit of research into which might be the best book and I invested in Ricki Carrols 'Home Cheese Making' which I have found to be a fantastic book. It not only has hundreds of recipes in it but also ideas and case studies from many home producers and small artisan business people. There's great explanations of the whole history and process of cheese making, as well as the essential individual recipes. Having read through the book several times I then decided on trying to make a simple farmhouse cheddar cheese and ordered some sachets of starter and rennet from Moorlands Cheesemakers in the UK.

The next step was waiting for the goats to kid which induces lactation, and once the kids were a month old I began to take just a  morning milking which gave me between one and two litres of milk. A lot of milk is needed for a small amount of cheese so it took me about five days to save two gallons (nine litres). Unlike cows milk which produces golden yellow cheese, goats milk  produces snow white cheese and butter.

All set and enthusiastic I began heating the milk up to 85F which took quite a long time and then added a pinch of the starter.  After leaving it to stand for forty five minutes I added the rennet. After another forty five minutes the milk had magically turned into a delicate white jelly which meant it was time for cutting the curds into one inch blocks.

I then put the pot into a sink and slowly brought the curds and whey painstakingly up to 100F over the course of half an hour by adding warm tap  water at first and eventually hot kettle water to the sink. The curds were gently stirred all the time and shrank in size as the moisture seeped out, forming the yellow greenish whey.  Once at 100F it was left to sit for five minutes.

The contents were then all poured out into a muslin lined colander, and the curds hung to drip. After a set time, the curds were then placed into a clean bowl and broken down gently into walnut sized chunks, I added salt and then packed the curds into molds with drainage holes.

For molds I used small tubs and drilled holes around the base and sides. I didn't have suitable 10, 20 and 50lb (25 kilo) weights to place on the molds for the suggested timings and it was at this point I came close to losing patience with the whole exercise! Luckily Lena our WWOOFER came up with an ingenious idea; using clamps instead of weights.

The next morning I released the clamps and finally we peeled off the muslin and set the little cheese rounds on a wooden board to air dry for a few days. When the rind developed the cheese were painted with melted bees wax and now it's sitting in the scullery for a month to ripen.

I can tell you it was a marathon task and I was exhausted by the end of it all. At one stage, when I realised I didn't have anything to improvise for the weights, I was on the verge of chucking the lot in the bin!!!  I think it's something we will do on rare occasions as special treats and seasonal gifts for friends and family. Stay tuned to see how the cheese turns out.

If you fancy having a go at cheese making it's essential to follow a proper recipe to the letter because the timings and temperatures are vital to the final result. Using scrupulously clean equipment and researching the pros and cons of pasteurised versus non pasteurised milk is also compulsory before the fun begins.

Interactive Food Map of Ireland

Paul O Mahony of Siopa Eile has launched the Interactive Food Map of Ireland. It's a brilliant idea for both producers and consumers. If you wish to locate an artisan made food product zoom into the area in question and click on the pointers to read contact information and product descriptions. Anybody can add or amend information on the map so if you are a producer go ahead and add your details, or if you know of a producer who isn't on the map please and add them. The success of the map depends on it's users adding information so don't be shy, jump in and help to make it a fantastic resource ... and don't worry you can't break it either!

What better way could there possibly be to start International Downshifting Week than to support a local food artisan in your area.

Spread the word. If you're an Irish blogger add the badge.

Now Its My Turn To Receive A Free Gift

I've been asked to review a Toyota SPA 15 ergonomic design sewing machine and afterwards I get to keep it.  This is going to fit in nicely with International Downshifting Week. How? Well instead of watching TV in the evenings I want to try and use up all those pieces of material I seem to have collected over the last few years. I'm going to start by making clothes for my children (mainly because they are the only recipients who would be delighted with my efforts!).

As well as various materials bought from bargain bins in fabric shops I've also got a variety of old clothes to cut up and remake into new garments. Another great source I've discovered are the sample books from interior design shops. Just call in and ask if you can have their out of season samples. They are only too happy to pass on their waste rather than pay to put it in the rubbish bin. Some of the pieces are really generously large and the smaller samples are perfect for various crafts, particularly quiltmaking or collage.

Why I Blog at Sallygardens Smallholding

Quite a few people ask me this question, and sometimes I ask myself too! I remember when I first came across  a blog, it hit me that it was a really exciting way to reach out to an audience in an interactive way. When I considered starting my own blog it was for a variety of reasons. Initially I was looking for a way to promote my craft work for sale, so that I could fund my new rural based life. I wanted to find a way to earn an income so I could work from home and the internet offered a global audience to a farm down a lane in Co Leitrim! After a while I realised I was thoroughly enjoying writing and the photography. The contacts I made with readers and other bloggers was very fulfilling, true friendships were forged.  A few months into my first craft blog my subject matter was increasingly about life on our smallholding, it was what I wrote passionately about, and so I started up this blog to purely focus on sustainable living. Since finding my niche I haven't looked back and doors began to open. Soon after the launch of Sallygardens Smallholding blog it became evident that there was a huge interest in our type of lifestyle, with many people hungry for more practical information. This, in turn, lead to the launch of a range of courses on various aspects of smallholding ... pig rearing and goat keeping, with vegetable gardening and possibly a poultry course to follow soon. I also run felting courses, thus getting my necessary fix of crafting.

Before I started blogging I had no previous experience of this phenomenon. If you can write and send an email, you can manage a blog, it really is simple to get up and running. There are free blogging platforms such as Wordpress, and others with an annual fee such as Typepad (favoured by professionals), which is what I use (see the link on the left for free 2 week trial). The only downside is that you may be totally sucked into a virtual world ... I set myself an hour each weekday night and try not to go to blogland other than that, otherwise you can get lost in there for weeks on end!

Recently I got through the first round of judging in the Irish Blog Awards which was a huge boost to my 'on-line' confidence. As a consequence, I was contacted by TaraIT (a web development firm in Cork that do blog consultation) who graciously offered me a blog consultation free of charge in return for a mention. As I'm the opposite of a blog expert I jumped at the opportunity. I answered a questionnaire and received back a list of recommendations which I'm working through, alongside a blog guide they sent me. Its quite a lot of hard work on my part but I hope to see some positive results over the coming months. You may notice some tweeks in design, but there will be other changes behind the scenes. I might even ask you, the readers, some questions to find out what topics you'd like to see more of. For a professional who is setting out in the world of blogging, and is hoping to seriously raise their company profile, the route of blog consultation might be a worthwhile consideration as it saves an awful lot of time and legwork on the learning curve.

Why not start up your own blog on a subject you are passionate about? Beansprouts, one of my favourite bloggers, recently challenged her readers to do so... 23 of them took her up on it. If you do too, be sure to let me know.
 

Eco Conscious Skin Care

One person who has commented regularly on this blog is Marie Chantal. Following her links I found that she makes skin care products using essential oils.  What I really liked about her website and blog was the fact that she feels passionately about making top quality eco friendly products for sensitive skin, and you can feel that passion for what she makes come through from her site. She is somebody who hasn't just jumped on the eco-friendly band wagon, I believe she is doing it because its something she truly believes in. As a consumer this is the line on her website that grabs my attention ... this is the nitty gritty information glossed over by other skin care providers with pretty pictures and marketing blurb... 'Our products contain only natural preservatives and are free from parabens, Sodium Lauryl Sulphate, mineral oils and synthetic perfumes.', heres a product that has nothing to hide ... how refreshing. Take note of the list of nasties in that sentence and check your other beauty products, even your toothpaste, for culprits.

For these reasons I mentioned her in a post last year where I gave a few links for possible eco-conscious Christmas gifts. Then early in the new year a package arrived from America on my doorstep, and a card as a way of a thank you for mentioning her product on my blog. You can't imagine what a treat this was for me because I rarely, ok never, buy skincare products. I tend to make my own, or more often, not use any!

The first thing I noticed from the skin cream and the lip balm was the amazing smell of roses. The natural aroma from essential oil of rose is so appealing in comparison to synthetic fragrances. This made the product a pleasure before it even came into contact with my body! Being a practical sort of person and spending most of the day outdoors can take its toll on the skin. Dry lips and cheeks are generally my companions  this time of year, but when I remember to use them, and then if I manage to find them in a myriad of pockets, the creams Marie Chantal sent me are a real delight. They smell delicious and they do exactly what they say on the tin! They feel natural and light. The creams are as close to the raw product as one can get which to me means less room for contamination, and ingredients that are far less likely to upset the natural balance of my skin. All those qualities shine through in the final product. Unlike mass produced items with massive marketing campaigns and gross budgets thrown at creating a totally fabricated 'natural' image, Maries collection is beautiful, humble, has a sincere eco conscious ethic and putting it on my skin is like introducing it to its soul mate. Artisans like this deserve to be supported and I wish her success with her fantastic line of products.

Painting the House

Once  you start devoting your time to growing your own meat and vegetables on a smallholding, other things get put on the long finger. Things such as painting the outside of the house. This has been on the 'to do' list for two years now so a couple of weeks ago we finally admitted that enough free time would never present itself for us to do the task ourselves. A few enquiries around Leitrim, word of mouth recommendations, a subsequent phone call and the same afternoon Johnny Markey (086 6059090) promptly turned up at our house and gave us a quote. So here she is before ....

and after an intensive week of power washing, gutter clearing, paint scraping, wire brushing and several coats of paint ... this is what she looks like now in all her glory ...

The door is a Victorian blue. We have a salvage Victorian knocker to fit that I inherited from my Dad who saw the magic of salvage in the 1970s when much of Victorian Dublin was being demolished.  Decades later salvage is now trendy, and indeed an important part saving architectural  history. We have ordered reproduction brass letter box and door knob to match. The staff at Knobs & Knockers in Dublin couldn't have been more helpful ... it was a pleasure to speak to them, never rushed, true gentlemen and couldn't do enough for us.

Now all I need is a makeover of this intensity for myself!

Beekeeping

On Saturday last I attended a workshop at the Organic Centre in Rossinver on beekeeping, given by the inspiring Sue Anthony. I fully intended to take a few photos of the bees there (safely housed behind glass!), some lush images of beeswax, perhaps a few pots of honey (yes we did tastings too!) and a dismantled beehive. However I was so engrossed in the subject for the entire day, that I completely forgot. These little creatures are just amazing, and the art of beekeeping is incredible. I had never appreciated just how interesting, complex, enjoyable and rewarding this activity is. Now, I would love to get my hands on a nucleus of bees ... and a beesuit, and a smoker, and a hive, and a hive tool, all the other things one needs to get started (preferably mostly second hand). I may also seek out a bee sting allergy test first, as I'd rather not discover a severe allergy while kitted out head to toe in a beesuit at the end of my field all on my own during my first ever contact with bees!

So the first step to get involved is to do a course like this one, or this, and/or contact your local beekeeping association. Oh, and contrary to popular belief, members need not be only male and over 65 (but of course they are most welcome too)!

Dublin Zoo

We set off to Dublin Zoo, probably for our third time in a year. On arrival I kicked myself for forgetting the pram for my two year old and dreaded carrying her around all day. Actually, I must remember to forget the pram more often. She ran around the entire zoo and I had trouble keeping up! The enclosures these days are enormous, and each one has several windows at various levels to suit children and former children of all ages. We made it to the African Plaines where we opted for the thrill of the zoo train guided tour, which is a great idea for getting the little ones around as much of the zoo as possible. Hey, did you know that chimpanzees can’t swim because they have such dense body muscle and hardly any fat, so they sink, oh, and it takes two hours to boil an ostrich egg … and, and, and the Maribou Storks legs are hollow inside.

Bring a picnic, theres plenty of lovely spots to eat, including picnic benches at the playgrounds. No need to worry about finding a bush, there are enough toilets dotted throughout for even the most frequent toddler … I know! Theres also a good restaurant with everything from sandwiches to Thai curry with a view onto an active meerkat colony. Having been to Eagles Flying recently, the kids were disappointed that they couldn’t touch the rabbits, guinea pigs and goats in the Zoos pets corner. The Zoos Discovery Centre made up for that because there they got to touch the skull of a ‘hypnobottamus’ and put their hands in a crocodiles mouth!

For me returning to this Zoo where I came as a child, its wonderful to see the improvements, but also great to see some of the surviving beautiful architecture that gives parts of the zoo a fantastic sense of history.

Tip : In the summer arrive before 11am to find parking nearby and avoid entry queues. Better still, get the no. 10, 25 or 26 bus. The Dublin Zoo website gives great directions and information about events at the zoo, including ‘meet the keeper’ details.