Instead of pushing your way through the hoards of disgruntled holiday shoppers in the large town shopping centre or supermarket chain, why not do your last minute Christmas food shopping locally. You’ll find lots of unique and interesting Christmas gifts for everyone on your list and at reasonable prices too. Plus you know the money you spend is going into the pockets of the local people and that money is likely to stay circulating in your local economy rather than traveling overseas.

GreenMe has been talking to some of the producers and suppliers listed on our directory and the overall feedback has been that they are having a busy season.

Below are some great food and beverage suppliers from around the country with how Christmas has gone for them so far and the great deals they have on offer

Kevin from Ardkeen Quality Food Store in Waterford has a few Organic Turkeys left. They sold out last year so my advice would be to get your order in quick. Their turkeys are locally reared and are only fed on natural feed stuffs, guaranteeing you a premium taste. They also have lots of local organic growers and food producers with very low food miles selling their quality produce in store

For farms such as Gubbeen in West Cork, the last few weeks have been a time of great confusion. Why their pork products were caught up in the decision to recall all pig meat even though they feed carefully (locally sourced GM free meal) to all their animals, milk herd, chickens and pigs is beyond me.

Giana from Gubbeen said that she took great solace throughout all this from their customers, “your understanding of the real message which we believe in, confirmed that small farms and artisan methods do mean something at a time like this – the message being: local small producers on family run farms with artisan skills do have something special to offer”

Giana would like to say a big thank all the customers who wrote, rang or just came to the markets with their shopping bags and bought Gubbeen Pork Products.

To order some fine Gubbeen produce including Ham, Salami, Cheese and Hampers ranging from ‚¬30 – ‚¬100, contact Giana or Clovisse and they can arrange delivery to your door with their night line delivery service.

Con from The Apple Farm in Tipperary has found the run up to Christmas very busy this year. People have been ordering their cases of juice online for delivery to friends as a Christmas gift. At a starting price of ‚¬35.95 per case of 12 large bottles, you can probably see why. Also people coming to the farm shop have been buying lots of fruit and juice hampers, which along with their preserves,local honey and cheese have proved very popular.

At their local farmers’ market Con made up a mulled apple juice for those whowere driving, using just the Apple Farm′s juice, cloves, cinnamon, and some brown sugar, which is even nicer to drink than a mulled wine, but less expensive, and without the hangover.

You can make this recipe by pouring a bottle of juice into a saucepan, adding one stick of cinnamon, a few cloves, a tablespoon of sugar, and warming to about 70 degrees for about 20 minutes.

So for a hassle free shop that supports the local community and helps retain much needed jobs, check out the GreenMe food directory for a local producer or supplier in your area

I am delighted to see that the magic of a good Christmas market is casting its spell over more and more Irish towns each year. Traditional Christmas Markets, held in cities, towns and villages throughout the country, are becoming increasingly popular. Not only do they evoke an enchanting festive atmosphere but in the ever present economic doldrums, they present the perfect and powerful answer to supporting your local economy!

For my book, I can simply not think of a better way of getting hold of that unusual or rare Christmas pressie that doesn′t smack of commercialism.  These markets are full of craft work, artisan foods and gift ideas that are not mass-produced but guaranteed real quality. Add to that a good splash of mulled wine and your favourite Christmas carols and I think you′re in for a real treat!!  Below I have listed the Chrismas markets I myself know about, and also those that our readers have kindly flagged to me!!  No doubt I have missed lots, so if you know of one that isn′t listed here, please drop me a quick email and I will be happy to add it! (more…)

What could be nicer than always having a big bowl of fresh, organic probiotic yoghurt ready in the fridge.

Making it is easy-peasy and I usually do it while having breakfast. It’s half the price of commercial stuff, and because it has fewer ingredients, it has fewer ‘food miles’ as well.  What could be better.

If you’ve made yogurt before, you probably bought some commercial live yogurt to start, and then saved a fwe scoops from each batch to start the next until, after a few goes, it lost its potency and you had to start again with fresh shop-bought yogurt. All of which was costly and unpredictable.

Well, not any more.

My new, foolproof technique has one crucial ingredient: some probiotic “pixie dust”, aka commercial yoghurt culture.  In other words, the culture that commerical yogurt producers use.

I sourced a sachet from someone selling yoghurt at Dublin’s Temple Bar food-market; it cost €10, and is good for 200 litres of milk… two years later I’m still using it (just store it, sealed, in the freezer)

Or, you can buy a box of 10 sachets here, and sign-up nine friends to share the box with you!

To make 2-litres of yoghurt:
You need:
2-litres of milk (full-fat works best, and I like to use organic)
A pinch of  probiotic  culture (less than 1/8 of a teaspoon works fine)
A timer (essential, so that you don’t forget the heating/cooling milk while doing something else, such as eating breakfast!)
A large bowl & lid to culture the yoghurt
Somewhere warm (I’m currently using a ‘nest’ made out of a sleeping bag (!) in a draft-free cupboard; but I’ve also used a tea-cosy over the bowl, and a south-facing window on a sunny day; and in winter, the warming plate from an old wine-making kit)

Method:
1] heat the milk until nearly boiling (about to lift off!) about 10 minutes.
2] Cool the milk, until it drops to about 45° (so you can just bear to stick a (clean) finger in it and count to 10).   I sit the saucepan uncovered in a sink of cold water for about 10 minutes; remember, the timer!  (if it gets too cold,  just heat it up again a little)
3] Pour the warm milk into the bowl (plastic is best for staying warm; if using glass/metal, preheat the bowl).
4] Add a pinch of the culture, and stir well.
5] Cover, and place somewhere warm and undisturbed for about 10 hours, or over night.
6] Cool fully, before refrigerating
7] Enjoy!

While culturing, try not to disturb it, as this can upset the process.

The bacteria double in number every 20 minutes, so if the yoghurt hasn’t set even after 10 hours, it may just need another 20-40 minutes (happened to me just the once); because it has probably cooled by then, simply transport the bowl (carefully) and set it in a basin of boiling water for 20-40 minutes.

This may sound elaborate, but it really is very simple.  Once you get the hang of it, you can do it in the morning while having breakfast, and come home in the evening to a batch of fresh organic yoghurt, and for a fraction of the price of commercial stuff.

And no plastic rubbish!

And, if you like that, I have a 101 tips for saving time, money and resources in my new book, Drive like a Woman, Shop like a Man.

(c) Mary Mulvihill 2009

From: The Rubbish Diet

We’re talking rubbish, here, folks!

In particular, how to make yoghurt plastic tubs disappear with a little ‘pixie dust’ — about which, more in a minute.

The small bag  pictured here, weighing just 128 g, is  pretty impressive: it’s all the rubbish that one English family threw out in one week.  Admittedly, it took them time and effort to reduce their rubbish to this small amount  — not least, becoming familiar with all the different types of plastic that can (and can’t) be recycled.

The whole weight-reduction story is told in their blog, The Rubbish Diet — well worth reading for tips on how to get rid of rubbish.

That final bag of persistent rubbish, which could  only be binned, contains “the tops of [some] takeaway containers, a few ice lolly wrappers, a foil lined plastic blister pack and some yoghurt top lids as well as some scrunched up yellow tape”.

It was the yoghurt tops that caught my eye.

Because I’ve a very simple, and money-saving way to make those disappear.  It needs only some probiotic ‘pixie dust’ . . . and in a few hours you can turn milk into yoghurt (see the foolproof recipe here).

It’s dead easy — I do it while having breakfast — and best of all, it will even save you money: homemade yogurt is half the price of commercial stuff, and because it has fewer ingredients, it has fewer ‘food miles’ as well.

Plus, what could be nicer than always having a big bowl of fresh, organic probiotic yoghurt ready in the fridge.

And, if you like that, I have a 101 tips for saving time, money and resources in my new book, Drive like a Woman, Shop like a Man.

It has been claimed in many places that these new economic times will slaughter the small, the cute and the eco friendly places to shop. The thinking is that no one will be able to do anything other than go the ALDI and buy the cheapest of the cheap.
While there is  a marked increase in the availability of organic food in outlets traditionally aimed at the lower income consumer, it is also the case that the small, the cute, colourful and the eco friendly have a bright future too.

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We’re down in Westport with Noeline Haylett getting some advice on how to look after chickens.  

 Noeline runs the Mayo Animal Welfare Centre and knows a thing about our egg laying friends.

 “How long do chickens live?” I ask as we make our way past the barking dogs.

 “They usually live up to eight years.” Noeline tells me. Noeline was brought up in the South African bush. She tells us one of her famous stories;

Noeline’s famous story

“When I was about four, my job was to hold the chicken while my father chopped the head off.  One day my older brother whispered to me, ‘Do you know the chicken will still run around after the head is chopped off?’

‘Really,” It couldn’t be true, so, even though I had strict instructions to keep tight hold I couldn’t resist letting go to see what would happen.  It was amazing. Off the chicken ran, blood spurting out of it’s neck like a pulsating fountain.  My dad wasn’t too pleased though and neither was I when I had to clean up the blood while my brother smirked in the background.”

It’s a miracle

While we laugh at the image, Ronnie pipes up with one of his internet facts.

“There was a chicken called Miracle Mike who lived for eighteen months after getting his head chopped off, he toured the sideshows of America. The owner took a pickled chicken head to the shows, but that wasn’t Mike’s head, that was eaten by a cat.” 

Ronnie and Noeline begin to talk about how Mike was fed through his neck with an eyedropper, while I go off and look at the chicken run. 

I am hoping to start keeping chickens soon and want to see just how we can protect ours from the likes of foxes, mink and farmer Lloyd Olsen, (Mike’s owner and beheader). 

Mesh

Noeline uses a one inch thick galvanised steel mesh, ten feet long by five feet wide that are so sturdy they stand upon their own. Noeline and the gang join me.  “I find that the foxes can chew through chicken wire, so I use this.” Noeline pulls at the thick steel. “Nothing can get through that.” She says proudly. “It comes from Turkey and is expensive though at €50 a sheet, so it’s not very environmentally friendly.”

“I’ll take my chances with chicken wire.” I say. “Put them into the chicken house at night then.” Noeline advises.

 Noeline also has a surprise for Michael. After surrepitiously checking it out with Julie and myself she offers Michael two baby Guinea Pigs brothers (Bubbles and Squeak). He is delighted having been hankering after one for years. I am feeling worried.  I don’t have much luck with the lad’s pets.  My last attempt at fish pet care ended up with a big Who Dunnit.

Ronnie has some more facts for us ” In some areas of  Peru, Guinea Pigs run free around your kitchen.  They are pets until it’s dinner time.”…. 

He might be on to something there…

In our previous post, a general overview of meat and the environment in the Irish situation was presented. Here’s more details on what the options out there are.

The relative okness (if I can use that word) of Irish meat was suggested, but with caveats. Are there better options?

Yes there are. Irish organic beef and lamb is one. At a recent conference, Dan Clavan of Teagasc compared organic and conventional farming. He found that of the 15 environmental indicators he examined, organic scored better in all except three. And even for these three, the results were mixed rather than against organic.

In particular, by not using synthetic fertilizers, organic avoids copious use of fossil fuels, which are used in making and then transporting fertilizers around.
For committed carnivores, there is a perhaps unexpected place where Irish organic beef and lamb are affordable and eco – your local farmers’ market. While not all farmers’ market foods are cheap, Irish organic beef and lamb can be extremely good value in this setting.
For example, organic Irish mince at farmers’ markets tends to be about 11-12.50 per kilo. And if you are really trying to reach a point of enviro-purity, try Joe Condon’s beef or lamb (see picture) . You can order on line or drop down to Dungarvan farmers’ market. Joe’s Galloway cattle, which range over the Knockmealdowns, eat an almost exclusively grass fed diet. While doing this, they also improve the biodiversity levels of their grazing area due to sustainable stocking levels, suitable breed and organic practices.
Joe’s burgers are actually the most affordable item on the menu at the highly regarded Bridgestone guide listed Bodega restaurant in Waterford, while regularly receiving rave reviews about how they combine price and quality – true value.
There are many Joe-like characters at the 120 or so farmers’ markets all over Ireland. And if you have the space or friends with big freezers to order organic meat in bulk, try the Colchester’s Drumeen farm in Kilkenny (056 88 31411). Their mixed beef box is just 9e per kilo.
These sorts of prices even challenge the more obvious option of LIDI, which, amongst all the imports, does actually stock certified organic Irish organic minced beef at a great price.

Its good to see that even in tough times, some are thinking of others – like the organic movement encouraging people to buy local, food even if it is conventional.

IOFGA calls on people to support local farmers and food producers to help support the local economy

The Irish Organic Farmers & Growers Association (IOFGA) is urging its members and communities across the country to support local farmers and food producers in their areas in response to the current economic difficulties. This is something practical that we can all do to make a
small positive difference to our local economy.

Kate Carmody Chairperson of IOFGA stated, ‘IOFGA is calling on our own
members and communities across the country to make a point of adding somelocal produce to their weekly shopping. Buying some local food produced byour neighbours represents a small practical step that we can all take asindividuals to help support our local economy in these difficult times.
Many people feel powerless in the face of the torrent of bad news about
the economy and it is very important for our morale to know that we can
each make a difference as individuals.

‘We are urging people to buy some local food from organic farmers if possible but in any case from theirlocal area. Now more than ever, we also need to support local farmers markets, box schemes, local bakeries and local artisan food producers.
‘There are economic, social and environmental benefits to supporting local
food enterprises and developing a local food economy which will prove more
sustainable and resilient in the future.′

Note of IOFGA: They are the largest organic certification organisation in Ireland representing approx 1,000 farmers, growers and processors.

Ennis is my local market, the one I cycle to as often as I get the chance. I love this market, and there are many positives about it. However it has a tough time as a market. The main issue it faces is the local authority behaviour towards the market. They have in fact been completely unsupportive: the market was fined for putting up signs and, incredibly, the local authorities are refusing to allow the market to use the electricity power point already present in the area of the market.

They also faced a relocation to a graveyard of a site, but, happily, fought this successfully.

The market itself, well, it has some great stalls and a great ethos. For one thing, it is one of the most environmentally sound of markets I’m aware of. There are plenty of people who’ve made a name for themselves talking earnestly about local food and meeting the producer, while living incredible carbon footprint lives. There are plenty of high profile markets with a mixture of imports and local food.

Not so Ennis. In Ennis, there are only Clare grown vegetables. This is actually quite rare at markets in reality. They also don’t use generators, despite not being allowed to use the power point. I wonder what would most others do in a similar situation?

They are so ethical in fact, they don’t open from Jan -March, as there isn’t enough local food. This rases interesting questions about the balance between integrity and viability.

However, people can come to the town for the local, organic, seasonal, and go elsewhere in the town for the imports, 9 months a year. Simple really.

A real highlight of the market is the Leen organics stall. Both Jason Horner’s veg and the chirpy way he conducts himself are a great element to the market. (Jason is pictured with a customer above)

The available cheese only comes from Munster, the curds, preserves, jams, cakes, breads, veg, leaves, plants and more are all baked, made or grown in clare. There is a meat stall selling top drawer organic meat from tipperary – we’ll let them away with that, as they had no other availability. Happily, there have hot food available at the mo too.

Ennis farmers’ market: Ireland’s most genuine farmers’ market?

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